Do you eat your nigiri sushi with hands or chopsticks?

[Jingthing]

I don't eat Japanese food much in Thailand mainly because I'm not thrilled with the choices in Pattaya and not a big fan of the Zen and Fuji chains either.

Anyway, had some sushi tonight at Zen and noticed the other customers were middle class Thais all ordering nigiri sushi and all eating it with chopsticks.

Is this the way middle class Thais generally eat nigiri sushi?

Because it's WRONG.

I learned years ago, you dip it fish side down in the soy sauce and/or wasabi and you use your hand!

OK, I noticed people looking at me as if I didn't know how to eat it. Like they're "Asian" so they know better. Nope. They don't.

So do you bend to local incorrect procedures even when they're the ones who don't know?

I guess it depends. I noticed continentals eat apples with utensils while American just bite into it all direct like because that's how we do. I did that once in Europe and the locals looked at me like I had just arrived from the jungle. So if I lived in Europe, I would probably bend.

Edited June 27, 2014 by Jingthing

[ClutchClark]

Crunch right down on apples and chopsticks with Sushi.

Next thing you'll be trying to tell us is some people don't eat corn right off the cob !

[David48]

I usually eat it with my mouth.

Others may use alternative techniques ...

.

[ozsamurai]

Nigiru

握る means to grasp　

• get a hold
• take hold　(by hand)

[Action]

1. clutch (firmly)
2. double (roll)
3. enclasp
4. hold

ONIGIRI, NIGIRI SUSHI are all eaten with the hands, the seaweed (nori) is on the outside to facilitate that, no sticky fingers. Nori Maki (California rolls etc.), sushi, sashimi are eaten with chopsticks.

End of debate. Doesn't matter what people do, the way to eat it is in the name.

Oz

[ClutchClark]

Nigiru

握る means to grasp　

• get a hold
• take hold　(by hand)

[Action]

• clutch (firmly)
• double (roll)
• enclasp
• hold

ONIGIRI, NIGIRI SUSHI are all eaten with the hands, the seaweed (nori) is on the outside to facilitate that, no sticky fingers. Nori Maki (California rolls etc.), sushi, sashimi are eaten with chopsticks.

End of debate. Doesn't matter what people do, the way to eat it is in the name.

Oz

Darn Oz, I didn't know this was a debate...shoot, I thought the OP was simply asking personal preference.

But I would like to ask for some clarity. The menu below calls each of the items Nigiri Sushi...but by your description, some must not be since they do not have seaweed wrap. What is the name of the type the large slice of fish and without the seaweed?

Thanks

Edited June 27, 2014 by ClutchClark

[ozsamurai]

The ones 'fenced in' with nori are Nigiri Sushi, the 'banding' is only a fairly recent decoration thing, they are just plain sushi in my books. These days even in Japan the lines are blurred. There is no use debating it even with a Japanese as the opinions will vary. If you want to get into the debate it goes like this....

Nigiru as I mentioned means to grasp or hold, so some interpret that as the way the item is MADE by grasping it in your hand, forming the rice ball

And yet others say it is the way to eat it with your hands

You can argue till the cows come home, and I have over many a beer at boring office parties, keeps the Japanese amused no end!

Websites these days, cop out by saying you can use both hands and chopsticks, but if you look at it historically, this is wrong.

Now you have heaps of ammo for your next drinking session with a boring Japanese Salary Man....

Oz

Edited June 28, 2014 by ozsamurai

[Suradit69]

Because it's WRONG.

How you eat something can't be right or wrong. The method might be PC or polite in certain social contexts or gauche or whatever, but if it reaches the mouth en route to the stomach ... mission accomplished.

There was a time when people were told it was WRONG to have white wine with red meat or wear white after (US) Labor Day or to deep fry Twinkies or to sit above the salt unless invited ...

As horrifying as any of these minor sins may be, they seldom result in arrests or deportation.

I'm not thrilled with the choices in Pattaya and not a big fan of the Zen and Fuji chains either.

I agree, but nonetheless I do Fuji for Sashimi and hot sake about once a week. The service at Fuji- Bic C Extra was particularly deplorable last week and never liked the one at Central. May have to return to Fuji at Big C North for a try.

Did eat once at the place on Soi Yamato. It seemed marginally better than Fuji but it felt like eating in someone's basement.

Edited June 29, 2014 by Suradit69

[smokie36]

I gulp down the nigiri then slurp from the bowl....saves on saki costs.

[smokie36]

Isao in Bangkok JT....very nice there.....you should come for a visit.

