Sushi: On a Roll! (Flavours, Winter 2004, 860 words)

Sushi not only never goes out of style in Greater Vancouver, it constantly changes and evolves, reflecting the diversity and creativity of the community.

The word sushi, although it officially refers to vinegared rice, was long thought by Canadians to mean only raw fish. But a peek at what local Japanese restaurants are doing with sushi reveals intriguing combinations of fish (both raw and cooked), vegetables, fruit and even—believe it or not—cheese.

Sushi goes back several hundreds of years, through a variety of incarnations. Older versions consisted of cured fish marinated in rice and salt, but only the fish was eaten. Over time, the preservation process was shortened to about ten days, allowing the rice to be eaten before it fully fermented. When vinegar was added to the rice to further hasten fermentation and prevent raw fish from going bad, oshi-zushi—or pressed sushi—was born.

Also called battera after the Portuguese word for “boat,” this type of sushi is a specialty of the Kansai region (comprising Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe) of Japan. In battera sushi, a layer of fish is covered with rice, pressed in a wooden box approximately 4x7 inches (10x18 cm) and weighted down. Prior to serving, the sushi is inverted, released and cut into bite-sized pieces. The beauty of baterra is that even a novice can make perfect sushi—the very first time. Try making it at home with mackerel, prawn, barbecued eel or even smoked salmon.

The more modern nigiri-zushi, bite-sized balls of vinegared rice covered with a slice of fish or other ingredient, was the fast food of 19th century Tokyo, where it was sold as a snack from street stalls and shops.

Familiar to and popular among many Canadians is maki-zushi (rolled sushi) such as the futo-maki (the fat roll) and cucumber-filled kappa-maki, named after a mythical, Japanese, cucumber-eating creature.

California and BC Rolls have been mainstays in local restaurants since renowned Vancouver sushi chef Hidekazu Tojo first created them in 1974. “I like to take Canadian ingredients and make sushi my own way,” he says of his love to experiment with flavours and combinations. To this day, Tojo remains on the rolling edge of the West Coast sushi mat, with a current menu featuring the Northern Light Roll and the Great Canadian Roll with Atlantic lobster and Pacific smoked salmon.

Yoshihiro Tabo, of Blue Water Café in Vancouver’s upscale Yaletown, adds mascarpone cheese and spinach to his version of the BC Roll. When asked how he came up with the unique combination, Tabo replies matter-of-factly, “I like to use cheese.” Other combinations on Blue Water’s menu are the spicy Sockeye Salmon Roll, containing curry, and the Stamina Roll, which includes crab, barbecued eel and smoked salmon. The Stamina Roll’s name hails from the Japanese belief in the energy-providing properties of eel, particularly during the excessively hot summers. Here in Canada, we need the extra stamina to survive our excessively cold winters, so go ahead and enjoy!

Traditionally served in a lacquered box or bowl, chirashi-zushi (literally “scattered sushi”) is the most common form of sushi eaten at home in Japan. Vinegared rice is covered with a variety of toppings such as thinly sliced Japanese sweet omelette, fish or fish roe, mushrooms and more. Tabo considers chirashi-zushi finicky stuff, for although the assembly of the final dish is fairly simple, making the omelette, mushrooms, and other toppings can be rather time consuming. Chirashi-zushi is, however, something you can prepare in advance, freeing up some valuable socializing and sake-drinking time.

For home sushi parties, both chefs recommend temaki-zushi (literally “hand-rolled”) or cone sushi, which encourages guests to create their own combinations and allows the host to mingle. Almost anything can go inside a temaki, including avocado slices, julienned cucumber and raw fish. Tabo suggests marinating thinly sliced raw tuna in soy sauce for twenty minutes, eliminating the need to dip rolls in soy sauce prior to eating.

Tojo stresses the flexibility of temaki sushi, encouraging the use of cooked chicken, fresh vegetables and fruit such as mango and pineapple. He suggests even canned tuna and salmon if you can’t access fresh fish. To prepare and serve, set out sheets of standard-sized (8x7 inches/20x18 cm)—nori—cut into four squares, sushi rice, and a variety of fillings. Guests create their own temaki by placing nori in the palm of one hand, adding a spoonful of rice, their choice of ingredients, and rolling it into a cone. What could be easier?

Many ingredients, such as nori and gari (pickled ginger used as a palate cleanser between dishes), are now available at your local grocery store. Raw fish, barbecued eel and even the sweetened omelette can be purchased at Japanese grocers such as Fujiya and Matsuzushi.

And fortunately, almost anything goes with sushi. In the winter months, you may want to serve it alongside a traditional hot and savoury custard—chawan-mushi. Add a salad and some beverages and you’re all set. For dessert, go for the classic green tea ice cream, or the surprisingly refreshing wasabi gelato from East Vancouver’s Casa Gelato ice cream shop.

Be brave, be creative and be a part of the ever-evolving world of sushi.

© 2004 Barbara K. Adamski all rights reserved
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