FOR Japanese cuisine lovers, sushi might be the first thing that comes to mind when we think “Japanese food”. These days, sushi can be found both in grocery stores and restaurants, but its origins might surprise you.
Sushi traces its origins back to the 4th Century, to a Chinese dish called narezushi, fermented fish pickled with rice. Interestingly, the rice was typically thrown out when eating the fish, as it was used only to wrap and preserve the fish.
However, this sushi is not quite the same as the sushi we know today. The person generally credited as the inventor of modern sushi is Japanese restaurateur and chef Hanaya Yohei.
Before sushi became the quick grocery food we can take away, it has always been considered a highly artistic and skilled type of food preparation.
As an art form, its appearance is just as important as how it tastes, focusing on the right colour, flavour, and texture, which can take years or even decades to master.
