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When you are about to eat a meal, you may not think about the proper techniques for consuming the food. However, if you love to eat sushi, think about your mannerisms and consider the customs that accompany eating this beloved Asian cuisine before you dig in. This will ensure you are getting the most flavor out of the dish, and below are several strategies for what you should and shouldn't do.

Do:

Eat it in a single bite.

Sushi chefs take time to lay each ingredient out and roll them together perfectly to balance each flavor. This means that you should eat each slice of the roll whole, as it is considered rude to break them up into small pieces. Eating it in a single bite also allows you to enjoy balanced portions of rice and fish so that one flavor doesn't overpower the other. If you find that the pieces are too large, the polite move is to ask the chef to adjust the size of your next roll to make it smaller. 

Learn to use chopsticks.

sushi

Everyone has a first time using chopsticks. It’s not unusual to fiddle a bit and experience difficulty using them at first, but eventually you’ll become accustomed to the utensils. Traditionally, most people only use chopsticks to eat sashimi, which is fish that is served without any rice, such as tuna or salmon. Then, they eat anything that is served with rice by hand. This makes it easier to add wasabi or soy sauce to each portion.

Don’t:

Dip sushi rice-side down.

Rice is an absorbent ingredient, so avoid dipping it into soy sauce. Many chefs believe this practice disturbs the distinct balance of flavors in the sushi, as you end up putting too much sauce on a piece. For the best etiquette, use minimal sauce so that you don’t overwhelm the food with that flavor. If you do want to dip your roll, place the fish in the condiment first.

Mix soy sauce and wasabi.

This practice is discouraged because it’s thought to ruin the flavor of the soy sauce and take away from the distinct aroma and spicy profile of the wasabi. Instead, you should add each ingredient individually, with most chefs recommending one or the other. This allows the condiment you choose to stand out and bring extra flavor to the sushi.

 

If you're looking for a new sushi restaurant to put these skills to the test, visit IZUMI Sushi Bar Seafood. This seafood restaurant proudly serves delicious Asian cuisine to diners throughout Tucson, AZ. They use the freshest possible ingredients to prepare meals and ensure they are delicious. Visit the website to place an order, and call (520) 327-2778 to reserve a table.

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