SUSHI

Sushi - healthy, delicious, adventurous and tasty creations. Sushi now appears world wide with a United States popularity increase around the late 1970's. As in art, Japanese Sushi continues to grow, change and blossom. The most common forms are: Nigiri -Sushi (hand shaped sushi), Oshi-Sushi (pressed sushi), Maki-Sushi (rolled sushi) and Chirashi-sushi (scattered sushi). The changes are not in form or preparation as much as they are in the ingredients and the atmosphere where it is served.

The Itamae-San (expert chef) has also seen change as demand for his/her craft has grown. But Sushi is about culinary expertise and an Itamae-San continually strives to master his/her skill while performing for the delight of the patron and serving an array of bright colors, mouthwatering tastes and tingling sensations. Even the most timid can indulge themselves with the amazing selections of sushi. Just the history of these rolled treasures should warrant a taste … so give in and enjoy an authentic Japanese edible art form.

Aburage
fried tofu pouches prepared by cooking in sweet cooking sake, soy sauce, and water.

Aemono
Vegetables or meats mixed with a dressing or sauce

Agari
A Japanese sushi-bar term for green tea

Agemono
Fried foods either deep-fat fried or pan-fried

Aji
Spanish mackerel, horse mackerel

Aji-no-moto
Monosodium glutamate(MSG)

Aji-no-tataki
Fresh Spanish mackerel.

Akagai
Red clam or ark shell.

Akami
Lean tuna, cut from the back of the fish. See also maguro.

Ama-Ebi
Sweet shrimp, usually served raw.

Ana-kyu-maki
conger eel-and-cucumber rolls

Anago
Conger eel (saltwater). See also unagi.

Ankimo
Monkfish liver.

Anko-nabe
Monkfish stew.

Aoyagi
Yellow round clam.

Awabi
Abalone

Ayu
Sweetfish.

Baigai
Small water snails.

Bamboo shoots
Bought sliced in supermarkets or whole in Japanese markets

Bara sushi
Sushi Rice and ingredients mixed together, as a rice salad. Regional to Kansai

Basashi
Horse sashimi.

Battera - Zushi
oshi-zushi topped with mackerel

Beni shoga
Red pickled ginger

Biiru
Beer.

Bonito
English word for the Japanese Katsuo.

Buri
Adult yellowtail

Buta
Pork

California Roll
Crab meat (or fake crab meat sticks), smelt or flying fish roe, avocado.

Chakin - Zushi
vinegared rice wrapped in a thin egg crepe.

Chikuwa
Browned fish cake with a hole running through its length

Chirashi - Zushi
Bed of sushi rice with other ingredients mixed on top.

Chirashi sushi
Bed of sushi rice with other ingredients mixed on top.

Chutoro
Medium fatty tuna, from the upper belly. See also toro and otoro.

Chutoro - maki
marbled-tuna roll

Daikon
Giant, long white radish, sweeter than round, red radishes.

Dashi
Basic soup and cooking stock made with kombu and katsuoboshi

Doburoku
Sort of a thick, soupy sake.

Donburi
A large bowl for noodle and rice dishes

Ebi
Boiled Shrimp. See also Ama Ebi

Edomae - Zushi
same as nigiri-zushi

Engawa
The muscle that controls the fin on halibut or the meat surrounding the muscle in a scallop.

Fugu
Blowfish. Toxic if improperly prepared

Fugu-chiri
Cooked, sliced raw fugu meat in a stewpan.Blowfish soup.

Fuki
A fibrous vegetable often simmered in broth.

Fukusa sushi
A type of sushi which is wrapped in a crepe.

Funamori
Boat wrap, an alternate name for Kakomi sushi.

Futo - maki
a fat roll filled with rice, sweetened cooked egg, pickled gourd, and bits of vegetables

Futomaki
Large roll.

Gari
A sushi-bar term for pickled ginger

Geoduck
Mirugai, is the American Pacific northwest.

Geta
The wooden block used at a sushi bar as a plate for gari, wasabi and smaller pieces of sushi.

Gobo
Long, slender burdock root

Gohan
Plain boiled rice

Goma
Sesame seeds

Gomoku sushi
Alternate name for chirashi-sushi.

Gunkan maki
Battleship roll, an alternate name for Kakomi sushi.

