Mention the word ‘sushi’ to a thousand people and chances are 999 will think of raw fish. But here’s the thing – so many sushi dishes don’t contain any fish at all, so how can this realistically be the case?

It can’t…and it isn’t.

Contrary to the belief of so many, the word sushi actually refers to the ‘vinegared rice’ used to create the various delicacies we’ve come to collectively call sushi. The world’s most famous example of Japanese cuisine has a history dating back to the 8th century and the vast majority of true sushi dishes served up by the best sushi masters are near-identical to the very first incarnation on record.

What’s important to understand about sushi in order to get the most enjoyment from it is that this is a form of Japanese cuisine where literally all tastes can be catered to. For example, those not exactly keen on the rice itself can order sashimi, which is simply a serving of sliced raw fish of the finest quality. Diners that don’t like the nori used to roll the sushi rice can opt for nigiri, which consists of the rice itself and any desired fish or other ingredients to the taste of the individual.

And as for the raw fish, there’s so much more to sushi than this – certain rolls include only cooked fish, vegetables, eggs, cooked seafood and other kinds of meat. There are even some restaurants that serve sweet sushi as a dessert!

Read more about sushi here.