Title: Sushi And Japanese Cooking — LearnCoachAssist

Q: What is sushi?
A: Vinegared rice combined with seafood, vegetables, or other ingredients.

Q: What is sashimi?
A: Sliced raw fish or seafood served without rice.

Q: What is the difference between sushi and sashimi?
A: Sushi requires vinegared rice; sashimi is just the raw protein.

Q: What is nigiri?
A: Hand-pressed vinegared rice topped with fish or other ingredients.

Q: What is maki?
A: Sushi rolled in nori seaweed.

Q: What is hosomaki?
A: Thin sushi rolls with one filling.

Q: What is futomaki?
A: Thick sushi rolls with multiple fillings.

Q: What is uramaki?
A: Inside-out rolls with rice on the outside.

Q: What is temaki?
A: Hand-rolled cones of nori filled with rice and toppings.

Q: What is chirashi?
A: A bowl of sushi rice topped with assorted sashimi.

Q: What is oshizushi?
A: Pressed sushi made in a wooden box.

Q: What is inarizushi?
A: Sushi rice stuffed in seasoned tofu pouches.

Q: What is the rice used for sushi?
A: Short-grain Japanese rice (japonica), specifically sushi rice.

Q: What is sushi-meshi?
A: Cooked sushi rice seasoned with vinegar mixture.

Q: What is the seasoning for sushi rice?
A: Rice vinegar, sugar, salt.

Q: What is the standard sushi rice ratio?
A: Roughly 1 cup vinegar : 1/4 cup sugar : 1 tsp salt per 3 cups rice.

Q: What is the texture goal for sushi rice?
A: Each grain distinct but slightly sticky.

Q: What is the temperature for serving sushi rice?
A: Body temperature or slightly above (35-40°C).

Q: Why not refrigerate sushi rice?
A: Cold rice becomes hard and loses texture.

Q: What is nori?
A: A dried seaweed sheet used to wrap sushi.

Q: What is the difference between yaki nori and ajinori?
A: Yaki is toasted plain; ajinori is seasoned.

Q: What is shari?
A: Another term for sushi rice.

Q: What is neta?
A: The topping on nigiri sushi.

Q: What is wasabi?
A: A spicy green paste traditionally placed between rice and fish.

Q: What is most "wasabi" actually?
A: Horseradish dyed green; real wasabi is rare and expensive.

Q: What is soy sauce?
A: Fermented soybean condiment used for dipping.

Q: What is gari?
A: Pickled ginger served between sushi pieces as a palate cleanser.

Q: What is omakase?
A: "Chef's choice" — letting the chef decide the meal.

Q: What is itamae?
A: A sushi chef.

Q: What is the apprenticeship traditional length?
A: Often 5-10 years in traditional sushi training.

Q: What is the order of eating sushi?
A: Lighter fish first, richer fish later; egg often at the end.

Q: What is the proper way to eat nigiri?
A: Pick up by hand or chopsticks; dip fish side in soy briefly.

Q: What is the etiquette of dipping?
A: Dip fish side, not rice side; light dip.

Q: What is the role of wasabi placement?
A: Itamae adds it between fish and rice; adding more is sometimes considered disrespectful.

Q: What is the most common sushi fish?
A: Maguro (tuna), sake (salmon), hamachi (yellowtail), tai (sea bream), ebi (shrimp).

Q: What is maguro?
A: Tuna; akami is lean, chu-toro medium-fatty, o-toro very fatty.

Q: What is the toro grading?
A: Akami → Chu-toro → O-toro (lean to fatty belly).

Q: What is the difference between farmed and wild salmon?
A: Wild has firmer texture; farmed is generally fattier.

Q: What is sake (sushi context)?
A: Salmon (different from the alcoholic drink, written differently in Japanese).

Q: What is hamachi?
A: Yellowtail; rich and buttery.

Q: What is uni?
A: Sea urchin; soft and creamy with ocean flavor.

Q: What is ikura?
A: Salmon roe; bursting orange pearls.

Q: What is tamago?
A: Sweet egg omelet, often served at the end.

Q: What is unagi?
A: Freshwater eel, grilled with sweet sauce.

Q: What is anago?
A: Saltwater eel; lighter than unagi.

Q: What is amaebi?
A: Sweet shrimp served raw.

Q: What is hotate?
A: Scallop.

Q: What is tako?
A: Octopus, often slightly cooked.

Q: What is ika?
A: Squid.

Q: What is the freshness rule for sushi fish?
A: Sashimi-grade fish from reputable sources; ideally consumed quickly.

Q: What is sashimi-grade fish?
A: Fish handled and frozen to standards reducing parasite risk.

