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18242 Imperial Hwy
Yorba Linda, CA 92886
(714) 524-9003
Email: Kaz@Kaz-Maguroya.com
Sushi is Healthy Food !
To put it plainly and simply, sushi is good for you. Sushi bars believe that food should always be as fresh as possible, and most sauces and condiments are even made on the premises. Sushi fish are very rich in protein and minerals, especially calcium, phosphorus and iron.
Additional health facts about sushi:
- The vinegar used to prepare the rice has antiseptic properties and can lower cholesterol.
- Wasabi, the green horseradish, is rich in Vitamin C and is many times more powerful than ultaviolet radiation in killing bacteria.
- Gari, the pickled ginger, is a noted actibacterigen.
- Nori, the seaweed used in sushi, has high levels of Vitamin A, B-complex, Niacin and Vitamin C. It is also an excellent digestive aid.
- A typical set of sushi, 7 - 9 pieces, contains approximately 300 calories.
Source: Kinjiro Omae and Yuzuru Tachibana, The Book of Sushi (Kodansha Publishing)
About Wasabi:
Culinary Uses, History and Cultivation
Wasabi is a condiment traditionally served with raw fish (sushi and
sashimi) and noodle (soba) dishes in Japan. The ground root-like
rhizome pungently flavors many foods in Japanese cuisine and its
bright green color adds color contrast, for which Japanese dishes
are famous. In the last twenty years, because of short supply of
fresh Wasabi rhizomes, substitutes made of mixtures of horseradish, mustard
and food coloring have taken the place of freshly prepared Wasabi.
Other parts of the Wasabi plant are also used. The leaves and petioles
are picked or can be powdered for use as Wasabi flavoring, used now
in many foods.
In traditional Japanese cuisine, Wasabi is prepared by grating the fresh rhizome against a rough surface. Some Japanese Sushi Chefs will only use a sharkskin grater. The sharkskin gives grated Wasabi a smooth, soft and aromatic finish.
Many believe that the Wasabi rhizome should be carefully peeled first before grating. It is recommended in either case to scrub the Wasabi rhizome with a soft brush before grating.
The best way to enjoy the full flavor of Fresh Wasabi is to spread a little on the fish and then dip the fish side of the sushi into soy sauce so that the sauce does not touch the Wasabi. Good Fresh Wasabi and Wasabi paste do not just add spicy hotness and sweetness but also have a gentle fragrance that accents the taste of fresh fish with soy sauce.
Many diners, however, prefer to mix the Wasabi paste with soy sauce, called "Wasabi-joyu," and use this as a dipping sauce for the raw fish, or mix the Wasabi directly into a bowl of noodles.
Tofu topped with soy sauce and Wasabi paste is an example of another traditional food using Wasabi. Wasabi leaves pickled in sake brine or soy sauce are popular accompaniments to white rice. It should be pointed out that a considerable amount of the volatile aroma and taste of the Wasabi paste would be lost when mixed with soy sauce or a heated dish.
Wasabi (Wasabia japonica syn. Eutrema japonica) is a highly valued plant in Japanese cuisine, used primarily as a condiment for seafood dishes. More recently it has found widespread appeal in western cuisine due to its unique flavor. Used as an ingredient in dressings, dips, sauces and marinades, wasabi is a versatile spice and is rapidly becoming one of the most popular new flavors. Wasabi has a heat component that unlike chili peppers is not long lived on the palate and subsides into an extremely pleasant, mild vegetable taste that even people normally averse to hot food enjoy.