Toppings are frequently provided with sushi. Wasabi, a hot paste prepared from chopped wasabi stems soaked in soy sauce, is frequently used to flavor sushi. Salmon, pork, and other sushi are frequently served with mayonnaise in Japan.
Standard wasabi graters include the Samekawa and Samegawa graters. A common fake horseradish meal is composed using horseradish, wasabi powder, and green food coloring. It can be found in sushi bento boxes, budget sushi joints with conveyor belts, and the majority of eateries outside of Japan. The label may say “wasabi” if it was produced in Japan. [85] The spice allyl isothiocyanate, which is renowned for its antibacterial effects, is present in both real and imitation mustard. However, genuine mustard might also include some extra antimicrobial substances. [86]
Between each sushi course, gari (sweet and sour pickled ginger) is consumed to help digestion and clear the palette. Sushi is always served with tea in Japan. Mecha, a unique premium tea, is frequently offered in better sushi places. In sushi, green tea is referred to as agar.
Sushi-friendly side dishes include seaweed salads, burdock root, grated radish, thinly sliced vegetables, flower-shaped carrots, radish and cucumber, and genuine flowers.
The different parts frequently come apart when the green strips, also known as balan or kirizasa, are placed tightly on the pallet. These partitions serve to produce an appealing presentation by preventing the flavors of the neighboring sushi from blending. Originally, these were chopped leaves from the plants Aspidistra elatior, also known as Haran, and Sasa vetchii, popularly known as Kumazasa. Real leaves have the additional advantage of releasing antimicrobial phytoncides when chopped, increasing the short shelf life of the sushi. [87]
Sushi bento boxes are always available at Japanese supermarkets and convenience stores. As these shops gained popularity in the 1960s, labor-intensive leaf cutting was gradually replaced to reduce expenses. As refrigeration spread, sushi’s shelf life was extended without having to be sliced off the leaves. In today’s sushi bento boxes and, to a lesser extent, in sushi displays found in sushi bars and restaurants, plastic strips are frequently employed. In order to avoid accidentally or prematurely attaching the ginger or wasabi that goes with the sushi roll, sushi is frequently packaged in plastic leaves in store-bought or take-out containers. to avoid [88]
