10th January 2020, Queens

If you type Japanese food menu near my location, you will come across the likes of sushi, ramen and Nigiri. While the American understanding of Japanese food has indeed evolved, there is a string of baseless notions still doing the rounds in the market. For instance, the term ‘umami’ continues to be thrown casually here and there in food magazines. And there is more than meets the eye.

1. Nigiri should be had with chopsticks

Contrary to the idea, Nigiri is essentially meant to be eaten with hands.

Mentioning chopsticks while discussing Japanese cuisine is commonplace. However, in the case of sushi rice, its tender texture is highly inhospitable to chop-sticking. One is likelier to make a mess of the dish.

2. Light soy sauce has more sodium than dark soy sauce

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

The fact remains that light soy sauce is evidently saltier than its dark counterpart. At the same time, it is important to note that the aim of including light soy sauce is to make dishes lighter in color, not make them saltier. Aesthetics continues to be a driving factor in Japanese cuisine.

3. Sushi is nothing but raw fish

Once and for all, sushi is not raw fish, but rice.

If you look at the best Japanese restaurant in Queens, you will see not all sushi dishes involve fish. In fact, vegan sushi has been trending in the recent times.

It is intriguing to note that sushi had always been cooked. With the advent of refrigerators in Japan, consumption of sushi underwent a sea-change.

Conclusion

Japanese food is yet to be discovered in its entirety. American restaurants, while keeping a fine job, need to do more to encourage authentic traditional culinary experience. And when it comes to traditional Japanese food, one may lose it to myths at a very great cost.

For More Information - https://www.lunaasianbistro.com/menu.php