All about sushi dishes

The word "sushi", adapted in Russian, has long been well known to the Japanese. This delicious dish is called sushi in Japanese. Admirers of oriental cuisine go to restaurants and sushi bars not only for food, but also for a special atmosphere. Those who just want to have a tasty meal order an oriental dish at home. But for those who want to treat their guests at home in the spirit of oriental traditions, you need to take care of purchasing dishes for sushi and rolls. Why do you need to buy special dishes for a particular dish? It's all about historical traditions.

Today, such dishes are very often made from porcelain. It appeared in Japan in the 17th century, was a luxury item and at first simply copied Korean and Chinese designs. Many people wanted to look more at the dishes themselves than to treat themselves to food from them.

This is because for the Japanese, eating is a ritual designed to create harmony. Everything is important here: beautiful dishes, serving, the freshest products, special aesthetics in the design of the dish itself. Every meal begins with thanksgiving and ends with it. Eating is a philosophy, and it takes no rush. And it is the dishes that create an additional mood for a great pastime.

Talking about the pros and cons of using sushi kits at home, it should be noted that porcelain is very often replaced with ceramic products. The reason is practicality: porcelain is a fragile material. But it is environmentally friendly, durable with careful handling, and easy to store.Bone china is more refined, airy, translucent, and at the same time more durable. But this will have to pay a much higher price. And taking care of him is more difficult.

Ceramics are heavier, more massive, but this does not prevent it from being beautiful... It does not emit harmful substances, it is not able to withstand temperature changes, although this is irrelevant for sushi. The disadvantage of ceramics is the porosity of the structure, which makes it not protected from impacts. Therefore, many people choose glass-ceramic dishes, which are lighter than porcelain, they are impact-resistant, and easy to care for.

A modern trend is tableware made of melamine, a synthetic polymer. From the point of view of practicality, this is a very good purchase, but many are confused by the issue of safe use for health. Manufacturers claim that quality melamine tableware, confirmed by certificates, is absolutely safe.

Another feature is the color of the dishes according to tradition. There will be a lot of white, red, green in the painting. There are beige and brown shades. But black becomes almost the main color. Often it contrasts with the color of the table, other dishes and looks unusually beautiful. The combination in the picture with other flowers makes the table setting festive. The psychological aspect is also important here: a smaller amount of food is eaten from black dishes than from a white plate.

Sushi dishes are not only plates for serving dishes, but also containers for preparing it. In order to properly boil the rice, you will need a thick-walled pot like a cauldron. Rolls can be formed using a bamboo mat or special shapes. They can be plastic or wood. Placing bucket elevators, rice and filling in them, you can create even cylinders that can be easily cut using special notches. Today manufacturers offer not only round shapes, but also rectangular ones, in the form of stars, hearts, squares and flowers.

In order to properly and beautifully serve sushi, rolls, sashimi, you will need the following dishes.

• Sashimizara - a plate with partitions for various types of sushi, rolls, sashimi, sauces, salads (menu); it can be individual or general, if it is large.

• Serving plates can be sushioka (porcelain or ceramic, but always varnished) and tamaki-dai or geta - wooden stands with legs. On the first, sushi is often served, on the second - rolls, but this is an optional distinction. Sashimi bun also serves as portioned plates.

• Japanese sauce boats (seyuzaru), like sushioke, they are square, rectangular, oval, diamond-shaped without sharp corners. They are short, used for soy sauce or wasabi, and pickled ginger can also be used here.

• You can add the sauce from katakuchi (bowls with a spout).

• Reusable sticks (saibashi, nuribashi) made of ivory, sandal, and other expensive materials are placed on a special stand - hasioki during the meal. Disposable wood sticks (varibashi) can also be placed on a stand or on a bamboo napkin or table.

• There are special containers for Japanese takeaway dishes.... They are called makonouchi bento and are boxes with 5-6 compartments.

