Styles of Sushi
It is a common misconception that all sushi is rice rolled in seaweed (nori). A trip to the local sushi bar can be intimidating if you have no idea what you are ordering. This is especially true if the staff speaks little English. Many restaurants also use traditional Japanese names on their menu. There are many different styles of sushi, not to mention many different flavour combinations. The following will explain what to expect when ordering a few different styles of sushi.
Nigirizushi is a fairly common style of sushi. Often it is presented with 2 pieces of sushi on each plate. The look of nigirizushi is simple and incredibly elegant. A ball of rice formed often into an oblong or mound is the base. The chosen topping is laid loosely on the rice, almost as if the rice is a presentation table. The topping is sometimes bound to the rice by a thin strip of nori. Another type of nigirizushi is gunkanmaki. It is similar to nigirizushi, but is typically used for roe or finely chopped ingredients. To make gunkanmaki, a formed ball of rice is wrapped with nori to create a vessel. The roe or topping is placed on top with the lip of nori holding them in place. Temarizushi is probably the simplest in the nigirizushi family. Rice and fish are pressed together into a spherical shape and then sometimes garnished with sesame seeds
Makizushi is the style of sushi which has become increasingly popular around the world. The most popular maki is rice and fillings rolled in nori, and then cut into 6 or 8 pieces. Thin omelettes or rice paper are sometimes used in place of nori at sushi establishments. Maki is a broad term and encompasses some other rolls considered to be in the same class. Futomaki is usually a very thick roll and has three fillings The combinations of ingredients are well thought out for taste and appearance. Hosomaki is the opposite of futomaki; the rolls are very thin. Often there is only one ingredient in this roll and it is regarded as more of a snack than a meal. The cone shaped nori, filled with rice and toppings, is called temaki. The toppings in temaki are visible at the wide end, which creates a pleasing visual effect. Another style of roll to know about is uramaki. "mistype of roll is often called the inside out roll in North America because the rice is on the outside of the roll.
The final type of sushi to discuss is not all that common but warrants mention. Inarizushi is quite different from other sushi because it is deep fried. To make Inarizushi, a tofu pocket is stuffed with rice and deep fried. These tofu pockets, which are generally larger than most other styles of sushi, contain no other fillings.
The styles of sushi outlined above are only the tip of the iceberg. There are many styles and variations due to the different regions of Japan. Experimentation with different styles is highly recommended.