Gyoza
Pan-fried and/or sautTed and/or steamed, stuffed wonton or other wrappers, akin to potstickers

Gyu Tataki
Beef tataki.

Hamachi
young yellowtail

Hamachi-kama
yellowtail collars, often served broiled.

Hamaguri
clam

Hamo
Pike conger. Usually cooked

Harusame
Thin, transparent bean gelatin noodles

Hashi
Chopsticks

Hatahata
Sandfish.

Hichimi togarashi
Mixed hot spices for table use. The seven flavors: red pepper (togarashi), ground sansho pepper pods, dried mandarin orange peel, black hemp seeds or white poppy seeds, nori seaweed bits, and white sesame seeds

Hijiki
Black seaweed in tiny threads

Hikari-mono
Fish sliced for serving with the silver fish skin left on. Typical of iwashi, aji, sayori, sanma, kohada

Himo
"fringe" around an ark shell

Hirame
Halibut. See engawa.

Hocho
General Japanese term for knives

Hokkigai
Surf clam.

Hotatagai
Scallops.

Ika
Squid.

Ika-geso
Squid's tentacles.

Ikura
Salmon roe.

Inada
very young yellowtail

Inari-Zushi
vinegared rice and vegetables wrapped in a bag of fried tofu

Ishikari-nabe
Salmon stew with sake.

Iso-don.
Bed of sushi rice with other ingredients mixed on top

Itamae
The sushi (or other Japanese) chef.

Iwana
Char.

Iwashi
Sardine.

Ji-
Prefix: locally made or caught

Kaibashira
eye of scallop or shellfish valve muscles

Kaiware
daikon-radish sprouts

Kaiware - maki
daikon-sprout roll

Kajiki
Swordfish. See mekajiki.

Kakomi sushi
Nigiri sushi wrapped to hold in less solid ingredients. Also called Gunkan maki (battleship roll) and Funamori (boat wrap).

Kamaboko
Fish cake made from pounded whitefish mixed with cornstarch, formed into a sausage shape and cooked

Kampyo
dried gourd that comes prepared in long, translucent brown strips like fettuccine.

Kani
Crab meat.

Kani-kamaboko
Fake crab meat.

Kanimiso
Green contents of a crab's head.

Kanpachi
Very young yellowtail

Kanpyo
Dried gourd strips

Kanpyo - maki
pickled-gourd rolls

Kappa
Cucumber, when used in a roll.

kappa - maki
cucumber-filled maki-zushi

Karei
Flounder, flatfish.

Katsu
A cutlet.Katsu refers to fried foods made coated with bread crumbs, as opposed to tempura, fried foods coated with batter.

Katsuo
Bonito fish. Bonito is actually an English word for a fish related to the Skipjack

Katsuo-boshi
Dried bonito fish

Kazunoko
herring roe

Kimachi
A small fish from the yellowtail family.

Kinome
Leaves of the Japanese prickly ash (sanshoo), used in soups and to flavor simmered foods

Kohada
Gizzard shad.

Koi
Saltwater carp.

Kombu
Kelp, possibly dried; a kind of seaweed, in sheet form

Konbu
Kelp, possibly dried; a kind of seaweed, in sheet form

Konnyaku
Gelatinous, rubbery oblong cake made from the snake palm plant

Kuro goma
Black sesame seeds

Kurodai
Snapper.

kuruma-ebi
prawn

Langostino
A small shellfish about 1 inch long that have a strong shrimp flavor.

Maguro
Tuna. See also Akami, Tekka, Toro.

Maguro-temaki
tuna temaki

Makajiki
blue marlin

Make sushi/Norimake
A roll made with nori seaweed on the outside, a layer of rice, and a core of vegetables or other fillings

Maki-mono
vinegared rice and fish (or other ingredients) rolled in nori seaweed

Maki-Zushi
vinegared rice with insertions, rolled up in Japanese seaweed. Most maki places the nori on the outside, but some, like the California roll, place the rice on the outside.

Makisu
Mat made of bamboo strips to roll up makesushi or norimake sushi

Manju
Sweet bun filled with an

Masu
Trout. See nijimasu, rainbow trout.

Meji (maguro)
young tuna

Mekajiki
Blue marlin / swordfish.

