Sushi, sashimi and maki are often considered synonyms. The most common one, sushi, is a typical Japanese delicacy prepared with cooked rice, vinegar, fish, condiments or other suitable ingredients. Sashimi and maki, however, are distinct dishes in Japanese cuisine — here's what sets each one apart.
Sashimi refers to a thin slice of raw fish
This dish is traditionally served with daikon (Japanese radish), soy sauce and wasabi.
You'll see a sashimi section on most sushi menus, but surprise! This actually isn't sushi at all. Technically speaking, sushi is not sushi unless it has rice, and sashimi refers to a simple preparation of sliced fish, served without rice or other ingredients. But just because sashimi's presentation is simple doesn't mean its preparation is. Sushi chefs take great care selecting the best fish for sashimi, and they can even bring out different flavors depending on how they slice it or which garnishes they pair it with. This attention to quality is why the best fish is often referred to as “sashimi grade” — it indicates the fish is of such high quality it can be eaten raw and enjoyed on its own.
“Nigirizushi”, or “sushi”
Is prepared by putting a slice of fish on a hand-pressed, rectangle-shaped rice block. It's the most common type of sushi in Japan.
Nigiri sushi isn't rolled like maki. Instead, a thin slice of raw or cooked fish is layered atop a mound of vinegary rice. Typically, a small amount of wasabi is placed between the fish and the rice, though in some cases a small strip of toasted seaweed, or nori, is used instead. In Japanese, nigiri translates to “two fingers,” referring to the size of the rice portion.
“Makizushi”, a.k.a. “maki”, a.k.a. “California roll”
Is a rice cylinder wrapped in nori, usually stuffed with additional ingredients in the middle — fish, vegetables, condiments and more. There are several types of maki, including hosomaki, which has only one ingredient, and futomaki, a roll with a diameter of 5–6 cm.
Maki is probably what you think of when you think of sushi. It's fish, vegetables and sushi rice layered atop one another, then rolled up in a sheet of seaweed — so chances are, if you're eating a traditional sushi roll, you're eating maki. There are variations on the style too: temaki is prepared similarly but uses less seaweed and is formed by hand, giving it a cone shape. Hosomaki, on the other hand, looks like a regular maki roll but has only one single ingredient plus rice.
Mix-It Restaurant – Sushi Bar has seduced the palate of all ages and provided an accommodating atmosphere for all types of functions, business and pleasure alike.
A mix of Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Indonesian and Korean food is available at Mix-It in Cambridge.