Sushi is a wildly popular Japanese style of food that has swept through the UK in the last several decades. Whether you enjoy traditional sushi made with raw high-quality fish, or you prefer vegan and vegetarian sushi options that do not contain any animal products, there is no denying that sushi is delicious and beautiful to behold. To really impress the other people in your life, you can now learn to make sushi yourself for serving to that special someone or even as a family dinner. To learn to make your own delicious and intriguing sushi today, all you need to do is sign up for a cooking class by going online and picking the sushi class that is right for you.
A History of Sushi
Most people assume that the word ‘sushi’ means ‘raw fish’, because raw fish is a central component of most sushi with which people are familiar. In reality, though, sushi actually means ‘sour rice’ and refers to the uniquely seasoned rice on top of which that fish often rests. In fact, sushi can be composed of raw fish, but it can also contain many different ingredients, such as boiled eggs, cooked or raw vegetables, and other types of meat or seafood. In a non-traditional setting, sushi can be made of virtually anything that is served with the sour sushi rice, be it in a traditional or rolled form.
Traditional sushi in ancient times was actually very different from the form it is found in today. It consisted of rice and fish that had been fermented to produce a rich umami-like taste that was very popular throughout Southeast Asia. Over time the dish became very popular in Japan, especially owing to that country’s large fishing-based economy, and so it evolved in that country for centuries. In the early 1800s, at the end of Japan’s Edo period, sushi was modernised into a form similar to what is seen today. Rather than use fermented rice that takes a long time to prepare, rice was prepared with vinegar to give it a rich taste without all of the time involved in the traditional preparation. Similarly, fish was served raw rather than fermented. This had the effect of making sushi into a quick and easy meal that became incredibly popular in Japan.
As sushi has spread to the Western world, many new styles have developed using non-traditional ingredients that are not found in Japan. For example, salmon is a fish that is not native to Japan, yet it is a very popular sushi and sashimi fish in other countries and has even become popular in Japan. In America the California Roll was invented as an alternative to eating raw fish; it contains avocado and imitation crab meat. These styles have allowed sushi to be tailored to the culture of the people eating it, making it a popular and long-lived food that is perfect for anyone.
Make Your Own Sushi
Eating sushi is a delightful experience. The sushi brings together tangy and rich flavours with all of the health benefits of the simple and clean ingredients found therein. When you eat sushi, you may be in awe of the chefs who prepare it, with their elegant and intricate knife skills that are used to produce the fish that you eat. Luckily for you, you can learn some of these same skills yourself through the instruction of a sushi expert chef. To begin to educate yourself in the fine art of making and rolling sushi, simply sign up for a London sushi rolling class.
In a sushi class, you will learn to make sushi rolls, which are by far the most approachable form of sushi. These rolls use pressed sheets of seaweed known as nori to wrap all of the rice and fish or vegetables into a single wrapped unit that is easy to move and serve. Rolls can be log shaped, or may also be served as cones that are perfect for carrying around as a form of fast food. Since the seaweed serves to hold all of the food together, these rolls are far easier for most people to make than traditional sushi is. This means that even if you are just a beginner with absolutely no sushi making experience, a rolling class may still allow you to create delicious sushi of your very own.
You will learn the art of making sushi under the careful guidance of a seasoned instructor over the course of a few hours or a half day course. Not only will you receive instruction in each step of the sushi-making process, but you will also get to eat your creations along the way! At the end of the day you can return home armed with the skills to make sushi any time you want. You will find the teachers to be very kind and helpful, showing you the individual attention that is so very helpful when it comes to honing one’s cooking skills. They can show you the proper way to hold a knife, or even the best way to chop your fish or vegetables for beautiful and delicious presentation.
Show Off Your Skills
When you can make your very own sushi, you will be the hit of any party thanks to this unique skill. Whether you prefer to make simple vegetarian or California types of rolls, or you are more ambitious and want to buy sushi-quality fish to eat raw, your sushi making skills will be the talk of the town. Best of all, these skills will impress your loved ones and may be the perfect talent for a romantic date night.
When the time comes to plan your next romantic date or when you want to spend a day learning a new and exciting skill, consider taking a class in which you will learn to roll your own sushi. You will appreciate an ancient and rich culture, and the food that you learn to make along the way will be so tasty that there will never be any doubt in your mind that it was the right choice.