Editing Sushi (section)

==Ingredients==
[[File:Making Sushi.webmhd.webm|thumb|Video of making sushi without fish]]
[[File:Sushichef.jpg|thumb|right|Sushi chef preparing {{transliteration|ja|nigirizushi}}, [[Kyoto]], Japan]]

All sushi has a base of specially prepared rice, complemented with other ingredients. Traditional Japanese sushi consists of rice flavored with vinegar sauce and various raw or cooked ingredients.

{{Anchor|sushi rice}}

===''Sushi-meshi''===
{{Further|Japonica rice|Japanese rice}}
{{nihongo||鮨飯|Sushi-meshi}} (also known as {{nihongo||酢飯|su-meshi}}, {{nihongo||舎利|shari}}, or {{nihongo||ご飯|gohan}}) is a preparation of white, short-grained, [[Japanese rice]] mixed with a dressing consisting of [[rice vinegar]], [[sugar]], [[salt]], and occasionally [[kombu]] and [[sake]]. It must be cooled to room temperature before being used for a sushi filling, or it will get too sticky while seasoned. Traditionally, it is mixed with a [[hangiri]] (a round, flat-bottom wooden tub or barrel) and a {{transliteration|ja|[[shamoji]]}} (a wooden paddle).

Sushi rice is prepared with short-grain Japanese rice, which has a consistency that differs from long-grain strains such as those from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Vietnam. The essential quality is its stickiness or glutinousness, although the type of rice used for sushi differs from [[glutinous rice]]. Freshly harvested rice ({{transliteration|ja|shinmai}}) typically contains too much water and requires extra time to drain the rice cooker after washing. In some [[fusion cuisine]] restaurants, short-grain [[brown rice]] and [[wild rice]] are also used.

There are regional variations in sushi rice, and individual chefs have their methods. Most of the variations are in the rice vinegar dressing: the [[Kantō region]] (or East Japan) version of the dressing commonly uses more salt; in [[Kansai region]] (or West Japan), the dressing has more sugar.

===Nori===
{{Main|Nori}}
[[File:Nori.jpg|thumb|Sheets of [[nori]]]]
The dark green seaweed wrappers used in {{transliteration|ja|makimono}} are called {{nihongo|[[nori]]|海苔}}. Nori is a type of [[red algae]], typically in the family [[Bangiaceae]], traditionally cultivated in the harbors of Japan. Originally, algae was scraped from dock pilings, rolled out into thin, edible sheets, and dried in the sun, similar to making [[rice paper]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VWLTngEACAAJ|title=The Japanese Kitchen: 250 Recipes in a Traditional Spirit|last=Shimbo|first=Hiroko|date=2000-11-08|publisher=Harvard Common Press|isbn=9781558321779|page=128|language=en|quote=Unlike wakame, kombu, and hijiki, which are sold in the form of individual leaves, nori is sold as a sheet made from small, soft, dark brown algae, which have been cultivated in bays and lagoons since the middle of the Edo Era (1600 to 1868). The technique of drying the collected algae on wooden frames was borrowed from the famous Japanese paper-making industry.|access-date=2020-10-16|archive-date=2021-06-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210617105727/https://books.google.com/books?id=VWLTngEACAAJ|url-status=live}}</ref> Today, the commercial product is farmed, processed, toasted, packaged, and sold in sheets.

The size of a nori sheet influences the size of {{transliteration|ja|makimono}}. A full-size sheet produces {{transliteration|ja|futomaki}}, and a half produces {{transliteration|ja|hosomaki}} and {{transliteration|ja|temaki}}. To produce {{transliteration|ja|gunkan}} and some other {{transliteration|ja|makimono}}, an appropriately-sized piece of nori is cut from a whole sheet.

Nori by itself is an edible snack and is available with salt or flavored with teriyaki sauce. The flavored variety, however, tends to be of lesser quality and is not suitable for sushi.

When making {{transliteration|ja|fukusazushi}}, a paper-thin omelet may replace a sheet of nori as the wrapping. The omelet is traditionally made on a rectangular omelet pan, known as a {{transliteration|ja|[[makiyakinabe]]}}, and used to form the pouch for the rice and fillings.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E93DajzW57cC&q=fukusazushi|title=Simply sushi|last=Pallett|first=Steven|date=2004|publisher=Hinkler Books|isbn=9781741219722|page=289|language=en|access-date=2020-10-16|archive-date=2021-06-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210617105648/https://books.google.com/books?id=E93DajzW57cC&q=fukusazushi|url-status=live}}</ref>

