My Experiment with Sushi

Well the excitement around Sushi is not new and one keeps reading, watching, hearing about it every now and then. I had been eager to try out Sushi to figure out what all the talk was about.

There are two things that one would not want to happen when trying out a new cuisine/dish -
1.Trying it at a restaurant where they might not know how to prepare it and they end up serving you with a version which is enough to keep you away from further adventures.
2. Ordering a dish which would not fit your palate at all (e.g. asking some of our friends from the US/ Europe to partake Kolhapuri chicken as their first tryst with Indian food)

So I talked to one my buddies Shantanu (aka musa) who has dabbled a lot with Sushi (making friends with the Chef at a Sushi Bar in US) and got some tips for an amateur.

Recently on my way back from Manila I had an extended stopover at Bangkok airport (thanks to flight delay).As I roamed around the sprawling terminal I spotted a Sushi bar - my chance to satisfy this culinary curiosity.

I sat at the counter opposite the Chef and the first order was a Salmon Sushi (a safe bet to start as per musa). On the Chef’s recommendation I ordered some hot Sake for drink. It was served in a small ceramic flask to be had from a small cylindrical ceramic vessel resembling a mini shot-glass. (further reading and I know it’s called ochoko)
Then came the Sushi - rice covered with slice of Salmon along with Wasabi paste and Soy sauce. As for the taste, well it was bland if you benchmark it with regular Indian food, and definitely had some smell of the fish. (I am sure some of my friends who just can't bear any odor in the sea-food won't like it). I had too generous a helping of the Wasabi and it hit like a lightning :)...needless to say the next helpings were more careful.

Sitting at the counter I was in a position to watch the chef in action, as I waited for my next order - the Spicy Tuna rolls (rice and tuna rolled with chopped green chilies tossed in) I enjoyed this one more and was willing to try out some more, the only problem was I was already full.
It was an enjoyable experience and has left me with the desire to try out more varieties sometime. I didn't try the Sashimi (fresh raw fish without the rice), perhaps that would need more courage and some homework on what an amateur needs to start with !

Pity I wasn't carrying my camera, but here's how the Salmon and the Tuna Rolls looked liked.