Thus, the dishes for sushi are unique in form, capacity, functionality. And in order to organize a dinner, for example, for 4 persons, you will need:

• 4 sushioke (required) + 4 tamaki-dai or geta (if possible);
• sashimizara (if you want to have a common dish);
• 4 pairs of disposable or reusable hasi;
• 4 hasioki;
• 4 bamboo napkins;
• seyuzaru for sauces, wasabi, ginger (if sashimizara is not available);
• brush and 4 glasses for sake;
• goat and kobachi for salads;
• if you plan to finish dinner with tea, then you will have to take care of the dishes for the tea ceremony.

It is not surprising that the main producers of sushi dishes are the countries of the East. But also in Italy, France, Russia there are enterprises producing such kitchen utensils. The price depends on the material and brand. For example, the main brands of sushi china are Rak Porcelain, Cameo, Churchill, Revol. These are well-known manufacturers supplying their products not only to the mass consumer, but also to sushi bars and restaurants, hotels and luxury hotel complexes.

It is prestigious to buy bone china of the following brands: Royal Crown Derby, Top Art Studio, Cameo. When choosing ceramic products, you should pay attention to trade marks. Utopia, Jars, Oxford. The best glass-ceramic dishes are offered by companies Bormioli Rocco, Arcoroc.

Chinese company PuTian Machinery offers a huge selection of individual items for making and receiving sushi, as well as sets. The manufacturer works with earthenware and offers crockery in different price categories.

Russian enterprise "M-Plastic" offers sets of 5-10 items at a fairly affordable price. The Fissman brand is registered in Denmark, but China produces excellent ceramic sushi sets under this brand. This company, by the way, has a large selection of sets for a different number of items and persons.

Trademark Ever Unison offers sets and individual items (plates, gravy boats, etc.) made of 100% melamine. This modern trend has been developed in other companies as well, because such products are strong, reliable and durable. The range of sushi products for this brand is simply huge. The varied shape and color palette also draws attention to Ever Unison.

In stores and on the Internet, you can buy ready-made sets or individual items. The beauty of the set is not only in the completeness, but also in the same style and color scheme. The set can be for 2 - 4 - 6 - 8 persons. When choosing, you should pay attention to:

• material of plates and accompanying utensils;
• the material from which the sticks are made;
• the presence of a mat for making rolls;
• completeness.

It's minimum. Hasioki will be quite useful. The set may contain sashimizara. If it is not there, then it is better to purchase it separately, as this common dish will help create a closer, friendly atmosphere at the table. Sake dishes are also available in a wider configuration. There are kits that include nori sheets as well as sushi rice, rice vinegar and soy sauce.

Such a complete set will be the perfect gift for both beginner sushi masters and more experienced sushi masters.

Speaking about the features of caring for sushi dishes, you should start with a saucepan for cooking rice. Usually this is a cast-iron cauldron, which must be very carefully looked after: after use, it must be washed well without the use of metal brushes and strong abrasive detergents, turned over or wiped dry... Violation of these measures will lead to the appearance of rusty bald spots. This pot can no longer be used for cooking.

Although the mat (makisa) for making rolls is not a dish, it is in it that the cylinders are formed before cutting. Of all the items for preparing and receiving sushi and rolls, it is the mat that requires the most care. Thin strips of bamboo tied with cotton thread allow you to roll the stuffed rice and nori into a roll. For better preservation, the mats are often wrapped with cling film, and nori or rice is already laid out on the film.

In any case, you need to thoroughly rinse the makisu if there is at least one grain of rice left in it.It is better to dry the mat in a horizontal position in a warm place. Bamboo is a natural material. If you do not follow the rules for caring for him, then he will quickly become moldy and rot. The care of the crockery itself depends on its material. If it is easily breakable porcelain, ceramics, glass, then you should take care of its safety as follows:

• porcelain or glazed ceramics should not be put in the dishwasher, it is better to wash it by hand;
• thin porcelain should not be washed by weight; it is better to do this in a plastic container with a soft towel at the bottom;
• painted or glazed objects are washed with neutral soap, for example, baby soap;
• to add shine to the dishes and remove streaks, add a few drops of ammonia to the water;
• washing is carried out only with a soft sponge or cloth;
• painted dishes should not be left in water for a long time: the enamel will quickly crack;
• to make dishes (especially dark ones) shine, it is recommended to grind them with a soft cloth immediately after washing, until they are dry.

For information on how to choose the right dishes for sushi, see the next video.