Condiments, Garnishes and Seaweed

Goma are sesame seeds.  They are used as garnish on rolled sushi and provide beauty as well as texture.  White seeds are referred to as Shiro-goma and the black ones are called Kuro-goma.  Hanakatsuo is dried, shaved or flaked bonito used as a garnish or as ingredients in soups.   Negi is what the Japanese scallions.  Thinly sliced as a condiment, only white part near root used as the ends are considered bitter and the flavor overwhelming.

Katsuo-bushi is skipjack tuna that is dried, fermented and smoked, used as a topping or flavoring for many Japanese dishes. Also known as dancing fish flakes, when added to a hot dish as a topping, the heat makes the flakes move.

The shiso leaf is a decorative garnish, but a delectable and expensive addition to a sashimi platter. It is often referred to as the beefsteak plant and has a taste rather like the cross between mint and fennel.

Shoga is fresh ginger root, generally cut into thin strips and used as a garnish for sushi and many other dishes.  Beni-shoga is ginger that is red in color.

Hijiki is a very versatile seaweed, high in fiber and vitamins.  After drying, it looks like large tea leaves and is used in salads as well as vegetarian sushi rolls.  Kombu is seaweed that is pickled and used as relish or in salads.  The dried sheets used in sushi: they develop a thin layer of white powder after drying that is very tasty.  It also has high levels of free glutamate which gives Japanese cuisine that famous “fifth taste”.  Nori, another type of seaweed, is used to wrap sushi after sheets of it are dried.  Wakame is a very well-liked seaweed which has lengthy strands that make it known as lobe-leaf seaweed.  Wakame is served in sushi bars as a vinegar-seasoned salad and also accompanies miso soup.

Soups and Roe

Roe is the formal name for fish eggs.  There are as many types of roe as there are fish but sushi uses only the most colorful and tasty.  Ikura are salmon roe preserved in salt.  Their dark orange to deep red color glitters appealingly, making them a popular topping to sushi rolls.  Ikura are very salty and when fresh, they “pop” as they’re eaten.

Kazunoko is herring roe, traditionally used to celebrate the new year but also popular in sushi.  The name translates to “many children” and symbolizes fertility and prosperity.  Yellowish in color, the eggs are small and crunchy.  They are sometimes marinated in soy sauce, sake and dashi.  Masago is smelt or capelin roe, deep orange in color and spicy pink cod roe is called Mentaiko.
Flying fish roe is called Tobiko. Their color ranges from orange to a reddish hue and their and it has a crunchy texture. Tiny in size, they are often served in gunkan maki or boat style sushi rolls. Tobiko are also used to cover the outside layer of uramaki or reversed rolls for a crunchy effect. Tobiko that has been topped with raw quail egg yolk is a popular delicacy.

As you can see, roe is an important part of the sushi experience not just for the pleasing taste and texture but for the visual impact as well.

Soups are often served with sushi.  Miso Soup, one of the most popular, is made from miso paste which can be red, white or black; the darker the color the saltier it is. It contains tofu and vegetables, miso paste and has as its base a stock called Dashi, made of dried baby sardines.  Miso itself is soy bean paste.  Suimono is a clear soup, with a fish stock base. It is usually presented as an option to miso soup before the sushi or sashimi.

Toppings

Natto (fermented soybeans) is a very popular breakfast item that is also used as a sushi topping.  It has a very strong smell and flavor and is generally eaten atop rice.  It is very high in vitamins and protein.

Neta is the term for the toppings of nigiri sushi, such as sliced raw fish, quail eggs, oysters, boiled shrimp and sliced egg omelet.

Many sushi toppings are Tataki, or “finely chopped”.  This word means about the same as the French “tartare”, or finely chopped raw meat.  Many types of meat are tataki and added as toppings to sushi rolls or sashimi.

Quail eggs (Uzura) are another popular sushi topping.  The uncooked eggs are broken and place on the sushi; they are considered very good, with a surprisingly sweet taste.