When eating sushi, the sushi bit is only part of the experience. Included in the meal are a range of accompaniments that really enhance and bring out the flavour of whatever sushi you’re eating. Wasabi, ginger and soy are the three most common sushi accompaniments you’ll find so we thought we’d take the time to take you through the best ways to use these popular sushi accompaniments and any tips you should know.
Wasabi
What is wasabi?
Wasabi is a Japanese plant with a thick green root that is often made into a paste and served alongside sushi. Real wasabi root is very hard to find, and if you do find it, it’s very expensive which is why restaurants usually serve wasabi, horseradish, and mustard mixture with their sushi rolls because of its rarity and price.
How to eat wasabi with your sushi
Less is more
Wasabi is incredibly strong in flavour and really brings the heat so you don’t need a lot, especially if you’ve never tried it before. Its flavour is designed to bring out the taste of the raw fish, not cover it – so too much wasabi will overpower the fish’s taste.
It also has practical applications
Wasabi contains allyl isothiocyanate, which prevents the germination of bacteria, helping to prolong the freshness of fish.
Pickled Ginger
What is pickled ginger?
Pickled ginger or Gari, is made by pickling finely cut ginger in sweet vinegar, and the distinctive pale pink colour is a natural result of this process.
Why is pickled ginger used for sushi?
Gari also helps eradicate odours from fish and is a highly effective palate cleanser.
How to eat pickled ginger with your sushi
You should never eat pickled ginger with your sushi. It’s meant to be eaten by itself, after you’ve eaten a piece of sushi as a palate cleanser so you can truly enjoy each different roll on your platter.
Soy
What is soy?
Soy is a sauce traditionally made from a fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and Aspergillus oryzae or Aspergillus sojae moulds. It is dark in colour and has a strong umami taste.
How to eat soy with your sushi
Dip and don’t mix with wasabi
All you need to do is dip your sushi roll into your sauce for an elevated dining experience. The salty, savoury taste really heightens the taste of sushi which is what makes it such a good accompaniment. Want to know our top tip? Dip your sushi so that the fish, and not the rice, makes contact with the soy sauce!
However, you should never mix soy sauce with wasabi. The best strategy, if you’re going to eat soy and wasabi together, is to dip one side of your sushi in soy sauce and place a pea-sized wasabi dab on the other. You’re not meant to mix wasabi and soy together as it hinders the flavours and the power of both sauces.
Looking to buy sushi online? You can buy frozen sushi and sashimi online here at Bradley’s Fish. We also have ginger and wasabi paste available to make it truly authentic!