Meshimono
Rice mixed with meat or vegetables

Mirin
Sweet rice wine for cooking

Mirugai
Long neck clam. Sometimes called Geoduck.

Mitzutaki
Cooked in liquid Usually, mizutaki includes tofu and vegetables cooked in water

Mochi
Sweet glutinous rice cakes

Mochigome
Mochi rice

Mochiko
Sweet glutinous rice flour

Murasaki
Sushi bar term for soy sauce

Mushimono
Steamed foods

Nabemono
One-pot meals

Nama-
Prefix: (food) raw, (beer) draught.

Nama-tako
Fresh or raw octopus.

Nanami togarashi
Mixed hot spices for table use. The seven flavors: red pepper (togarashi), ground sansho pepper pods, dried mandarin orange peel, black hemp seeds or white poppy seeds, nori seaweed bits, and white sesame seeds

Nasu
Eggplant

Natto - maki
sticky, strong-tasting fermented-soybean rolls

Negi
A Japanese onion, resembling a leek, but thinner

Negi-Toro
chopped and mixed negi-onion and toro.

Negitoro - maki
scallion-and-tuna roll

Neta
Sushi bar term for the fish topping in nigiri sushi.

ni-ika
squid simmered in a soy-flavored stock

Nigiri sushi
pieces of fish, shellfish, or fish roe over vinegared rice balls.

Nigiri-Zushi
pieces of fish, shellfish, or fish roe over vinegared rice balls.

Nihon Shu
Sake, rice wine

Niika
Cooked Monterey squid.

Nijimasu
Rainbow trout. Usually cooked unless live

Nimono
Simmered or boiled foods

Nori
Purple laver seaweed pressed into thin sheets, used mostly as a garnish or to make norimake sushi

Nori - maki
same as kanpyo-maki; in Osaka, same as futo-maki

Nori-tama
sweetened egg wrapped in dried seaweed

Ocha
Tea

Odori-ebi
Dancing shrimp, Ama Ebi served living.

Ohba
Japanese beefsteak plant

Ohitsu
A special bowl to keep rice warm

Okonomi-Zushi
Home-style Nigiri sushi.

Onigiri
Balls made with plain steamed rice with various stuffings, possibly wrapped in nori

Oshi-Zushi
Osaka-style sushi: squares of pressed rice topped with vinegared/cooked fish

Oshibori
rolled up hot towel served to sushi bar customers.

Oshinko
Pickled vegetables, usually cucumber

oshinko - maki
pickled-daikon (radish) rolls

Oshiwaku
Wooden box with top

OshiZushi
sushi rice and other ingrediants pressed into a box or mold

Otoro
Fattest tuna, from the lower belly. See toro and chutoro.

Otoro - maki
fatty-tuna roll

Pan-joon
Very light scallion Korean pancake with spicy dipping sauce

Philidelphia Roll
Salmon (sometimes fresh, sometimes smoked), cream cheese, and some sort of vegetable filler.

Ponzu
Sauce made with Japanese citron

Rainbow Roll
Alternate name for Tazuna sushi.

Renkon
Lotus roots

Saba
Mackeral.

Sake
Rice wine. Also smoked salmon (different accents)

Sanma
A Japanese mackeral.

Sansho
Japanese pepper, made from the leaf of the prickly ash. Very good with cooked green beans

Sashimi
raw fish served chilled, sliced, and arranged without rice.

Sato-imo
Taro root

Sawagani
Small crabs, about as big as the first joint of your thumb, served grilled and whole

sawara
Spanish mackerel

Sayori
Springtime halfbeak.

Seigo
Young sea bass.

Senbei
Thin, crisp rice crackers flavored with soy sauce or other seasonings.

Shako
Mantis shrimp.

Shamoji
Plastic or wooden flat spoon or spatula to serve rice

Shari
A sushi bar term for sushi rice

Shichimi togarashi
Mixed hot spices for table use. The seven flavors: red pepper (togarashi), ground sansho pepper pods, dried mandarin orange peel, black hemp seeds or white poppy seeds, nori seaweed bits, and white sesame seeds

shima-aji
another variety of aji

shime-saba
mackerel (marinated)

Shira-uo
Whitebait, icefish or salangid.

Shirako
Sperms sacs of the cod fish.