===''Gu''===
{{Main|List of sushi and sashimi ingredients}}
[[File:Wagyu sushi 01.jpg|thumb|Sushi made of meats other than fish (whether raw or cooked) is a variation often seen in Japan.]]
[[File:Whole-eel.jpg|thumb|right|{{nihongo||焼きアナゴ一本握り|Yaki anago-ippon-nigiri}}&nbsp;– a roasted and sweet-sauced whole [[conger eel]]]]
[[File:Fried-shrimp.jpg|thumb|right|{{nihongo||エビフライ巻き|Ebifurai-maki}}&nbsp;– fried-shrimp roll]]
The ingredients used inside sushi are called {{transliteration|ja|gu}} and are, typically, varieties of fish.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wIOcYVPYfkAC&q=neta+sushi&pg=PP56|title=The Connoisseur's Guide to Sushi: Everything You Need to Know about Sushi Varieties and Accompaniments, Etiquette and Dining Tips, and More|last=Lowry|first=Dave|date=2005|publisher=Harvard Common Press|isbn=9781558323070|language=en|access-date=2020-10-16|archive-date=2021-06-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210617105651/https://books.google.com/books?id=wIOcYVPYfkAC&q=neta+sushi&pg=PP56|url-status=live}}</ref> For culinary, sanitary, and aesthetic reasons, the minimum quality and freshness of fish to be eaten raw must be superior to that of fish that is to be cooked. Sushi chefs are trained to recognize important attributes, including smell, color, firmness, and freedom from parasites that may go undetected in a commercial inspection. Commonly used fish are [[Tuna as food|tuna]] ({{transliteration|ja|maguro, shiro-maguro}}), [[Japanese amberjack]], yellowtail ({{transliteration|ja|hamachi}}), [[Eastern nannygai|snapper]] ({{transliteration|ja|kurodai}}), [[Mackerel (food)|mackerel]] ({{transliteration|ja|saba}}), and [[Salmon (food)|salmon]] ({{transliteration|ja|sake}}). The most valued sushi ingredient is [[toro (sushi)|{{transliteration|ja|toro}}]], the fatty cut of the fish.<ref>{{Cite book|title=[[American Tuna: The Rise and Fall of an Improbable Food]]|last=Smith|first=Andrew F.|date=2012-08-08|publisher=[[University of California Press]]|isbn=9780520261846|page=[https://books.google.com/books?id=AR_Zq_GIHtAC&pg=PA95 95]|language=en}} - [https://web.archive.org/web/20200818222534/https://books.google.com/books?id=AR_Zq_GIHtAC&pg=PA95 Archived url], live status.</ref> This comes in a variety of {{transliteration|ja|ōtoro}} (often from the bluefin species of tuna) and {{transliteration|ja|[[chūtoro]]}}, meaning "middle toro", implying that it is halfway into the fattiness between {{transliteration|ja|toro}} and the regular cut. {{transliteration|ja|Aburi}} style refers to nigiri sushi, where the fish is partially grilled (topside) and partially raw. Most nigiri sushi will have completely raw toppings, called {{transliteration|ja|neta}}.<ref name=":0" />

Other seafoods such as [[Squid (food)|squid]] ({{transliteration|ja|ika}}), [[Eel (food)|eel]] ({{transliteration|ja|[[anago]]}} and {{transliteration|ja|[[unagi]]}}), [[Daggertooth pike conger|pike conger]] ({{transliteration|ja|hamo}}), [[Octopus (food)|octopus]] ({{transliteration|ja|tako}}), [[Shrimp (food)|shrimp]] ({{transliteration|ja|ebi}} and {{transliteration|ja|amaebi}}), [[clam]] ({{transliteration|ja|mirugai}}, {{transliteration|ja|aoyagi}} and {{transliteration|ja|akagai}}), fish [[roe]] ({{transliteration|ja|ikura}}, {{transliteration|ja|[[masago]]}}, {{transliteration|ja|kazunoko}} and {{transliteration|ja|tobiko}}), [[Sea urchin as food|sea urchin]] ({{transliteration|ja|uni}}), [[Crab meat|crab]] ({{transliteration|ja|kani}}), and various kinds of shellfish (abalone, prawn, scallop) are the most popular seafoods in sushi. [[Oyster]]s are less common, as the taste is thought to not go well with the rice. {{transliteration|ja|Kani kama}}, or imitation crab stick, is commonly substituted for real crab, most notably in California rolls.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/imitation-crab-meat-ingredients-explained-2017-5|title=Here's what imitation crab meat is really made of |author1=Rob Ludacer |author2=Jessica Orwig |website=Business Insider|access-date=2019-06-05|archive-date=2019-06-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190605225535/https://www.businessinsider.com/imitation-crab-meat-ingredients-explained-2017-5|url-status=live}}</ref>

Pickled [[daikon]] radish ({{transliteration|ka|takuan}}) in {{transliteration|ja|shinko maki}}, pickled vegetables ({{transliteration|ja|[[tsukemono]]}}), fermented soybeans ({{transliteration|ja|[[nattō]]}}) in {{transliteration|ja|nattō maki}}, [[avocado]], [[cucumber]] in {{transliteration|ja|[[kappa (mythical creature)|kappa]] maki}}, [[asparagus]],<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9_yZDwAAQBAJ&q=asparagus+sushi&pg=PA87|title=Sushi Master: An expert guide to sourcing, making and enjoying sushi at home|last=Sakagami|first=Nick|date=2019-06-04|publisher=Quarry Books|isbn=9781631596735|page=87|language=en|access-date=2020-10-16|archive-date=2021-06-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210617105648/https://books.google.com/books?id=9_yZDwAAQBAJ&q=asparagus+sushi&pg=PA87|url-status=live}}</ref> [[yam (vegetable)|yam]], pickled {{transliteration|ja|[[ume]]}} ({{transliteration|ja|[[umeboshi]]}}), [[kanpyō (food)|gourd]] ({{transliteration|ja|kanpyō}}), [[burdock]] ({{transliteration|ja|gobo}}), and sweet corn (sometimes mixed with mayonnaise) are plant products used in sushi.

