HAMACHI 101

Please take a moment to learn about some of our Japanese fine cuisine terms.

SUSHI A LA CART

aji -

horse mackerel

akagai -

ark shell

ama-ebi -

raw sweet shrimp

anago -

conger eel

aoyagi -

round clam

awabi -

abalone

ayu -

sweetfish

buri -

adult yellowtail

chUtoro -

marbled tuna belly

ebi -

boiled shrimp

hamachi -

young yellowtail

hamaguri -

clam

hamo -

pike conger; sea eel

hatahata -

sandfish

hikari-mono -

various kinds of "shiny" fish, such as mackerel

himo -

"fringe" around an ark shell

hirame -

flounder

hokkigai -

surf clam

hotate -

scallop

ika -

squid

ikura -

salmon roe

inada -

very young yellowtail

kaibashira -

eye of scallop or shellfish valve muscles

kaiware -

daikon-radish sprouts

kajiki -

swordfish

kani -

crab

kanpachi -

very young yellowtail

karei -

flatfish

katsuo -

bonito

kazunoko -

herring roe

kohada -

gizzard shad

kuruma-ebi -

prawn

maguro -

tuna

makajiki -

blue marlin

masu -

trout

meji (maguro) -

young tuna

mekajiki -

swordfish

mirugai -

surf clam

negi-toro -

tuna belly and chopped green onion

ni-ika -

squid simmered in a soy-flavored stock

nori-tama -

sweetened egg wrapped in dried seaweed

Otoro -

fatty portion of tuna belly

saba -

mackerel

sake -

salmon

sawara -

Spanish mackerel

sayori -

(springtime) halfbeak

seigo -

young sea bass

shako -

mantis shrimp

shima-aji -

another variety of aji

shime-saba -

mackerel (marinated)

shiromi -

seasonal "white meat" fish

suzuki -

sea bass

tai -

sea bream

tairagai -

razor-shell clam

tako -

octopus

tamago -

sweet egg custard wrapped in dried seaweed

torigai -

cockle

toro -

choice tuna belly

tsubugai -

Japanese "tsubugai" shellfish

uni -

sea urchin roe

MAKI-ZUSHI (sushi rolls)

maki-mono -

vinegared rice and fish (or other ingredients) rolled in nori seaweed

tekka-maki -

tuna-filled maki-zushi

kappa-maki -

cucumber-filled maki-zushi

tekkappa-maki -

selection of both tuna and cucumber rolls

oshinko-maki -

-pickled-daikon (radish) rolls

kaiware-maki -

daikon-sprout roll

umejiso-maki -

Japanese ume plum and perilla-leaf roll

negitoro-maki -

scallion-and-tuna roll

chUtoro-maki -

marbled-tuna roll

Otoro-maki -

fatty-tuna roll

kanpyo-maki -

pickled-gourd rolls

futo-maki -

a fat roll filled with rice, sweetened cooked egg, pickled gourd, and bits of vegetables

nori-maki -

same as kanpyo-maki; in Osaka, same as futo-maki

natto-maki -

sticky, strong-tasting fermented-soybean rolls

ana-kyU-maki -

conger eel-and-cucumber rolls

temaki -

hand-rolled cones made from dried seaweed

maguro-temaki -

tuna temaki

Other sushi terms

nigiri(-zushi) -

pieces of raw fish over vinegared rice balls

Edomae-zushi -

same as nigiri-zushi

chirashi(-zushi) -

assorted raw fish and vegetables over rice

tekka-don -

pieces of raw tuna over rice

sashimi -

raw fish (without rice)

chakin-zushi -

vinegared rice wrapped in a thin egg crepe

inari-zushi -

vinegared rice and vegetables wrapped in a bag of fried tofu

oshi-zushi -

Osaka-style sushi: squares of pressed rice topped with vinegared/cooked fish

battera(-zushi) -

oshi-zushi topped with mackerel

-tataki -

pounded, almost raw fish

odori-ebi -

live shrimp

oshinko -

Japanese pickles

neta -

sushi topping

wasabi -

Japanese horseradish

gari -

pickled ginger

shoyu -

soy sauce