The entire process that surrounds the preparation, serving and consumption of sushi is based largely on traditions that have been around for centuries. There are two main forms of sushi. Nigiri-sushi is a delicately cut length of fish that is served on top of a similarly shaped block of pressed sushi rice. Maki-sushi is a roll of rice and fish that is wrapped in a sheet of seaweed and sliced into bite-sized pieces. The fish that is used in both cases could be salmon, tuna, eel or anything else that is available sushi near me. The fish is not cooked before being served. This gives sushi a distinctive taste, appearance and texture. The proper serving temperature of the sushi is an issue that has more than one answer.
Sushi Rice Temperature
Sushi rice is steamed rice that has been mixed with a small amount of vinegar. The rice is fully cooked and then allowed to cool before being used to form a bed for the fish and other ingredients. The vinegar that is used in the rice is due to old traditional methods of preserving food. The vinegar kills bacteria that might have tainted the rice. The cooled rice is formed in the hands of the sushi chef until it is heated to body temperature. This is the ideal serving temperature of the rice because it balances moisture and flavor without being so hot that the fish is steamed on contact. The temperature of the rice is considered so important that women were historically banned from making sushi in Japan in previous centuries. The reasoning was that the hands of a woman were thought to be too warm. Women are permitted to make sushi in most parts of modern Japan.
Temperature Of The Fish
The fish that is used in sushi tastes the best when it is as fresh as possible. The original concept of sushi was to use fresh fish that were caught only hours before serving. There was no convenient form of refrigeration when sushi was first developed. Street vendors in Japan would slice fresh fish to order. This meant that most of the fish was served at room temperature. Many restaurants still follow this practice today. Restaurants often place pieces of fish in wooden boxes that are kept at the counter where the sushi chef is working. Room temperature sushi is considered the traditional way to serve the fish. The slight warming of the fish allows the full flavor to be experienced without numbing the taste buds.
Chilled Fish
Modern sushi restaurants must follow strict health and safety guidelines when serving sushi. This means keeping the fish at near-freezing temperatures until the day of use. Certain chefs will keep the fish at this temperature until it is ordered. The result is that the slices of fish are chilled when presented to a guest. This is becoming the most popular temperature for sushi. Diners often prefer cooled fish because the texture is firm. Chilled sushi is enjoyed by people who have trouble with the texture or taste of raw fish. The raw or overly fishy flavors are masked slightly when the meat is served chilled.