[bkkjames]

I eat Sushi like I eat Sashimi : But I eat Sashimi like I eat Udon. But Udon I eat like Karage. Karage I eat like Teppanyaki. Teppanyaki I eat like Ramen, however I only eat Ramen like Sushi.

[Ulysses G.]

I eat the kind with fish on top with my hands, but sometimes eat the small rolled up ones with the fish inside wrapped in seaweed with chopsticks. It depends on what is the most convenient.

[smokie36]

I eat the kind with fish on top with my hands, but sometimes eat the small rolled up ones with the fish inside wrapped in seaweed with chopsticks. It depends on what is the most convenient.

Choose one or the other....stop procrastinating....JT demands answers!!

[Jingthing]

I eat the kind with fish on top with my hands, but sometimes eat the small rolled up ones with the fish inside wrapped in seaweed with chopsticks. It depends on what is the most convenient.

So you do eat nigiri sushi with your hands.

Correct answer!

[kolohe]

I don't eat sushi in Thailand. I am just reluctant to trust proper fish handling and storage here. I'm sure it's OK but I've always been wary. While growing up I wouldn't eat it outside of Japan or Hawaii. When I finally broke down and had some in Seattle I had a week long bout with food poisoning... LOL.

Back on topic, I travel to Japan quite a bit and I can say that whatever way may be proper, the people of Japan do it various ways. I have even seen them take the fish off, run it through the shoyu, put it back on the rice and eat it.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Edited July 29, 2014 by kolohe

[kolohe]

Just came across this video and remembered this thread. Here is a "top Japanese sushi chef" telling you how to do it. The way he says to hold the nigiri differs from the OP video of the chef from Lincoln Park. I guess if the sushi chefs cant come to a consensus, maybe we shouldn't worry so much.. LOL.

[arunsakda]

My answer*, Both , depending on mood and inclination. Go to any Sushi restaurant in Japan and you will see people eating with chopsticks, to say it is wrong is incorrect.Sometimes the big pieces are hard to handle and I will not dare dropping a piece of ootoro! Dipping the rice instead of the "neta" in soy is wrong.

[SheungWan]

Those who eat with their hands should be banished to Macdonalds.

Edited December 15, 2014 by SheungWan

[kurnell]

I eat mine in a bread roll with ketchup like a hotdog

[Stan42]

I use chopsticks. Thai's use chopsticks. In Japan I saw everyone use chopsticks. In Europe they used their hands.

Who would have known.

[anotheruser]

I remember onigiri being rice balls eaten with the hands when I lived in Japan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onigiri

Despite common misconceptions, onigiri is not a form of sushi. Onigiri is made with plain rice (sometimes lightly salted), while sushi is made of rice with vinegar, sugar and salt.^[1] Onigiri makes rice portable and easy to eat as well as preserving it, while sushi originated as a way of preserving fish.

Sushi on the other hand (pun intended) is eaten with chopsticks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sushi

You can see in the picture the nigiri-zushi has chopsticks placed to next to it. In 6 years of living in Japan everybody I know ate this with chopsticks with out exception.

Edited October 29, 2015 by anotheruser

[tutsiwarrior]

bein' from California where the sushi fad originated I'd just cup my hand with the lot and stuff it down me gub...aroused by the display, my female dining companions would then stare and slack their facial muscles with desire...

never saw no sushi on de menu at the mom an' pop japanese restaurants I useta frequent back in early 70s Pasadena and LA...sorta like 'fajitas' in mexican restaurants that never appeared until the late 70s...

[losgrad]

It's personal preference and what else you are eating.... When I am eating ONLY sushi, then I use my hands, but if I am also eating an entree, tempura, teriyaki, sashimi, etc... with my sushi; then I use chopsticks, otherwise it gets too messy with sticky fingers .

So, in the OP's poll, i answered "With CHOPSTICKS" as I mostly eat sushi with other foods except when I have the combination sashimi over sushi rice - Chirashi, which is eaten with chopsticks....

At this Michelin "3 Star" sushi only restaurant, it's all fingers....

In case you wanted more info on "Jiro" the greatest sushi maker....there's a good movie...

Edited November 2, 2015 by losgrad

[MAJIC]

I never eat raw fish or meat of any discription!

Edited November 2, 2015 by MAJIC

[Mencken]

Both

I've seen many Japanese use chopsticks in Japan. Tons in fact.

I think if you are given a hand towel maybe, if not no.

Yeah, sushi pretty crap here.