The Japanese dish Sushi is healthy and delicious and there is an unlimited flavor combination to explore. It is one of the most popular international dishes in the world which looks fancy and tastes wonderful.
And if you are not a regular sushi eater, then you may be confused about the types of sushi and which ones to choose from but fret not because we will help you with your sushi knowledge.
Nigri in Japanese for 'two fingers', Nigri Sushi is a type of sushi where the rice is mixed with vinegar, sugar, and salt and a thin slice of fish is pressed by hand above the rice. This sushi does not contain extra ingredients other than the rice which makes it simple but delicious.
Maki means 'to roll' in Japanese, it is one of the classic variant and popular type of round sushi that consists of cooked rice in vinegar, salt, and sugar. It is wrapped around a layer of seaweed (nori), this sushi can also be rolled in soy paper or thin cucumbers and topped with seafood, vegetables, natto, and egg.
In Japanese Chirasi means 'scattered', this classic sushi is popular inside Japan and is hard to find outside of the country which is why only a few people know about this. Unlike other popular sushi, chirashi sushi is not shaped by hand but is served in a bowl with other seafood ingredients.
There are two different types of Chirashi sushi found in Japan:
Inari Sushi is a traditional style of sushi that is made of sweetened rice tucked into sweet and salty pouches of deep-fried tofu. This sushi is easy to make and eat.
This sushi is known as Inarizushi in Japan, this is the perfect food for a picnic or outing, and kids also love to eat this sushi. There are four different variations of this type of sushi:
In the Japanese language, Temari means handball, which is known as a traditional craft with beautiful threads made for kids.
Temari sushi balls are a beautiful-looking sushi-like edible art resembling handmade Japanese balls, it is much easier to make than regular sushi rolls and it also requires less skill, equipment, and less fuss.
Masu Zushi or sushi is a type of sushi that consists of trot or cherry salmon seasoned with vinegar. It is made without fermentation in a pressed sushi style.
It is a round-shaped sushi topped with salmon, which is basically found in Japan and rarely in other countries.
Sushi Rolls are a simple combination of vinegar-cooked rice and fillings wrapped in seaweed and shaped into a stick-like shape.
The fillings typically consist of raw fish, pickled, or other cooked ingredients like vegetables and omelet eggs used as fillings. There are a variety of sushi rolls available in the market and restaurants.
Philadelphia Roll is one of the most popular sushi rolls among Americans, this sushi roll is stuffed with Philadelphia creamy cheese, fresh cucumber, and smoked salmon.
Its other name is Philly Roll, it was first created in the 1980s in North America and the name was given by one of the renowned Philadelphia cream cheese brands.
Rainbow Roll Sushi falls under the type of Uramaki sushi, it is a delicious and beginner-friendly sushi dish. it is filled with traditional ingredients like cucumber, crab meat, or imitation crab.
On the top of the rainbow sushi, there is a colorful decoration of fresh fish such as salmon, tuna, and yellowtail together with slices of avocado.
Spicy Tuna Rolls are another popular staple in Japanese Restaurants across the USA. It is made of three main ingredients such as sushi rice, nori or seaweed, and sashimi-grade tuna.
This sushi roll tastes mild and fresh in flavor with a hint of spice and also is soft and melt in your mouth-like texture. This dish is served with soy sauce and wasabi.
Kappa Maki means cucumber rolls in Japanese, this kind of sushi roll is simple yet classic in taste. Kappa Maki is perfectly combined with crunchy cucumber and chewy sushi rice with nori which gives it a refreshing taste.
This cucumber roll is healthy as it contains the source of dietary fiber, vitamin C and Vitamin K. It is easy to make at home and affordable to have in the restaurant as well.
Salmon Rolls are the most common type of sushi found in American-Japanese restaurants. It is made of salmon, wrapped with vinegared rice and nori seaweed.
This sushi roll provides that pleasant fish flavor filled with omega-3 fatty acids. There are various other types of salmon sushi available in the restaurants.
Tako or Octopus Sushi Rolls is also a traditional Japanese Sushi roll that consists of seasoned sushi rice topped with slices of sashimi-grade octopus.