Shiratake
Translucent rubbery noodles

Shiro goma
White sesame seeds

Shiro Maguro
Albacore tuna.

Shiromi
seasonal "white meat" fish served as sushi/sashimi which are relatively white in color, for example, tai, hirame, karei.

Shirumono
Generic Japanese term for soup. Also refers to thick soup

Shiso
Japanese (or Asian) mint. Red or green. May be used as a wrapper

Shochu
Spirit made from potatoes or rice, usually around 25-40% alcohol.

Shoga
Ginger root

Shoyu
soy sauce.

Shu-mei
Typical of Chinese dim sum. Small filled dumplings with a won-ton like skin, served steamed or deep-fried.

Soba
Buckwheat noodles

Soba-Zushi
Sushi made with soba rather than rice.

Su
Rice vinegar

Sudare
Floor- or window-sized bamboo mat

Suimono
Clear soup

Sukimi
Bits of fish scraped from the bones, used in rolls. Often refers to tuna (maguro)

Sunomono
Vinegared foods, as distinguished from aemono or oshinko.

Suribachi
A bowl with corrugations on the inside, used with a surikogi to grind nuts, spices, and other foods

Surikogi
A wooden pestle shaped like a big cucumber

Sushi
Anything made with vinegared rice

Suzuki
Striped sea bass, rockfish.

Tai
Sea bream, porgy, snapper.

Tairagai
Razor-shell clam.

Takenoko
Bamboo shoots

Tako
Octopus.

Takuwan
Pickled daikon

Tamago
Egg omelet sushi.

Tamago yaki
Fried egg.

Tare
Any thick sauce, usually soy-based and slightly sweetened

Tataki
Grilled on the surface, then chopped or pounded

Tazuna sushi
A maki roll with diagonal strips of food across the top, often called a rainbow roll.

Tekka
Tuna, especially in a roll. See Maguro, Toro.

tekka - maki
tuna-filled maki-zushi

Tekka-don
pieces of raw tuna over rice.

Tekkappa - maki
selection of both tuna and cucumber rolls

Temaki
Hand rolls, usually cone-shaped. May contain: Maguro, sake, sukimi, o-shinko, natto, negi-toro, and ume-shiso.

Temaki-Zushi
hand rolled cones of sushi rice and/or vegetables wrapped in seaweed.

Tempura
Seafood or vegetables dipped in batter and deep fried Tempura refers to fried foods coated with batter, as opposed to katsu, fried foods coated with bread crumbs

Teriyaki
Broiled foods marinated in a sweet soy sauce

Tobiko
Flying fish roe.

Togarashi
Whole dried hot red peppers

Tonkatsu
A pork cutlet which is breaded, then fried. It is usually served with a sauce used specifically for tonkatsu and served on a bed of rice. It is very popular for lunch - it is quick and tasty.

Tori
Chicken

Torigai
Cockle clam.

Toro
Fatty tuna, distinguishable as Otoro-fattest, and Chutoro-fatty. See also Maguro, Tekka.

Tsubugai
Japanese "tsubugai" shellfish

Tsukemono
Pickles

Ume-shiso
Plum paste and shiso leaf mixture most commonly served in maki form, rather sweet.

Umeboshi
Small, bitter, pickled Japanese plum

Umejiso - maki
Japanese ume plum and perilla-leaf roll

Una-ju
grilled eel, served on rice. See also anago.

Unagi
Freshwater eel.

Unagi maki
eel roll.

Unagi No Kimo
eel innards.

Uni
sea urchin roe

Usukuchi shoyu
Light Japanese soy sauce

Wakame
Lobe-leaf seaweed, possibly dried, in long, dark green strands

Wasabi
Japanese horseradish.

Yaki
Grilled, toasted

Yakidofu
Broiled or grilled soy bean curd

Yakimono
Broiled foods

Yakinori
Toasted seaweed

Yakitori
Skewer-grilled foods

Yakumi
Strongly flavored seasonings such as shichimi togarashi, grated daikon (daikon oroshi) and fine chopped negi. Typically used instead of wasabi in such nigiri as katsuo, iwashi, aji and sanma

Yosenabe
The Japanese equivalent of bouillaibaise, a fish-seafood-&-vegetable soup/stew

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