Q: What is parasitic freezing standard?
A: -20°C for 7 days or -35°C for 15 hours (FDA guideline).

Q: What is hocho?
A: The traditional sushi chef's knife.

Q: What is yanagiba?
A: A long, single-bevel slicing knife for sashimi.

Q: What is the role of single-bevel knives?
A: Cleaner cuts that don't bruise delicate fish.

Q: What is the cutting technique for sashimi?
A: Single, smooth pull cut without sawing.

Q: What is the makisu?
A: A bamboo rolling mat for sushi.

Q: What is the role of plastic wrap on makisu?
A: Keeps mat clean when making inside-out rolls.

Q: What is hangiri?
A: A wide wooden tub for cooling sushi rice.

Q: What is shamoji?
A: A flat wooden spatula for handling sushi rice.

Q: What is the cutting motion for nori?
A: Sharp scissors or sharp knife with quick motion.

Q: What is the standard nori sheet size?
A: ~20 × 21 cm full sheets.

Q: What is the standard half-sheet use?
A: Half-sheets for hosomaki, full for futomaki and uramaki.

Q: What is the typical rice amount per nigiri?
A: ~15-20 grams of seasoned rice.

Q: What is the typical fish slice for nigiri?
A: ~10-12 grams, thin enough to drape.

Q: What is the role of the angled cut?
A: Increases surface area for visual appeal and flavor.

Q: What is the temaki shape?
A: A cone that should be eaten immediately to preserve crispness.

Q: What is the order in maki preparation?
A: Rice on nori, fillings, roll firmly, cut clean.

Q: What is "spotted bamboo" hand technique?
A: Wetting hands with vinegar water to prevent rice sticking.

Q: What is tezu?
A: The vinegar-water hand-dipping liquid for sushi makers.

Q: What is dashi?
A: A foundational Japanese stock from kombu and bonito flakes.

Q: What is kombu?
A: Dried kelp used for dashi base.

Q: What is katsuobushi?
A: Dried, fermented, smoked bonito flakes.

Q: What is ichiban dashi?
A: The first, most prized infusion of dashi.

Q: What is niban dashi?
A: A second-extraction dashi, more robust for cooking.

Q: What is miso?
A: Fermented soybean paste, base of miso soup.

Q: What are types of miso?
A: White (shiro), red (aka), barley (mugi), mixed (awase).

Q: What is miso soup?
A: A traditional Japanese soup with dashi, miso, and various ingredients.

Q: What is the typical miso soup garnish?
A: Tofu, wakame seaweed, scallion.

Q: What is the importance of not boiling miso?
A: Boiling destroys delicate flavors and probiotic value.

Q: What is wakame?
A: A soft sea vegetable rehydrated for soups and salads.

Q: What is hijiki?
A: A black, mineral-rich sea vegetable.

Q: What is shiitake?
A: A flavorful mushroom widely used in Japanese cooking.

Q: What is enoki?
A: Long, slim white mushrooms used in soups and hot pot.

Q: What is shimeji?
A: A small clustered mushroom.

Q: What is daikon?
A: Large white radish, used grated or in stews.

Q: What is mirin?
A: A sweet rice wine for cooking.

Q: What is sake (cooking)?
A: Rice wine for both drinking and cooking.

Q: What is ponzu?
A: A citrus-soy sauce used as dipping or dressing.

Q: What is tare?
A: A sauce, often the sweet glaze used on yakitori or unagi.

Q: What is teriyaki?
A: A glaze and cooking method; "shine grill" with soy-mirin-sake-sugar.

Q: What is yakitori?
A: Grilled skewered chicken.

Q: What is yakiniku?
A: Japanese-style grilled meat.

Q: What is tempura?
A: Battered and deep-fried vegetables or seafood.

Q: What is tempura batter secret?
A: Cold sparkling water and minimal mixing keep it light.

Q: What is the tempura oil temperature?
A: ~170-180°C (340-355°F).

Q: What is tonkatsu?
A: Breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet.

Q: What is panko?
A: Japanese-style coarse breadcrumbs.

Q: What is sukiyaki?
A: Hot pot with thin beef, vegetables, tofu in sweet-soy broth.

Q: What is shabu-shabu?
A: Hot pot where ingredients are briefly swirled in hot broth.

Q: What is ramen?
A: A noodle soup with broth, toppings, and noodles.

Q: What are the main ramen broth styles?
A: Shio (salt), shoyu (soy), miso, tonkotsu (pork bone).

Q: What is tonkotsu?
A: A creamy white pork bone broth.

Q: What is shoyu ramen?
A: Soy-based broth, lighter than tonkotsu.

Q: What is shio ramen?
A: Salt-based, the lightest classic broth.