[[Tofu]], [[Egg (food)|eggs]] (in the form of slightly sweet, layered omelette called {{transliteration|ja|tamagoyaki}}), and raw quail eggs (as a {{transliteration|ja|gunkan-maki}} topping) are also common.

===Condiments===
Sushi is commonly eaten with condiments. Sushi may be dipped in {{transliteration|ja|[[shōyu]]}} ([[soy sauce]]), and is usually flavored with [[wasabi]], a piquant paste made from the grated stem of the ''[[Wasabi|Wasabia japonica]]'' plant. [[Kewpie (mayonnaise)|Japanese-style mayonnaise]] is a common condiment in Japan on salmon, pork, and other sushi cuts.

The traditional grating tool for wasabi is a sharkskin grater or {{transliteration|ja|samegawa oroshi}}. An imitation wasabi ({{transliteration|ja|seiyo-wasabi}}), made from [[horseradish]], mustard powder, and green dye, is common. It is found at lower-end {{transliteration|ja|kaiten-zushi}} restaurants, in [[Bento|bento box]] sushi, and at most restaurants outside Japan. If manufactured in Japan, it may be labelled "Japanese Horseradish".<ref>{{cite book|author=Shimbo, Hiroko|title=The Japanese Kitchen |publisher=[[Harvard Common Press]]|year=2000| isbn = 978-1-55832-176-2}}</ref> The spicy compound in both true and imitation wasabi is [[allyl isothiocyanate]], which has well-known [[Antimicrobial|anti-microbial]] properties. However, true wasabi may contain some other antimicrobials as well.<ref>{{cite journal
 | last = Shin
 | first = I. S.
 | author2=Masuda H. |author3=Naohide K.
 | date=August 2004
 | title = Bactericidal activity of wasabi (''Wasabia japonica'') against ''Helicobacter pylori''.
 | journal = International Journal of Food Microbiology
 | volume = 94
 | issue = 3
 | pages = 255–61
 | pmid = 15246236
 | doi = 10.1016/S0168-1605(03)00297-6
}}</ref>

{{transliteration|ja|[[Gari (ginger)|Gari]]}} (sweet, pickled [[ginger]]) is eaten in between sushi courses to both cleanse the palate and aid in digestion. In Japan, [[green tea]] ({{transliteration|ja|ocha}}) is invariably served together with sushi. Better sushi restaurants often use a distinctive premium tea known as {{transliteration|ja|[[mecha tea|mecha]]}}. In sushi vocabulary, green tea is known as {{transliteration|ja|agari}}.

Sushi may be garnished with {{transliteration|ja|[[Burdock root|gobo]]}}, grated {{transliteration|ja|daikon}}, thinly-sliced vegetables, carrots, radishes, and cucumbers that have been shaped to look like flowers, real flowers, or seaweed salad.

When closely arranged on a tray, different pieces are often separated by green strips called {{transliteration|ja|baran}} or {{nihongo||切り笹|kiri-zasa}}. These dividers prevent the flavors of neighboring pieces of sushi from mixing and help to achieve an attractive presentation. Originally, these were cut leaves from the {{nihongo|''[[Aspidistra elatior]]''|葉蘭|haran}} and {{nihongo|''Sasa veitchii''|熊笹|kuma-zasa}} plants, respectively. Using actual leaves had the added benefit of releasing antimicrobial [[phytoncide]]s when cut, thereby extending the limited shelf life of the sushi.<ref>{{Cite news|title = Bento grass|url = http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2008/01/15/reference/bento-grass/|newspaper = The Japan Times Online|date = 2008-01-15|access-date = 2015-12-08|issn = 0447-5763|language = en-US|first = Alice|last = Gordenker|archive-date = 2015-12-10|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151210181230/http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2008/01/15/reference/bento-grass/|url-status = live}}</ref>

Sushi bento boxes are a staple of Japanese supermarkets and convenience stores. As these stores began rising in prominence in the 1960s, the labor-intensive cut leaves were increasingly replaced with green plastic to lower costs. This coincided with the increased prevalence of refrigeration, which extended sushi's shelf life without the need for cut leaves. Today plastic strips are commonly used in sushi bento boxes and, to a lesser degree, in sushi presentations found in sushi bars and restaurants. In store-sold or to-go packages of sushi, the plastic leaf strips are often used to prevent the rolls from coming into early or unwanted contact with the ginger and wasabi included with the dish.<ref>{{cite web |date=June 21, 2010 |title=Culinary Curiosities: That plastic leaf in sushi |url=http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2010/06/21/plastic-sushi-lea/ |publisher=CNN |access-date=September 22, 2013 |archive-date=September 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926225233/http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2010/06/21/plastic-sushi-lea/ |url-status=live }}</ref>