Both the rice and the thin layer of octopus are held together by a thin strip of nori seaweed. The dish is typically served with soy sauce for dipping the sushi as well as wasabi and ginger pickle.
California Roll is an inside-out makizushi roll that contains crab, avocado, and cucumber, and the outer layer is wrapped in seasoned sushi rice and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds or roe.
This particular sushi is fresh, affordable, and extremely tasty which also be made at home with few simple ingredients.
Ikura means 'fish egg' in Japanese, it is a striking orange color, and adding a spoonful of ikura can instantly make any sushi attractive. The taste of Ikura Roll is distinctive and may take a while for new sushi eaters to like the taste.
People believe that eating an Ikura roll is quite an experience as it is soft and offers a satisfying pop of fish after every bite of the sushi.
Unagi Sushi falls under the type of Maki Sushi that is made by rolling ingredients in seaweed sheets and seasoned rice. The main ingredients of the sushi are freshwater eel and crunchy cucumber.
This sushi gives you a light and sweet flavor that does not overpower the dish, some also feel like this is similar to a salmon roll. Besides its delicious taste, it also offers many health benefits.
Iwashi sushi is a traditional Japanese type of Nigri sushi as it consists of hand-pressed sushi rice that is topped with slices of fresh sardines.
The taste of this sushi depends on the taste of the fish, Iwashi Roll is basically fishy in flavor; however, the aromas are strong and fresh. It is served with soy sauce, wasabi, and a side of ginger pickle.
Uni means the edible part of the sea Urchin in Japanese, this is often used in nigiri sushi, and sashimi sushi and is also served with salad and pasta. This dish can be easily found in Japanese restaurants.
Just like Ikura Sushi, uni also contains a good source of proteins, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants. It is creamy and slightly sweet and has a strong ocean smell and is buttery in texture.
Saba Sushi is usually referred to as Kyoto-style pressed sushi, and is considered to be Kyoto's signature dish. This dish consists of a sushi rice base topped with a mackerel fillet.
Unlike other traditional sushi, saba sushi is typically wrapped in bamboo leaves to get that perfect shape. This sushi contains very unique and exotic flavor which is not preferred by everyone.
Temaki Sushi is a hand-rolled sushi, it is similar to regular sushi and the ingredients are also similar but the main difference is in the final shape and how they are rolled.
This type of sushi is perfect to make at home while hosting parties or gatherings as it just needs a few prepped ingredients so that everyone can make their own temaki sushi.
Squid Sushi, also known as Ika Sushi, is a traditional Japanese sushi that is hand-pressed and topped with slices of squid. It contains that perfect rich flavor.
The texture of this dish is chewy and slimy; it is served with soy sauce or ginger pickle on the side, and to elevate the sushi flavor, you can also add shiso leaf. There are four different types of Squid sushi:
A dragon roll sushi is an inside-out sushi roll that is generally made with crab and tempura shrimp, along with grilled eel which is optional. Other ingredients are cucumber, avocado, and mayonnaise.
And the sushi can be served by adding spicy mayo sauce on the topping or one can drizzle imitation crab on the top. It is best to have it with unagi eel sauce and teriyaki sauce.
Spider sushi is an inside-out sushi roll that is filled with soft-shell crab tempura, cucumber, and carrots, finally rolled in nori seaweed and seasoned sushi rice.
The crab legs on the sushi look like spider legs which is the reason why it is named spider roll. Unlike other sushi, this does not contain any raw fish which is why it is ideal for those who do not like raw fish.
Mango Maki Roll is a modern form of sushi that is extremely popular in American-Japanese restaurants. This type of sushi is filled with sweet mango, creamy avocado, and soft bananas, covered in nori seaweed with a drizzle of savory sauce.
This is considered a fun sushi food which is mostly preferred by kids as it has that vibrant look and offers a delicious tummy-feeling classic variation of maki sushi.
Similar to California Roll, the Boston Roll is also an Americanized version of the Japanese Sushi roll. Unlike traditional raw seafood sushi, this sushi contains poached shrimp with sushi rice, avocado, and Japanese cucumbers.
Boston roll is garnished with masago or Japanese fish roe also known as tobiko. It is crunchy, salty, and has that perfect smoky flavor that complements the sushi roll.
