How to eat Sushi
Hello and welcome to Videojug.
We're going to show you the correct way to eat sushi.
If you're new to Japanese food, don't be intimidated . There are few dos and don't s but as for
our food it's there to be enjoyed.
Sushi is called cooked rice flavored with vinegar, shaped into bite sized pieces and
then topped with raw or cooked fish, all formed into a roll with fish, egg and vegetables
and wrapped in seaweed.
Step 1 : What to expect
Your place that it should include a napkin
a plate a small block called the hashi oki on to which
you'll rest your chopsticks and a small shallow dish, this is for pouring
soy sauce into.
Step 2 : Drinks
You may begin the meal with warm saki, this is an alcoholic drink made from fermented
rice.
It is then customary to move on to either green tea or during the meal.
Green tea should be served in a small handleless cup like this.
If you're female, it is good manners to hold the cup with one hand and use the other hand
to support the bottom.
Step 3 : Chopsticks
Although it is easier to eat larger pieces of sushi with your figures, you should also
use a chopsticks for some pieces and for sashimi , the thin slice is a fish which often start
the meal.
You most likely be using disposable wooden chopsticks.
Handy hint
Wouldn't chopsticks often have a few loose splinters of wood which make them uncomfortable
to hold.
These can be removed by rubbing these sticks together.
Do not let you host see this, as it implies that they're cheap.
When selecting a piece of sushi from a serving dish, use a wider end of the stick, not the
end you put in your mouth.
Never pass food to another person from your chopsticks to their's . This is a mix part
of a Japanese funeral ritual and therefore it is considered extremely rude.
When you're not using your chopsticks , rest them in a hashi oki or across your plate but
do not leave them in edge of your plate.
Step 4 : Soy sauce
Pour little of soy sauce into your dish, don't put in too much , this is considered greedy
and wasteful.
You can take more if you need it.
Step 5 : Wasabi
This is the extremely hot green paste that accompanies most sushi . Take a small amount
with your chopsticks and carefully stir into your soy sauce.
Again don't get too heavy handed as it will override the subtle flavors of sushi and could
offend the shaft.
Step 6 : Eating the sushi
You should began with sashimi, slices of raw fish.
Handle these with your chopsticks and take time to settle the flavor.
Then move on to rice based sushi, which you can eat with your hands or chopsticks, whichever
you prefer.
Pick the piece up and dip it in fish side down of the sou sauce.
Do not dunk the rice onto the sauce , this will make it too soggy and difficult to eat.
Place the sushi in your mouth, fish side down too as it's the flavor of the fish not the
rice that's important here.
Ideally , you should eat the piece in one go or two at a push.
Try not to take a bit and return it to your plate.
Step 7 : Pickled ginger
These are the pale pinkish slices often served with sushi.
The idea here is to eat a slice in between pieces to clean the palate.
Use chopsticks for this, not your hands.
Step 8 : Clear your plate
As much as possible, try not to leave any food on your plate, it is considered specially
rude to leave rice.
Done