Expert outlines trivia about sushi, plus our guide to the best in Mumbai

Whats the difference between maki and uramaki Are chopsticks necessary to eat sushi How do you pair sushi with the three odd condiments served on the side We hear you Eating and ordering sushi can get slightly intimidating thanks to a vastly different palate and lingo though it doesnrsquot stop us from rolling with it With International Sushi Day around the corner Harry Hakuei Kosato founder of Sushi amp More and brand ambassador of Kikkoman India shares some cool facts that you should know about this muchloved Japanese delicacyTemaki1 Sushi although synonymous with Japan today originated in the Mekong Valley as a method of preserving fish and increasing its shelf life Fermented rice was used to wrap fish so it would last longer shares Kosato ldquoAt the time however they would eat the fish mdash narezushi mdash and not the rice From there people started consuming fresh fish with vinegared rice in Japan an archipelago with abundant fresh seafood this led to the modern version that we now call sushirdquo he tells usSalmon nigiri2 Sushi is derived from the Japanese word sui meaning acidic and the su character also Japanese while shi is used with adjectival verbs ending with i There is a preconceived notion that sushi is nonvegetarian but it refers to vinegared rice and can have any kind of filling or topping Kosato points out For instance cucumber sushi or kappamaki which is quite popular in JapanHarry Hakuei Kosato3 The key ingredient in sushi is vinegared rice while the blackish coating you might have noticed in or outside sushi rolls is nori or seaweed Itrsquos served with shoyu soy sauce gari pickled ginger and wasabi Japanese horseradish the sushi curator shares There are multiple ways to eat sushi ldquoTake a dash of wasabi and place it on your sushi then dip it in soy sauce Or you can take some wasabi and put it in soy sauce Dip the sushi in this wasabiinfused soy sauce Gari is actually meant to be a palate cleanserrdquo he explains4 The next time you struggle using chopsticks remember that in Japan sushi is also eaten with your hands5 There are different kinds of sushi the most popular being maki roll uramaki nigiri temaki temari and chirashi While maki is rolled with nori on the outside uramaki is when the nori is inside Kosato explains Temaki meanwhile is a hand rollrolled sushi thatrsquos onefourth the size of a nori it can have different combinations of fillings ldquoTemari is a ballshaped sushi nigiri is when the rice is moulded by the grip of the hand topped with fish or any other topping and chirashi is a bed of rice with a scattering of sushi toppingsrdquo he addsShisoto charcoal tempura right Sushi and cocktailOn the sushi trailFind a variety of sushi at these eateries in the city Confused about which sushi yoursquod like Try a smattering of each with Sushi and Morersquos special plattersLOG ON TO thrivenowinCALL 9930937285 Check out the truffle Philadelphia roll and chilli tempura sushi at Zenmai apart from the unique open sushiAT Savoy Chambers unit 2 Linking Road Santacruz WestCALL 7715048934 Taki Taki is launching a new menu of sushi and cocktails Pair maki rolls temari or kudamono poke bowls with yuzu basil cobbler salted rosemary paloma and Japanese ginger martiniFROM June 18 to 30 AT World Crest unit 1A amp 1B Lower ParelCALL 7400491480 Dig into a hearty Peruvian lobster roll Nikkei prawn tempura uramaki or shisoto charcoal tempura among a host of options at FooAT Andheri Bandra BKC Lower Parel and ChurchgateCALL 8591983371 Try Kymarsquos special vegetarian tempura California roll or peri peri corn sushi with crispy corn sriracha mayo and lettuceAT Plot C66 One G Block BKCCALL 9372952680 Crunchy Korean prawns nigiri and uramaki with Manipuri black rice awaitat YazuAT 9 Raheja classic Andheri WestCALL 7715804506