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A little story of sushi

Travel with Link from an old way of keeping fish to colourful sushi today.

A journey through time

Long ago, people preserved fish with salt and rice. In Japan, sushi grew into many different shapes.

One ancestor, narezushi, used fermented rice to preserve fish. Later, quicker sushi with vinegared rice, pressed sushi and nigiri appeared. Traditional forms still exist.

Nigiri, maki and sashimi

Nigiri are little rice mounds with a topping. Maki are rolls.

Sashimi is served without sushi rice, so it is not sushi. Sushi rice is seasoned with vinegar; fillings can include vegetables, egg or cooked fish. Nori is edible seaweed.

Make vegetable rice balls

Combine cooked rice with cucumber and avocado for a simple vegetable dish.

Wash your hands and produce, cook the rice and cut the vegetables. Once the rice is cool enough to handle, shape small balls with clean hands. Serve promptly; refrigerate leftovers as quickly as possible, ideally within one hour. Keep raw foods separate from ready-to-eat foods and handle knives and hot pans carefully.

Many colours on the table

Sushi can have lots of flavours and be part of a varied, balanced diet. Choose foods your family enjoys.

Fish, crustacean shellfish, soy, wheat, sesame and eggs can cause allergies: check ingredients and cross-contact. Choose fully cooked fish and consult local guidance on lower-mercury species. Spain’s AESAN lists salmon and trout among lower-mercury choices. Ask a health professional about individual allergies or dietary needs.