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Paneer sushi, Achari sushi, Jain sushi — words one never would have thought could be used together. But these are dishes, many versions of which can now be found on myriad menus across the country. But where exactly did the original sushi come from?
According to ancient Japanese wives’ tales, to save her rice from thieves, a woman began hiding her pots of rice in the nests of osprey birds. When she went back, she found scraps of fish from the osprey’s food had fallen into the pots and both the rice and the fish were perfectly preserved due to fermentation. Thus, sushi was invented — or at least, that is what the tale says.
The origins of the Japanese sushi are not much different. It finds a mention in a fourth-century Chinese dictionary, which talks about salted fish being placed in cooked rice for them to be fermented. According to CNN Travel, this was called narezushi — the homo erectus to sushi’s homo sapiens, if you will.
But who knew that a creation from an old wives’ tale would become a dish millions across the world would love today?
Indians have been indulging in Japanese cuisine for some time now. In 2018 only, the export of food from Japan to India zoomed up to a staggering $833 million.
According to a 2021 report from the Japan External Trade Organisation, there were around 100 restaurants in India, mainly serving Japanese cuisine, up from 60 in 2020. And this figure doesn’t even take into account smaller sushi bars or eateries serving Japanese food as a part of their menu.
Chef Gurpreet Singh Gehdu of Habbit in Delhi, says, “While traditional Japanese sushi has found a niche among food enthusiasts and urbanites, there’s a growing demand for fusion and vegetarian sushi, catering to diverse palates. They are making food that combines Japanese tastes with Indian flavours to attract more people.”
Not a unique concept by any means, the much-loved California roll was invented in Canada by Hidekazu Tojo because the Canadians would not touch raw fish. “And seaweed was almost as unappealing as raw fish at the time,” Chef Gehdu told Food52 in an interview. So, he tucked the seaweed inside and did away with the raw fish entirely.
Meanwhile, many of the people indianexpress.com talked to agreed they hated sushi because of the raw fish. According to chef Gaurav Pun, Chef De Cuisine, Conrad Pune, for you to be able to enjoy authentic sushi, first you will have to get used to eating fish.
Divya Marasini, a 31-year-old marketing professional, who grew up on a diet of meat and fish, says she loves sushi because of its freshness.
But the feeling is not universal. Mithila, 21, has grown up in the Konkan belt of India and different forms of fish have been an important part of her meals since even before she had teeth. But she says she “resisted the urge to throw up” when she first ate sushi. Mithila has since adopted a vegetarian diet.
“Overrated and overpriced,” says 22-year-old Lovika Tyagi, while 25-year-old Punyaja Singh describes sushi as “traumatic”.
Ananya Bandhopadhyay, also a 25-year-old, had a similar experience on her first encounter with sushi but she loves it now. “Good quality raw fish doesn’t taste fishy. It just tastes clean. Like the ocean,” she says of the time she had sushi in Korea.
When asked if sushi is an acquired taste like wine, many say no. Ashrey Puri, a 22-year-old makeup artist, says he hates wine though he has tried it many times. “Unlike traditional sushi, I definitely prefer chicken katsu sushi because of the textures. Though I don’t mind trying out nigiris, katsu is definitely a safer option,” he says.
Sushi is a part of Japanese cuisine and its appeal lies in its unique flavours, textures and presentations, according to Chef Vaibhav Bhargava of Cho, Delhi.
It is primarily differentiated by the ingredients used, the preparation method and the presentation style.
“Fusion sushi, for instance, combines elements of Japanese cuisine with flavours and ingredients from other cultures. The distinction lies not only in taste but also in the artistry of presentation, making sushi a diverse culinary experience,” explains Chef Gehdu.
To have a better sushi eating experience, first, you need to understand what is the difference between the varieties of sushi like maki rolls, ura maki rolls, sashimi, nigiri and temaki.
Chef Bhargava took the liberty to explain these differences. While maki rolls have the seaweed sheet or nori outside and the fillings safely rolled inside, ura maki rolls are just the opposite where the nori on the inside while the rice is on the outside, and often have a layer of sesame seeds or other ingredients on the rice. Chef Gehdu adds both offer a burst of flavours and textures.
Sashimi, which is not technically a sushi, puts the emphasis on the quality and freshness of the thinly-sliced raw fish, which may or may not have rice, and is eaten with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.
Nigiri is a much more traditional sushi, which consists of a small bed of vinegared rice with a slice of raw fish or seafood on top. It is typically garnished with a bit of wasabi and sometimes secured with a strip of seaweed or a thin band of nori.
Temaki is a hand-rolled sushi, and goes by the ancient ideals of sushi being made and eaten by hand. It is prepared by wrapping rice, fish, vegetables and other fillings in a cone-shaped piece of nori. It is often customisable based on personal preferences, according to Chef Bhargava.
Chef Gehdu explains determining someone’s sushi preferences depends on their existing tastes. “If they enjoy bold, spicy flavours, rolls like the Spicy Tuna or Dragon Roll, it might be appealing for them,” he says.
For those who prefer milder flavours, a classic California Roll or nigiri with cooked seafood could be a good starting point, or, for someone who prefers citrus flavours, it can include options like sea urchin, sweet omelette or monkfish liver.
Exploring vegetarian or tempura-based options can also be a gentle introduction.
In fact, the etymology of the word ‘sushi’ indicates that it stands for sour rice. It is not the fish — raw or cooked — that makes the sushi but the rice (hence the reason why sashimi isn’t technically a sushi).
Good sushi rolls are a mix of different textures and flavours — creamy yet crispy, salty and fatty. This is the reason why Bandhopadhyay likes eating kimbap as well — which could be called a rudimentary Korean sushi minus the fish — as each bite gives her a similar experience.
No rulebook says you need to eat sushi with a pair of chopsticks or that only sushi made with raw fish deserves to be called so. You can have your sushi however you like — Japanese or desi.
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