Ever Wondered About... Sushi?

Production team

It’s said that sushi originates from the practice of preserving freshwater fish in salt and cooked rice to provide food out of season in Japan. But only the fish was eaten, because the rice didn’t keep well.

The sushi conveyor belt was invented by Yoshiaki Shiraishi in Osaka in 1958. The speed of the belt is crucial. The optimum speed is 8 cm per second. Any faster and the food would dry out or the dishes fly off the belt, any slower and the customer gets bored.

To be a master sushi chef takes years of training. Apprentices can take up to three years before they even start to make rice. Reaching the stage where you’re seen as skilled enough to work at a sushi counter with fish can take anything up to 10 years.

Science

Preparation is the key to perfect sushi rice. Rinsing it first until the water runs clear will help get rid of excess starch left over from the milling process, without changing the starch content of the individual grains, or affecting the way sushi rice sticks together. The best cooking technique is the absorption method — using the minimum amount of water so the grains stay firm rather than turning soggy.

It may be tempting to lift the lid during cooking, but it’s better not to as this will let out steam, which is an important part of the process. Steam helps to ensure all the rice in the pan is cooked evenly. Letting it escape can increase cooking time and affect the quality of the result.

Don’t use aluminium pans to cook things with vinegar in them. The acetic acid in the vinegar will react with the aluminium, dissolving it -but this is one chemical reaction that can save on housework. Vinegar is great for cleaning aluminium pans, removing a thin layer of metal, to leave a shiny new surface beneath.

The amount of fish eaten by the Japanese may be one reason why they suffer lower rates of lung cancer than Westerners, even though rates of smoking are around the same. Oily fish contain Omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked to protection from heart disease, arthritis and the skin condition, psoriasis. The acids have a blood-thinning effect which may help to reduce heart disease and improve circulation.