Is There Such A Thing As Cooked Sushi?

Japanese cuisine is one of the most popular in America, usually placing within the top 10. One of Japan's most notable culinary contributions to our nation's food culture is sushi. Often, people picture a classic makizushi — rice and ingredients from fish to vegetables wrapped in a perfect seaweed roll. While this image dominates the American idea of sushi, this food can be much more expansive.

While not everyone can or chooses to consume raw fish, there are still ways people can enjoy sushi made with cooked ingredients. If we're being specific, technically all sushi contains a cooked ingredient: rice. The rice and sushi vinegar combination is the star characteristic of virtually all sushi, not raw fish. So, naturally, there are many options for eating cooked sushi. For instance, nigiri, while often prepared with raw fish, can also be served with cooked meat or other toppings. Many specialty sushi rolls, such as ones with shrimp tempura, also include cooked seafood. Mushizushi is another type of sushi that features steamed ingredients and is served warm. Additionally, you can always play it safe by ordering vegetarian options — cucumbers, mushrooms, carrots, avocados, and daikon wouldn't be out of place. Vegetable rolls are typically served raw, but some, such as those with sweet potatoes, are cooked.

Experts recommend eating sushi in a single bite, which is why there's such heavy attention to knife work and ingredient selection. Grocery store sushi just doesn't taste the same as restaurant-grade sushi, because chefs are able to give you the freshest cooked rice (rice that's been sitting out or improperly stored can go bad pretty quickly). While many of these rolls feature carefully curated selections of raw fish, there are plenty that use cooked ingredients.

Nigiri is the type of sushi where a topping sits over a small bed of rice. Unagi (eel), ebi (shrimp), tako (octopus), and wagyu, or seared beef, are common cooked toppings. Nigiri can also be made with seared salmon or scallops. Tamago nigiri, which covers its rice with cooked eggs, is a good option for those who want to avoid meat altogether.

Makizushi can also ditch the raw fish. Kappa maki and vegetable rolls are often vegan-friendly, as they're made of vegetables, seaweed, and rice. Crispy New York and California rolls contain cooked seafood with either shrimp or imitation crab. Inari is a type of sushi that's just a fried tofu pocket filled with rice. 

Cooked sushi really isn't as rare as it seems. If you want to go out for sushi but are worried about possibly ingesting raw meat, you can always ask restaurant staff about what works best for your diet. Never feel bad for clarifying any allergies either — the last thing a business wants is for a customer to end up sick.