Japanese Sushi

Types of Sushi

Nigiri-zushi (finger roll sushi)

The most common type of sushi to be found today, and generally the most expensive, is nigirizushi . This is sushi where a topping, generally raw or cooked fish or shellfish, is placed on a finger of vinegared rice smeared with wasabi paste.

• Nigiri (Finger) Sushi

Maki-zushi (sushi rolls)

Another popular variety, this term refers to rolled sushi, where a filling of fish or vegetables is enclosed by vinegared rice, and wrapped in toasted nori seaweed. Main varieties include the thin hosomaki , the thicker futomaki, and the California roll, where the nori is on the inside, and rice on the outside - called "inside out".

• Vegetable Sushi Rolls - carrot, cucumber, bell pepper & scallion
• Shrimp (or crab) Sushi Rolls - w/ cucumber & avocado
• Boston Rolls – cooked crab, salmon, & scallion
• Spicy Tuna Rolls - fresh tuna & scallions "inside out"
• California Sushi Rolls - crab, avocado & cucumber "inside out" w/ sesame seeds
• Philadelphia Rolls - raw or smoked salmon, Philadelphia cream cheese, cucumber (sometimes avocado, and/or onion are used)
• Shrimp Rolls - cooked shrimp and cream cheese strips
• Rainbow Rolls - California roll with sashimi and avocado wrapped around it to create a rainbow effect
• Tempura Rolls - crab or shrimp, fried tempura style & rolled
• Spider Rolls - soft shell crab tempura, and is usually rolled by itself. Often times it is garnished with spicy sauce. The spider roll is made into a outside thick roll. Make sure both ends have the legs of the crab sticking out.
• Ming Tsai Sushi (Crab Salad Roll & Tempura Shrimp Hand Rolls)

Gunkan Maki

This term translates directly as 'battleship roll', and refers to sushi where a finger of vinegared rice is surrounded by a strip of nori, so that toppings, generally fish roe, can be placed on top without falling off. The end result is said to resemble a battleship.

Temaki Zushi

This is 'hand-rolled' sushi, and is a popular choice for dinner parties, as guests can make their own. A small amount of sushi rice is spread on a square of nori, fillings placed on top, and the whole thing rolled into a cone shape.

Chirashi Zushi

Literally meaning 'scattered sushi', this differs from the other main kinds of sushi in that it is served in a bowl, with the vinegared rice being topped with an assortment of toppings, most typically raw fish.

Inari Zushi

Vinegared rice is served in a pocket of abura-age, or sweetened, deep-fried tofu. Inari is the fox god of the Japanese indigenous Shinto religion, and because foxes are traditionally believed to like abura-age, he lends his name to this sushi.