The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Sushi

For some, sushi is somewhat synonymous with Japanese cuisine, but as with many types of traditional foods, there’s more to it than meets the eye.

Recent decades have seen sushi continue to grow in popularity all over the world, with more and more diverse options showing up alongside sandwiches in our supermarket meal deals. Want to learn more about the different types of sushi, essential ingredients and how it’s made? Our ultimate beginner’s guide to sushi provides the perfect place to start for this beloved dish.

What is Sushi?

Many of us may instantly associate the word sushi with raw fish; however, the term sushi actually refers to the seasoned rice (or sumeshi) that is used in the dish. Regardless of any fillings or other ingredients added, for something to be called sushi, it must contain this kind of rice.

The sushi rice is formed into rolls or different shapes and combined with other ingredients such as seaweed, fish, meat and vegetables. There are many different types and styles of sushi, each featuring different ingredients and flavours.

Is Fish Raw in Sushi?

As the key defining feature of sushi is the seasoned rice, sushi does not always contain raw fish, despite some people’s long-held assumptions – indeed, some forms of sushi do not contain fish at all.

Some types of sushi may contain different kinds of raw fish, and some may use cooked fish. If using raw fish, it must be ‘sushi-grade’, meaning it is of high quality, processed to maintain freshness and minimal contamination and deemed safe to eat without being cooked.

Some people may confuse sushi with sashimi. The latter does purely consist of thin slices of raw fish. It does not include rice like sushi does.

What is Sushi Wrapped in?

Many sushi types are rolled in a sheet of dried seaweed called nori. The sheets are flexible enough to be rolled and maintain their shape, holding the rice and other ingredients together. The nori provides a salty, umami flavour and may also have additional seasoning in some sushi rolls.

Some sushi is not wrapped in nori and is simply presented as rolls of rice. Other forms may use different kinds of wrappers such as soy paper, tofu skin, omelette or even cucumber.

Where Does Sushi Originate From?

People in Southeast Asia were eating fish fermented with vinegar and rice as early as the beginning of the Iron Age. When this practice spread to Japan, people stopped discarding the rice that the fish had been preserved with and started eating both as a combined dish.

Over the centuries, sushi continued to evolve (particularly in the 14th century when a new rice vinegar was developed), becoming an essential part of Japanese culinary tradition and culture.

While the earliest forms of sushi may not have originated in Japan, what we know as sushi today was developed and refined in the country.

Different Types of Sushi

There are so many types of sushi, each with a different look and combination of ingredients. Here are some of the most popular variations you’ll come across.

Maki

Maki sushi is what many people might think of when considering the quintessential sushi roll. ‘Maki’ actually means roll, so this kind of sushi is rice wrapped in a nori sheet and rolled into a long cylinder. The roll is then cut into around eight slightly bigger than bite-sized pieces.

The rolls can be filled with a variety of ingredients, usually a combination of fish and veggies.

Hosomaki

Hosomaki sushi is a form of maki rolled sushi, just a smaller version. The rolls here are thinner than typical maki rolls and usually contain a single filling (i.e. just tuna or just cucumber etc). You can eat them in one bite.

Uramaki

Another form of maki, uramaki sushi, is considered ‘inside-out’ sushi. This means the nori is on the inside of the roll rather than wrapped around the outside. This kind of sushi is popular in the US, where it originates.

Popular sushi variations like California Rolls and Dragon Rolls are uramaki.

Nigiri

Nigiri is another very recognisable type of sushi. Here, it is not rolled, but the rice is formed into an oval block, which is topped with a slice of fish (often raw salmon or tuna).

If making these at home, you can form the rice into the nigiri shape with your hands or for a more precise look, you can use plastic sushi moulds.

Temari

This kind of sushi is quite similar to nigiri, but the rice is formed into small round balls with the customary raw fish topping. This is generally quite a delicate, decorative sushi variation.

Temari sushi tends to be served during celebrations or special days.

Temaki

Instead of a precise, tight roll, temaki sushi consists of a seaweed cone that is stuffed with rice and other typical sushi fillings. They may also be known as hand rolls and are incredibly easy to make at home, as you don’t need any special equipment.

Inari

Inari sushi consists of deep-fried and seasoned tofu pockets stuffed with sushi rice. They typically don’t have any other fillings, so are suitable for vegans and vegetarians.

Making Sushi Rice

Rice is the foundation of any kind of sushi, so getting it right is essential. Master sushi chefs often train for several years just in the proper ways to prepare sushi rice.

However, you don’t need this special training when making sushi at home. With the right know-how, preparing sushi rice for homemade sushi is relatively easy. To find out more about cooking sushi rice, see our simple sushi rice guide.

How to Season Sushi Rice

The traditional way to season sushi rice is with rice vinegar, salt and sugar. This combination provides that distinctive sushi flavour. You can also buy ready-made bottles of sushi seasoning for added convenience.

Rolling Sushi

Sushi rolls are made with a bamboo rolling mat. A sheet of nori is placed on the mat (which you can also cover with cling film if necessary), and the rice is spread on top, covering almost all the nori sheet.

Fillings are added to the side closest to you in a line along the long edge. Then, you roll this edge, using the bamboo mat to squeeze the ingredients together in the initial roll, before slowly rolling the rest of the nori sheet and rice until you have a long cylinder. Once the long roll has been formed, it can be cut into bite-sized portions.

What to Serve With Sushi

Common toppings and accompaniments for sushi include:

• Soy sauce for dipping
• Pickled ginger (known as gari)
• Wasabi

While sushi can be eaten on its own as a full meal, you may also want to pair it with various side dishes for a medley of delicious Japanese food. Side dishes that pair well with different kinds of sushi include:

• Edamame beans
• Miso soup
• Tempura vegetables
• Wakame salad (cucumber and seaweed)
• Tamagoyaki
• Gyoza

If you’d like to make your own sushi at home, don’t go far because our online Japanese supermarket stocks all the basics, including premium sushi rice, nori sheets and rice seasoning, along with rolling mats and sushi moulds, perfect for getting started!