Nigiri Vs. Sashimi

Those who have tasted sushi can hardly stop raving about this famous Japanese delicacy. Those who haven't, will instantly crinkle their noses at the mere mention of this dish. Why? Because sushi is often wrongly translated to fresh, raw fish! I agree, the idea of digesting smelly raw fish is hardly appetizing. But what if I told you that the word 'sushi' has nothing to do with fish! Confused? If you visit a sushi bar you will come to know that there are dozens of sushi recipes (nigiri being one of them) and many of them do not include fish. Nigiri and sashimi are two different Japanese dishes and sashimi does not even remotely concern sushi. So let's try to uncover the mystery about nigiri, sashimi and sushi.

Nigiri Vs. Sashimi

To understand the comparison between nigiri and sashimi, one needs to know what is sushi. Sushi is basically vinegared rice served with a variety of dishes. When sushi is served with a single fish topping it is called nigiri. When a single thin slice of raw fish is served without rice, it is called sashimi.

Sashimi is often served as an appetizer or a palate cleanser at the beginning of a meal. The fish is very thinly sliced and is usually served with an array of garnishes and sauces. Pickled vegetables such as ginger, shredded daikon radish, and toasted nori (a type of seaweed) are some common garnishes for sashimi. Sashimi is also served with soy sauce and wasabi. Oftentimes, ground ginger root is added to wasabi for an added flavor.

Sashimi is always made from saltwater fish, rather than freshwater fish. The reason is, freshwater fish contains some parasites which are capable of inducing intestinal problems. Fresh fish is always preferred for sashimi, though frozen, thawed fish may sometimes be used. Tuna, abalone, bass, bonito, fish roe, snapper, mackerel, shad, prawns, octopus and squid are some commonly used fish varieties for making sashimi. Fresh fish ensures that the fish used in sashimi retains its flavor. Reputed restaurants and sushi bars have their own saltwater tank which enables them to take fresh fish as per customer's order. At sushi bars you can see the dish prepared right in front of your eyes. The chef skillfully slices the fish and removes bones from it. The dish in then presented with an assortment of garnishes and sauces, as mentioned above.

Nigiri on the other hand is a true sushi dish as it is served with a clump of vinegared rice or sushi. A small rice clump is made by hand and a thin fish slice is pressed on top of this rice. This fish topping is also called neta. The whole mixture may sometimes be tied together with a toasted nori. Often, wasabi is placed between the fish topping and rice clump. The fish topping used in this dish can be raw, grilled, batter fried or slightly smoked, depending upon the variety of fish used. Smoking or grilling kills the parasites and makes the fish safe to eat.

As the fish topping is often used in the form of a raw fillet, it is imperative that the fish must be of highest quality. Reputed sushi bars do not compromise on the quality of fish used. Tuna, eel, haddock, shad, snapper, octopus, or shrimp are some commonly used varieties for nigiri dishes. Nigiri is served with an array of garnishes and sauces. At times, it is also combined with other sushi dishes such as maki, which is nothing but sushi in the form of a roll. Temaki, sumaki are some forms of maki sushi.

Hope, this article helped you to understand the comparison between nigiri and sashimi. Sushi is indeed a delectable dish, so do not let your preconceived notions about this dish prevent you from enjoying this wonderful delicacy.