5 Interesting Facts about Sushi

Get five interesting facts about sushi

The techniques, the history, and the trivia behind the marriage of rice and fish are fascinating to some. This artistic, healthy dish called sushi brings in about $2 billion in annual revenue for restaurants in the United States. Here are some more interesting facts:

1. Only the Fish gets Dipped in Soy Sauce – Sushi rice should not be dipped in soy sauce – it is considered sloppy if the rice becomes saturated and falls apart. Only the fish part of the roll should be dipped. Additionally, it is considered rude to remove the fish from the rice to dip it in the sauce. 
2. You May Not Be Getting Real Wasabi – Wasabi is traditionally from the root of the wasabia japonica plant. However, most wasabi in restaurants is a mix of green-dyed horseradish and mustard powder.
3. Sushi became popular in the U.S. in the 1980s – Sushi became increasingly popular in the U.S. in the 1980s when Americans became more health-conscious. In fact, in the 1985 cult movie Breakfast Club, rich girl Claire, played by Molly Ringwald, brings sushi for lunch, which adds to her “princess” status. Her raw-fish lunch highlights how sushi was both becoming more popular in America and also how it was initially seen as an elitist food.
4. Sushi started as a cheap street-side food – There was a time when sushi was not considered a delicacy to be enjoyed at fine dining restaurants. It started as a cheap food sold at street-side stalls to provide quick lunch to people who did not have time to sit down and eat.
5. Sushi has its roots in Southeast Asia – Although you know sushi is a traditional Japanese delicacy, its roots trace back to Southeast Asia. It is believed that narezushi originated in some regions along the Mekong River in the way of fermenting fish by wrapping it in sour rice. It reached China, before eventually evolving into sushi in Japan.

Stay Tuned

Stay tuned for more interesting facts about sushi. In the meantime, learn more about sushi here. 

By Leslie Radford