by Jerome Foo

Created on: February 01, 2007   Last Updated: May 04, 2007

Ever been to a sushi restaurant? Scared to try the strange looking sea creatures? Antsy about eating raw fish? Had a bad experience with sushi? Don't worry! People all over the world have been eating raw fish for millennia- and this Japanese method of preparation is one of the reasons why they have the world's longest life expectancy. This guide will hopefully help you learn a bit about eating sushi, and help you get the most out of your eating experience.

Let's begin with a few definitions to help familiarize you with the world of sushi:

Sushi (Nigiri-zushi)- This is perhaps the most well known kind of sushi, comprised of a thinly sliced piece of raw fish that sits atop a small shaped ball of vinegared rice.

Sashimi - Sashimi is also thinly sliced raw fish, however it is usually served slightly thicker than sushi, and without rice.

Maki (Maki-zushi) - Rolled' sushi. The popular "California roll" is one of these. Usually consists of fish or vegetables and rice, wrapped in some toasted seaweed, otherwise known as

Nori Green and tasty, nori are the sheets of dried seaweed used to wrap maki, or make tiny belts to keep some ingredients on top of the nigiri-zushi. Also used to make

Sushi Cone (Temaki-zushi) Originally created by sushi chefs wanting a quick snack during busy meals, the sushi consists of nori wrapped around vinegared rice and fish ingredients, in the shape of an ice-cream cone.

Soy sauce (Shouyu) Used in many types of cooking, Japanese soy sauce is lighter than Chinese soy sauce. As a chef at a sushi restaurant, it never ceases to amaze me how many people order the most expensive piece of sushi only to turn around and drown the fish in soy sauce. Ever had the problem where the sushi rice ends up in the bottom of your soy sauce dish? No, it's not the fault of the chef for not squeezing it tightly enough... sushi is meant to be a delicate food, with the role of soy sauce being to gently highlight the subtle flavours of the fresh fish. Don't drown your sushi in soy sauce. and don't drown any of your rice dishes in soy sauce either!

Wasabi- Green and potent, the wasabi root is related to the more familiar horseradish root. Largely reconstituted from powdered form in North America, it is also not to be used in excess. Many restaurants of all kinds are starting to incorporate this spicy flavour into their regular menus. Like soy sauce, wasabi also serves to highlight the natural flavours of the seafood. In really good restaurants, the sushi chef will add the

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