Q: What is miso ramen?
A: Hearty broth with miso paste; popular in Hokkaido.

Q: What is chashu?
A: Braised or roasted pork belly topping for ramen.

Q: What is ajitsuke tamago?
A: Marinated soft-boiled ramen egg.

Q: What is the egg cook time for ajitamago?
A: 6-7 minutes for jammy yolk.

Q: What is udon?
A: Thick wheat noodles.

Q: What is soba?
A: Buckwheat noodles, often served cold with dipping sauce.

Q: What is the difference between udon and soba?
A: Udon is thick wheat; soba is thin buckwheat.

Q: What is somen?
A: Very thin wheat noodles, often served chilled.

Q: What is yakisoba?
A: Stir-fried noodles with sauce, vegetables, and meat.

Q: What is okonomiyaki?
A: Savory pancake with cabbage and various toppings.

Q: What is takoyaki?
A: Octopus-filled balls cooked in a special pan.

Q: What is gyoza?
A: Pan-fried dumplings, Japanese take on Chinese jiaozi.

Q: What is the gyoza cooking technique?
A: Pan-fry bottoms, add water, cover to steam, uncover to crisp again.

Q: What is karaage?
A: Japanese-style fried chicken, marinated and lightly coated.

Q: What is the marinade for karaage?
A: Soy sauce, sake, ginger, garlic.

Q: What is donburi?
A: A rice bowl topped with simmered or fried ingredients.

Q: What is gyudon?
A: Beef bowl, thinly sliced beef simmered with onions.

Q: What is katsudon?
A: Tonkatsu over rice with egg and onion in dashi.

Q: What is oyakodon?
A: "Parent and child" — chicken and egg over rice.

Q: What is chirashi don?
A: A sashimi rice bowl, less formal than nigiri.

Q: What is bento?
A: A boxed meal with rice, protein, and sides.

Q: What is the typical bento composition?
A: Rice, protein, pickles, vegetables in compartmentalized box.

Q: What is onigiri?
A: Rice balls, often filled with fish or pickled ingredients.

Q: What is umeboshi?
A: Salted pickled plums; intensely sour and salty.

Q: What is takuan?
A: Pickled daikon radish; bright yellow.

Q: What is tsukemono?
A: Japanese pickles in many varieties.

Q: What is the role of pickles?
A: Cleansing palate, providing balance to umami.

Q: What is umami?
A: The fifth taste, savory; common in Japanese cuisine.

Q: What is the source of umami?
A: Glutamates from kombu, dashi, soy, fermented foods.

Q: What is the importance of presentation?
A: Beauty is essential; visual harmony in shape and color.

Q: What is the rule of seasonality?
A: Japanese cuisine emphasizes seasonal ingredients.

Q: What is the role of natural flavors?
A: Highlighting ingredients' intrinsic qualities rather than masking.

Q: What is the concept of "shun"?
A: The peak season for an ingredient.

Q: What is the cherry blossom season?
A: Brief spring season celebrating sakura through food and drink.

Q: What is matcha?
A: Powdered green tea, whisked into hot water.

Q: What is sencha?
A: Common Japanese loose-leaf green tea.

Q: What is genmaicha?
A: Tea with roasted rice; nutty flavor.

Q: What is the difference between bancha and sencha?
A: Bancha is later harvest, milder; sencha is finer, brighter.

Q: What is hojicha?
A: Roasted green tea, low in caffeine, gentle flavor.

Q: What is the Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu)?
A: A ritual preparation of matcha emphasizing harmony, respect, purity, tranquility.

Q: What is wagashi?
A: Traditional Japanese sweets, often served with tea.

Q: What is mochi?
A: Rice cake from pounded glutinous rice.

Q: What is daifuku?
A: Mochi filled with sweet bean paste.

Q: What is dorayaki?
A: Pancake sandwich with sweet bean filling.

Q: What is taiyaki?
A: Fish-shaped pancake with sweet filling.

Q: What is anko?
A: Sweet red bean paste.

Q: What is the difference between koshian and tsubuan?
A: Koshian is smooth; tsubuan has whole beans.

Q: What is the etiquette of slurping?
A: Slurping noodles is acceptable and shows enjoyment.

Q: What is the etiquette of chopsticks?
A: Don't stick upright in rice or pass food chopstick-to-chopstick (funeral associations).

Q: What is the rule for paying?
A: Tips are not customary in Japan; payment often at counter, not table.

Q: What is itadakimasu?
A: Said before eating; "I humbly receive."

Q: What is gochisousama deshita?
A: Said after eating; "thank you for the meal."

Q: What is the role of communal meals?
A: Many dishes are shared; rice bowls are individual.

