Sushi Rolls

A Sushi roll is a food of Asian origin that features rice and seafood wrapped in seaweed (nori). Until the end of the twentieth century, Sushi rolls were only available in restaurants. Today, a number of companies prepare them for retail sale in grocery stores. Although a few of these companies use mechanical Sushi makers—called robots—to shape the rice and add condiments, the finest quality Sushi rolls are still handmade. An expert sushi chef, a shokunin, can roll and cut six to eight Sushi rolls in a matter of moments. It is not the desire for faster production that has led some companies to use the Sushi robots; rather it is a shortage of accomplished chefs.

Sushi-making is a time-honored tradition in Japan. This craft is a matter of intense national pride, and it is often noted that the red of the fish and the white of the rice symbolize the red and white of the Japanese flag. This tradition also extends to the types of utensils used. Although some substitutions are acceptable, in the traditional Japanese kitchen the following utensils would be found: hangiri, a small tub made of cypress bound with copper hoops and used for cooling vinegared rice; shamoji, a flat, wooden, rounded spatula used to turn and spread Sushi rice; uchiwa, a hand-held fan made of bamboo and covered with paper or silk used to remove moisture from Sushi rice; and makisu, mat constructed of thin bamboo strips woven together with string used for rolling Sushi. (madehow)


See also :
Sate
Sour Sally