The world's most famous sushi dish and its unexpected birth

Sushi is the abbreviation of "sumeshi", in which "su" means vinegar and "meshi" means rice. During the Edo Dynasty, rice vinegar was introduced to replace prior vinegars, giving it a gentler flavor. Therefore, when mixed with rice, it gives an easy-to-eat flavor while retaining the fresh taste of fish flesh. This is also the time when sushi began to undergo substantial changes.

Today's sushi is really an evolution of an old food preservation method. When there was no refrigerator, the Chinese would place fish in rice mixed with vinegar and let it to ferment, which helped to preserve the fish for longer. Not long after, this method expanded and became popular in Japan, where fish is the primary food source. With this method, people can even store and eat gradually for several months. However, because the fish is fermented, the flavor will change.

The world's most famous sushi dish and its unexpected birth

In the early nineteenth century, Hanaya Yohei, an Edo resident who moved to Tokyo, invented Nigiri sushi, which is sushi with a slice of seafood laid on top of rice mixed with vinegar, like we enjoy today.

Japan's seafood resources increased dramatically after the Kanto earthquake in 1923. Sushi has evolved into multiple versions due to the increasing quantity of ingredients. Sushi is currently a snack that may be easily acquired on Tokyo's streets. After the Second World War, sushi stalls on the streets were gradually closed. Due to sanitary conditions, sushi began to appear on restaurant tables. Sushi gradually became not only a beloved cuisine of the Japanese people, but also an art form, a symbol that evoked images of gorgeous Japan.

So far, sushi seems to have "spread" around the world with a wide range of styles, but the most popular are Nagiri, Maki and Gunkanmaki. Nagiri Sushi is the oldest “version” dating back to the early nineteenth century and also the simplest one with a slice of seafood placed on top of rice mixed with vinegar. Maki is a type of sushi that is rolled in seaweed and filled with rich ingredients including crab sticks, salmon, tuna, and vegetables...which is very popular in the 20th century. Gunkanmaki is a type of sushi with rice underneath and a layer of salmon or sea urchin eggs... placed on top and wrapped in seaweed.

Thao Nhi ngoisao.net (According to Sushifaq)