Q: What is izakaya?
A: A casual gastropub serving small plates with drinks.

Q: What is yakitori-ya?
A: A restaurant specializing in grilled skewers.

Q: What is the role of small plates?
A: Variety, sharing, and slow grazing with drinks.

Q: What is the difference between Japanese and Western breakfast?
A: Japanese often has rice, fish, miso soup, pickles, egg.

Q: What is the typical Japanese household kitchen?
A: Compact; rice cooker is central appliance.

Q: What is the rice cooker's role?
A: Essential appliance for perfect rice without monitoring.

Q: What is the typical Japanese diet's health profile?
A: Long-lived population; balanced, varied, fish-rich, vegetable-heavy.

Q: What is "hara hachi bu"?
A: Eating to 80% full, common Okinawan practice for longevity.

Q: What is the Okinawan diet?
A: One of the world's longevity diets; plant-rich, fish, minimal processed food.

Q: What is washoku?
A: Traditional Japanese cuisine, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Q: What is kaiseki?
A: Multi-course traditional cuisine emphasizing seasonality and artistry.

Q: What is the difference between kaiseki and omakase?
A: Kaiseki is structured tradition; omakase is chef-driven freestyle.

Q: What is the importance of dashi in Japanese cooking?
A: Foundation flavor; without it, Japanese cooking loses its base umami.

Q: What is shojin ryori?
A: Buddhist vegetarian cuisine, refined and seasonal.

Q: What is "kuzushi"?
A: Breaking-down technique for vegetable preparation.

Q: What is sansai?
A: Mountain vegetables foraged in spring.

Q: What is fukinotou?
A: A bitter spring shoot; early seasonal bitterness.

Q: What is the role of bitter foods in Japan?
A: Stimulate appetite in spring; valued part of the palette.

Q: What is "ichiju-sansai"?
A: "One soup, three sides" — traditional meal structure with rice.

Q: What is the rice bowl's centrality?
A: Rice is the meal; everything else accompanies it.

Q: What is the etiquette of holding a bowl?
A: Pick up small bowls; eat with chopsticks from level held bowl.

Q: What is the role of fish in Japanese cuisine?
A: Central protein; many preparation methods.

Q: What is sukiyaki cooking method?
A: Cook in a shallow iron pot with soy-sugar-mirin; dip in raw egg.

Q: What is hot pot etiquette?
A: One person tends the pot; everyone eats from communal vessel.

Q: What is the role of seasonal vegetables?
A: Each season has classic vegetables defining cuisine.

Q: What is the role of nature aesthetics?
A: Mimicking natural landscapes on the plate.

Q: What is the practice of "moritsuke"?
A: The art of food arrangement on the plate.

Q: What is the role of color balance?
A: Five-color principle (red, white, yellow, green, black/brown).

Q: What is the role of cooking methods?
A: Five methods (raw, simmered, grilled, fried, steamed).

Q: What is "kombujime"?
A: Curing fish between kombu for flavor.

Q: What is "yubiki"?
A: Briefly blanching fish surface while raw inside.

Q: What is "aburi"?
A: Searing the surface of nigiri before serving.

Q: What is "edomae" sushi?
A: Tokyo-style traditional sushi using preservation techniques.

Q: What is the role of aging fish?
A: Some fish (like tuna) gain depth with brief aging.

Q: What is "umami breeding"?
A: Letting enzymes deepen flavor over hours to days.

Q: What is the modern sushi globalization?
A: Adaptation outside Japan, including California rolls.

Q: What is the California roll?
A: An inside-out roll with crab/avocado; not traditional Japanese.

Q: What is the rainbow roll?
A: A California roll topped with various sashimi slices.

Q: What is the dragon roll?
A: Often eel-topped or wrapped roll, an American invention.

Q: What is the sushi burrito?
A: A fusion invention; large temaki-like wrap.

Q: What is the role of innovation in sushi?
A: Like all cuisines, evolves while traditional masters preserve roots.

Q: What is the role of trust in sushi dining?
A: Choosing a chef and trusting their selection.

Q: What is the importance of supplier relationships?
A: Quality sushi depends on consistent supply chains.

Q: What is tsukiji or toyosu market?
A: Tokyo's famous fish markets supplying world-class sushi.

Q: What is the rule of seasonality (sushi)?
A: Many fish are best in specific seasons.

Q: What is "shun" of toro?
A: Winter, when bluefin tuna are fattest.

Q: What is the importance of respect for ingredients?
A: Treating each fish with reverence is core to Japanese cooking.

Q: What is the takeaway of Japanese cooking?
A: Simplicity, freshness, balance, and respect — distilled into deeply satisfying meals.