Can you explain the term sashimi-grade. I see it mentioned in recipes but never see it labelled that way in stores. Is it an industry term for “very fresh fish” or is it superior in other ways? The term refers to the best quality of fish that you could possibly find. Generally it’ll be listed for a dish that will be served either raw or seared, and so obviously the fresher the better. The great thing with fish in New Zealand, not everywhere of course, is that it’s pretty darn fresh most of the time. Many of my friends have a boat, have access to a bach or a jetty — or even a river mouth (for kahawai) — where they can catch their own fish, so sashimi-grade is nothing to worry about. If you’re making sashimi or fish-based sushi, you’ll soon know if the fish you bought from your local shop isn’t good because it will have an odour that lets you know. Either 1) it smells fine, but maybe not to be eaten raw or 2) it’ll be fine cooked in white sauce for a fish pie, or 3) there is absolutely no way you’d do anything with this except use it as bait.

I’ve been to Japan just once, back in 2008, and as expected the fish there was incredibly fresh, and all would have ticked the “sashimi-grade” box. However, perhaps the freshest saltwater fish I’ve ever eaten, and apologies in advance for the fish lovers among you, was in Chicago in 2003. healthiest to order at sushiI was there as part of a three-city tour with the department store Marshall Fields, that also included Minneapolis and Detroit. healthiest thing at sushi restaurantThe Chicago outpost was then the largest department store in America. where to buy sushi fish in denverFamous residents have included American super-chefs Rick Bayless, Rick Tramonto, Grant Achatz and (recently deceased) Charlie Trotter, along with Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama.buy sushi seaweed sheets

My week in America was a wonderful experience in so many ways and the culinary scene was definitely a big part of that. Those who know their geography will be aware that this fabulous and populous metropolis (which in my mind rivals New York as a must-visit city) sits on Lake Michigan in Illinois — just less than 10km from the North Atlantic. sushi cape town menuLake Michigan is huge and has a vast amount of fish — but saltwater it doesn’t have.where to buy sushi rice in london My American hosts couldn’t have been nicer and had organised several dinners, including a wonderful one in Charlie Trotter’s kitchen (he later went on to write a cover note for the American edition of my third cookbook) and they managed to get me a booking at a Japanese restaurant that was the hottest place to dine at the time called Heathow to get into sushi high roller

, which is now closed. The ingredients they used were phenomenal and they flew in most of their fish from Japan every day. However, they were famous for one particular dish, which was sashimi cut from a living fish. The sashimi was presented on a sort-of-living fish. I’ve seen the same in the fish markets in Hong Kong since but it was slightly unnerving at the time. The fish was filleted without cutting into its main organs, the skin was removed, and the flesh sliced sashimi style. The slices were then put back on the skeleton, while the fish still “breathed”. Did it taste amazing? Did it seem it was worth the agony for the fish? Would I have it again? Interestingly, the flesh was very firm and chewy, which I now understand was because rigor mortis had set in. I’ve eaten fresh fish for years, freshly caught in the waters of New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and Turkey and none have been as chewy as this. I wonder if it was simply experiencing the agony of what was, in reality, an already dead fish.

I love a freshly shucked raw oyster, clam or mussel, and these are also alive when we eat them. But somehow, I just don’t want to see the mouth opening, the lungs expanding, and the muscles twitching. It’s just too fresh! In our Ask Peter series, executive chef Peter Gordon answers your curly culinary questions. If you're stumped over something food-related, send your question to askpeter@bite.co.nz and keep checking in for answers. You can read more on Peter on his website, have a read of his Ask Peter articles or check out his recipes here. Samurai is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. The character originally was a verb meaning “to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society.” Samurai Sushi has been serving its customers Japanese dishes with the same dedication since 2003. We craft our sushi sourcing the highest local products and accompany with authentic Japanese condiments. Our menu includes all traditional Japanese cuisine with tempura, donburi, udon bowls and miso.

Like Samurai Sushi on Facebook! A New Zealand beginner's guide Wendy Gallagher - 18/01/02 Eat here or takeaway When did New Zealand go mad about sushi? It seems that every shopping mall and many suburbs I've visited around Christchurch now sell takeaway sushi. noticed this with some surprise after returning home from a year in the UnitedMy work colleagues and I have even ditched Friday night drinks in favour of Friday lunchtime sushi. So what exactly is this sushi, how did it become so popular and what makes it so good? Although sushi may seem relatively new to New Zealand, it dates back over a thousand years beginning in Southeast Asia and moving on to Japan in the eighthIt was originally used as a method to preserve fish, where the flesh was pressed between layers of rice flavoured with vinegar and left for a fewNot until a few centuries later when a Japanese chef decided to omit the fermentation process was sushi, as we know it today, born.

