How To Eat Sushi – The Correct Way

Sushi has become, easily, one of the most popular foods in modern society. If you went back 20 years ago, people cringed at the thought of consuming raw fish. In modern society today, it is widely accepted and a popular dinner spot for friends to gather and have a good time. I have observed, in many sushi restaurants, that many patrons simply do not know how to eat sushi correctly.

The sushi chef usually hands you a plate with some pickled ginger and wasabi paste. Most people simply ignore the pickled ginger or they eat it with the sushi, which is a big no-no. They don’t realize that the pickled ginger is used to cleanse the palate after eating different types of sushi. For example, one would eat a piece of salmon sushi and cleanse the palate with the ginger before having a different kind of sushi like tuna, yellowtail, etc.

The biggest mistake I notice is people using way too much soy sauce on their sushi. The soy sauce is supposed to enhance the flavor of the fish not overpower it. It is also very wasteful to pour too much soy sauce on to the plate that is given to you. Some say it is disrespectful to do so. I also noticed that most people usually put wasabi in their soy sauce directly. While doing this is not frowned upon, wasabi should generally be reserved to be put on the sushi directly. Most good Sushi restaurants do this for you.

Nigiri sushi is simply a piece of raw fish over some vinegar rice. It is the staple in any Sushi restaurant. Traditionally it is usually eaten by hand and after eating sashimi, which is just raw fish and no rice. Most people do not know how to eat sushi correctly and I have compiled a short step-by-step how-to on eating it correctly.

1. Admire the fish of which you are about to consume. Notice its texture and vivid color.
2. Pick up nigiri sushi with hand or chop sticks.
3. Dip lightly into soy sauce, FISH SIDE DOWN!. Most people just dunk the rice into the soy sauce and soak up all the soy sauce. Once again, the soy sauce is there to ENHANCE the flavor not overpower it. You might as well be taking a shot of soy sauce if you put it rice side down.
4. Place sushi in mouth FISH SIDE DOWN!. Most people just stuff it into their face with the rice side down, which does nothing for the palate. The fish is the important part of the sushi, and it should put placed in your mouth to taste the flavor of the fish not the rice!
5. After eating a piece of sushi, have a slice of pickled ginger to cleanse the palate and then repeat until full. This step is unnecessary if you are having the same kind of sushi.

Most people just don’t get it and will continue to eat sushi the wrong way. If you like the way you are eating it, fine. I am just informing those that are curious. I was curious enough to look up a proper way to eat sushi and this is what I have found. I used to use too much soy sauce and dip my rice before the fish and eat the sushi rice side down. After eating it the correct way, I definitely enjoy my sushi much more. It has definitely enhanced my dining experience. I hope it can for you too. My suggestion is for you to try it and see for yourself.