Garnishes

The traditional Japanese sushi is just rice wrapped up in a sheet of nori and served with a piece of raw fish. A simple dish of sushi itself looks very elegant; it is a clean and classic dish. However, to add extra eye-candy to the dish, a lot of restaurants add other little bits and pieces known as garnishes. Garnishes enhance the look of any sushi dish and can change it from dull and boring to vibrant and exciting. Moreover, it even adds to the flavor of a dish. Some garnishes add a bit of saltiness whereas others might give the dish a hint of sourness or sweetness.

Different Types of Garnishes Used For Sushi

Sushi is not limited to the boundaries of Japan anymore. This phenomenal dish has spread its wings across the whole world, and the western world adores this cuisine. The expansion of this dish into different regions of the world has led to a various range of garnishes for sushi chefs to choose from. Some of the garnishes used for sushi are:

• Wasabi – This pale green paste is served alongside any plate of sushi. Wasabi induces a burning sensation in the nasal passage and it is very hot. However, the sensation only lasts for a few seconds. Wasabi takes the whole experience of sushi flavor to another level. Occasionally, your sushi chef will feel a little creative and shape the wasabi into works of art such as a maple leaf or smiley face
• Gari – A plate of sushi rolls is not complete if you do not get Gari alongside it. Gari is sliced pieces of ginger. These pieces of ginger are soaked in vinegar to give the dish a kick of sweet and spicy. Gari helps to balance out the taste of raw fish. If the fish is cooked, then it helps to balance the flavor of oil with its sweet and spicy taste. The best form of Gari is when it is in its pale yellow state. However, some restaurants add dye to it so that the pieces turn pink in color. Ginger slices are always put alongside wasabi. It provides a contrast to the green color of wasabi and offers an even more pale yellow color. Historically, it is used to cleanse your palate before eating another piece of sushi
• Shiso leaves – Shiso leaves are another type of garnish which often come with a sashimi plate. Shiso leaves are also called perilla. These are tiny saw-toothed leaves, which are actually herbs. These leaves are similar to mint and have that note of refreshment in them. Sometimes you will also find a hint of cinnamon or clove in these leaves. You can chew on a few leaves before eating different types of sushi rolls to refresh your palate. Sushi chefs can cut up shiso leaves into different patterns, akin to a snowflake
• Daikon – Daikon, shredded white radish, accompanies a plate of delicious sashimi. Sashimi is propped on a handful of Daikon to make it look more alluring to the eyes and gives the sashimi a 3D appeal. It can offer a crunchy and tasteless flavor, opposite to sashimi’s texture and taste
• Tobiko – Tobiko often accompanies many sushi rolls due to its vivacious color. It can come in orange, black, red, and even green! Chefs sprinkle tobiko on top of sushi rolls to make it more exciting, bright, and delicious
• Miscellaneous garnishes – Since sushi has become a part of the modern world, a lot of different garnishes get to accompany a simple plate of sushi. Sometimes sliced raw cucumber is served with a bunch of sushi rolls. On the other hand, different assortment of vegetables may be used as a garnish. The chef gets to test out his or her knife skills when it comes to garnishes