Once known as the merchant capital, Osaka was the place where rice vendors developed sushi by mixing seasoned rice with other ingredients into a visually pleasing and tasty package. Although sushi 'syndrome' may have begun in Osaka, Tokyo produced the popular style of today called nigirizushi. Sushi, having the advantage of being available as a fast food and being better for you than a burger, became popular in the west when the health craze hit theSince then the sushi business has boomed. Popular styles, nigirizushi and makizushi Nigirizushi, the most traditional and artful form of sushi, is formed by hand by pressing rice into an oblong and placing a strip of fish on top. Here in the west the most common fish found on this type of sushi is salmon (sake), but in Japan many different types are used. Some of these include fish roe, crab, octopus, squid, eel, abalone (commonly known here as paua), and scallops.Makizushi is the stuff rolled in seaweed (nori) and is the

kind you get most often at takeaway outlets. Consisting of thin strips of fish and vegetables rolled in rice and dried seaweed, it is then sliced to form What makes it sushi? To some kiwis, I imagine, the mere mention of sushi brings distasteful thoughts of raw fish to mind and a sudden desire to flee to the nearest fish and chipBut sushi does not necessarily contain raw fish. The raw fish kind isNew Zealand fish such as trevally, snapper and hoki are exported for the sashimi market to the United States. Sushi comes in many flavours and can include grilled, barbecued or deep fried fish and other meat like chicken,Vegetarian sushi is also popular. The rice, too, is not just any old rice. Short grain rice is used and then flavoured with rice vinegar and a small amount of sugar, or you can buy flavour sachets containing powder to use instead. To enjoy a genuine sushi experience it must come accompanied with soy sauce (shoyu), wasabi, and sliced ginger (gari or shoga).

Japanese soy sauce is similar to Chinese soy but is not as salty. Wasabi is the green stuff you get on the side of your sushi order. wasabi is sometimes used which is made up from a powder containing ground horseradish and mustard powder. Real wasabi usually comes as a paste and is produced from the rhizome of the wasabi vegetable. Wasabi is a complex plant to grow and needs specific conditions for success. New Zealand is one of the few countries outside Japan where Wasabi is grown. If you haven't tasted it before then my advice is to use sparingly as it is quite hot. Sliced ginger is the thin pink coloured condiment with your sushi. already pickled and sliced, it is used to cleanse the palette (refreshing the taste buds) in between sushi bites. Disposable chopsticks, an environmental concern The vital thing that comes with your sushi takeaway pack is the chopsticksAnd once you get the knack of using them, I think they are the

easiest and best way to eat sushi. They are more polite than fingers and far more practical than a fork. However, a big downside to the worldwide use of disposable chopsticks is the effect on the environment in relation to the deforestation of hardwood trees and consequent erosion. In China concerned citizens have developed a kind of 'chopstick activism'. Some colleges have stopped using them in their school cafeteria and now usePeople are encouraged to carry their own personal set, which can be washed and reused, and carry pouches are made and marketed for carrying your personal set around in. Japan is also aware of the problem and now encourages the use of re-usable chopsticks. What makes the best sushi? After many Fridays of lunchtime sushi, my workmates and I have decided we know what it takes to make good takeaway sushi. There are three important things toFirstly, the seaweed (nori) must not be chewy. the chopsticks provided are easiest to use if they have flat sides rather than

This point is especially important if you are a chopstick novice - sushi cannot be enjoyed if you can't eat it. Lastly, a satisfying sushi experience can only be obtained if the takeaway box comes with plenty of soyIf there isn't enough to go around all your pieces, you are left feeling Of all the various takeaway places we have tried around Christchurch, there are two that we return to repeatedly. One is Shinsengumi - The Sushi Revolution. They are based in Wairakei Rd and offer a delivery service. great, the prices are good and the staff friendly. They also have a customer card, which after receiving seven stamps gives you a free "Lunch Special". The other place is St Pierres's in the mall at South City. There is a wide variety of flavours and plenty of combination boxes to choose from. are excellent and the food delicious. Another bonus is the helpful staff. will grab whatever flavour you request. This can be a daunting task as the

sushi boxes are displayed at the front of the counter and at lunchtime there is usually a crowd, making it difficult to see where everything is. St Pierres' at South City Considering that the classic method of training a sushi chef takes about seven years, it is not surprising that an eating etiquette exists. sushi manners to keep in mind. Do not offer food to someone using chopsticks but instead pass the Use the reverse ends of the chopsticks to take food from a shared plate. After taking a bite from a piece of food, do not place the remaining piece back on the plate. Once picked up, all of the food should be eaten. If you are eating at a sushi bar, you should place your chopsticks in front of you, parallel to the edge of the bar. Do not place them directly Leaving food after the meal is thought to be rude, leaving rice is The soy sauce is there to complement the filling in the sushi, not theDip sushi into soy sauce rice side-up.