Today is International Sushi Day so we thought we'de lean a little more about the popular cuisine straight from the experts, Sushi Chefs Guchi-San and Ken Sato from Noble Fish in Clawson. Noble Fish is a Japanese grocery store in Clawson that is renowned for the sushi.
So how do they eat sushi in Japan? Michelle Oliver worked with them to come with this quiz. Test your knowledge and see how you do.
1) Can you use your hands when eating sushi?
Yes. In Japan, sushi is street food and people eat it with their hands. When you go to a traditional sushi restaurant in Japan they will provide you with a steamed towel to clean your hand with before you eat. Sashimi, on the other hand, is eaten with chopsticks.
2) Should you pass sushi from one set of chopsticks to another set held by another person?
No. This is a major faux pas in Japan. The passing of food from one set of chopsticks to another is reminiscent of a funeral ritual and should not be done when enjoying sushi. If you want to share some of your food, place the shared roll on the person's plate for them to pick up.
3) What is the difference between nigiri and sashimi?
Nigiri is a type of sushi which consists of a slice of raw fish over the pressed vinegared sushi rice, possibly with some wasabi on it as well. Sashimi, on the other hand, is just sliced raw fish or meat frequently served on a bed of radishes.
4) What is the proper way to dip sushi/nigiri/sashimi in soy sauce?
Fish side first! You want to lightly dip the fish into the soy sauce leaving the rice out of it. If you get the rice in the soy sauce it absorbs too much of the soy sauce making the roll too salty. It can also cause your roll to come apart if you dip the rice in the soy sauce. You also don't want to use too much soy sauce because it is disrespectful to the chef implying they did not pick out good fish.
5) What are you supposed to do with the sliced ginger and green wasabi that comes with sushi?
Traditionally, you are not supposed to mix your wasabi in with your soy sauce, instead, you should use your chopsticks to add a little bit to your fish. The ginger is meant to be used as a palate cleanser and should be eaten between rolls. You can also use the ginger to add soy sauce to rolls and nigiri that are not easily dipped.
So how did you do? If you want to celebrate International Sushi Day with some sushi from Noble Fish, they are located at 45 E 14 Mile Road in Clawson.