What Is The Difference Between Sushi And Sashimi?

You may know what sushi is, and you may have a vague idea of what sashimi is. You know they're Japanese, and that they have something to do with raw fish. But what, specifically, is the difference between them, if there's a difference at all? Is sashimi a type of sushi? Is sushi a type of sashimi? You want to make sure you get your ducks in a row before you go out on that date at the Japanese place and make a fool of yourself.

Although some people use the terms interchangeably, they refer to two different things. Broadly speaking, sashimi is high-quality raw fish (sushi-grade fish, you might say), and sushi is high-quality raw fish (and other ingredients) with vinegar-y rice incorporated in some way. Sashimi is a more pure fish experience, for those who want it: thinly-sliced fish, served with condiments like soy sauce, wasabi, ginger, or daikon radish. Tuna and salmon are commonly used for sashimi, but there are plenty of other varieties, including squid, eel, and even cured non-fish meat like pheasant. Even those who balk at the idea of raw meat may be won over by the experience — good sashimi is like eating savory silk.

The general public is probably a little more familiar with sushi than with sashimi — you can get it from some gas stations, after all (although you really, really shouldn't). Sushi is typically made with raw fish, often the same kind of raw fish as sashimi (tuna, salmon, eel, etc.), with vinegared rice involved in some way. In nigiri, the fish is laid elegantly atop a small ball of rice; with maki, it's rolled up in seaweed along with rice and sometimes other ingredients like eggs and vegetables. With sushi you can also use the same condiments as sashimi, although some argue dipping sushi in soy sauce is a mistake.

Unlike sashimi, cooked ingredients can be incorporated in sushi, although they don't necessarily need to be. Some of the world's most renowned chefs, such as Masaharu Morimoto and Jiro Ono, are capable of absolute wizardry with simple raw ingredients (even though Ono had his Michelin stars stripped on a technicality). For those of us that can't get to a Michelin-starred sushi restaurant, the more Western-style sushi rolls (dragon rolls, rainbow rolls, California rolls, etc.) will more than satisfy.