Sushi

Part of the fun of eating out is discovering new foods.  We are particularly fond of oriental buffets because of the wonderful opportunity to experience foods we don't normally cook at home.  It's a nice way to try a wider variety of small amounts of new foods without committing to a larger entrée size.  It is also a great way to find out how a particular dish is supposed to look and taste like before attempting to make the dish at home.

Sushi is the Japanese term for vinegared rice but "colloquially, the term is used to describe a finger-size piece of raw fish or shellfish on a bed of rice Japanese style"¹.  Sashami is raw fish served sliced as is but not on a bed of rice or in a roll.  An interesting read on sushi and sashami is The Definitive Guide to Sushi and Sashami.  Pictured are three uramakizushi (inside-out rolls) rolls, cooked shrimp and oysters with seafood sauce and wasabi.  The roll nearest the shrimp was coated with imitation crab meat.  The roll to the front (green) is topped with Tobikko (flying fish roe) that adds a crunchy texture.

Sushi is one of those foods that is a bit more intimidating to make at home but with a bit of practice good results can be achieved.  You need a good short grain sticky rice, nori sheets, white rice vinegar and whatever fish and/or vegetables you are using.  A bamboo sushi rolling mat (makisu) is quite helpful for getting the sushi rolled properly.  Sushi can be made without using raw fish as well as in California rolls that uses cucumber, imitation crab meat and avocado or mango.