5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Sushi

To celebrate International Sushi Day on June 18, we chat with executive masterchef Norikazu Shibata of Kuala Lumpur restaurant Sushi Kazu on all things sushi

There is beauty in simplicity and sushi is the epitome of that. Comprising of only two or three ingredients, it comes in different shapes, sizes, preparation styles (Edo-mae, hako zushi) and types (nigiri, maki, futomaki, temaki, chirashi).

Tatler Dining reaches out to executive masterchef Norikazu Shibata of Sushi Kazu for a deeper dive into the beloved Japanese morsels.

1. Skip the soy sauce

“Not all fish needs to be dipped in soy sauce," states Shibata. “A master sushi chef would have already prepared it in such a way that it should be eaten on its own.” This is especially true for nigiri, the style in which the slice of fish sits on a perfectly shaped ball of rice embellished with a tinge of wasabi.

If you do want to dip it in soy sauce, dip the fish, not the rice. This way, the rice won’t be soaked in sauce, affecting its texture and taste.

2. No skin off kinmedai

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Most fish are skinned before serving due to the tough or generally unpleasant texture. However, with kinmedai (golden eye snapper), it’s a different story. “Kinmedai must always have its skin on as there is good fat between the skin and meat, thus enhancing its flavour,” notes Shibata.

3. Trimmed tuna

When it comes to tuna, otoro (fatty tuna belly) is arguably the most desirable cut. The fat is buttery and when fresh, it practically melts in your mouth. The preparation process, however, is not so simple. “You must always lightly trim or cut the otoro to best enjoy it as it contains a lot of fibre,” says Shibata.

4. The freshest catch

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Freshness is essential with sushi. Most restaurants rely on multiple flights a week for fresh supplies from all over the world with Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo being a main source.

With some fish, eating them the day after their arrival is fine, but with shellfish, same-day freshness is highly recommended. “Shellfish like hotate (scallops) must be eaten on the same day of its arrival as its freshness deteriorates very quickly,” advises Shibata.

5. Ageing gracefully

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Jukusei sushi, or sushi with aged fish, may sound contradictory at first, considering fact #4 above. But recently, there has been a spike in the popularity of aged sushi, which is not to be compared to pickled or fermented foods. “All master sushi chefs have their own ageing techniques to bring the best out of the fish,” reveals Shibata.

Fish is aged to enhance their flavours. Aged sushi is done delicately with preservative ingredients like salt or vinegar and requires scrupulous supervision of environmental conditions, from moisture level to temperature.

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Credits

Images

Courtesy of Sushi Kazu

Topics

sushi international sushi day international sushi day 2022 sushi kazu Executive Masterchef Norikazu Shibata japanese cuisine