Japanese sushi is now loved all over the world. It has spread as “SUSHI” all over the world, and each country has its own unique sushi toppings. Japanese sushi is so popular that even foreigners who barely know Japanese only know the word “SUSHI.”
This time, we will introduce popular sushi toppings in Europe and America in a ranking format.
Recipes in Europe and America tend to have strong flavors and require cooking. I’m curious about how Westerners will react to sushi ingredients that use raw, unheated ingredients.
Now, let’s take a look at the ranking of sushi ingredients that people in Europe and America like.
Top 5 sushi dishes that Westerners like
5th place: Scallops
When trying out a new dish, many people start with familiar ingredients. Scallops, which are thick and chewy, are a familiar ingredient in Europe and America. Scallops are often used in recipes such as sauté and meuniere, and especially in Europe, they have long been valued as a symbol of fertility.
Scallops are a commonly used ingredient in France, so much so that there was a dispute in the past called the “scallop war.” Not only can you enjoy the texture of the scallop and other parts of the scallop, but it also seems to be popular as a sushi topping for its light taste with little stickiness or odor.
Some people simply don’t like raw ingredients, but since scallops are often cooked in recipes, you can also enjoy them grilled. Depending on the store, many of the dishes are topped with seasonal seasonings, so many Westerners seem to appreciate the beautiful colors.
4th place: shrimp
Like scallops, shrimp are also one of the ingredients served at Western tables. It is also known as a luxury ingredient such as lobster and lobster, and even Europeans and Americans seem to be able to easily get their hands on shrimp.
Some people shy away from the unique smell and don’t like it, but shrimp, which is prepared and served while fresh, is popular for its sweetness and odor. This may be because not only does it not have a very fishy smell, but it is also easier to eat since the shell is removed.
Steamed shrimp sushi is popular in Europe and America, where there are many recipes for shrimp cooked. In addition, many Westerners seem to like raw sweet shrimp because of its unique sweetness and soft texture that spreads in the mouth.
3rd place: Sushi rolls
The biggest difference compared to East Asia was the high ranking of sushi rolls. It’s interesting that sushi toppings such as fatty tuna and engawa are at the top of the ranking of popular sushi toppings in Japan, but sushi rolls are at the top.
Western sushi rolls themselves differ from Japanese sushi rolls in many ways, as is known for California rolls, which are imported back to Japan. Many sushi rolls have seaweed wrapped inside, which is called “uramaki.” The common theory is that this was a response to the fact that Westerners were not familiar with seaweed and avoided its pitch-black appearance.
In addition to fish, there are also sushi rolls made with only vegetables to make them easier for vegetarians to eat. There are also sushi rolls that are fried in oil and eaten with sauce. You’ll be amazed at the variety of variations and ideas for how to eat them.
There are many Westerners who love sushi rolls to the point where they have their own unique style, and they seem to have a strong interest in Japanese-style sushi rolls, the home of sushi.
2nd place: Tuna
The standard ingredient for sushi is tuna, and this seems to be the same in Europe and America. In fact, in Japan, there is an image that tuna, such as Oma tuna, is caught in the suburbs of Japan, but there are many tuna that can be caught around Europe and the United States, and it is a food that is familiar to Westerners.
Local recipes often involve heated foods such as sautéed or fried, but Hawaiian local cuisine also includes poke (raw tuna fillet finely cut and coated with sauce) and tartare (raw tuna and various other ingredients). Other popular recipes include
In America, people especially like lean meat, and its healthiness seems to be the secret to its popularity. It seems that many Westerners are shocked once again by the flavor and richness of fatty tuna when it comes to Japanese sushi, but there are also comments on the internet from Westerners who are addicted to the deliciousness of fatty tuna and zuke. I am.
1st place: Salmon
Since the late 1990s, support for salmon has increased among women and children, and salmon has become the most popular item at conveyor belt sushi restaurants for families in Japan. Salmon sushi is extremely popular in Asia as well, and I’ve even heard people say that they can eat salmon even though they can’t eat sushi made with other raw fish. Salmon is so popular that it can be said that it is the most loved sushi topping in the whole world, and it is also the most popular in Europe and America.
This is probably due to the ease of eating, as well as the fact that Western countries occupy the top spot in salmon catches.
Simple sushi with salmon on top of sushi rice is also popular, but in Europe and America, sushi rolls are often made with salmon wrapped in seaweed and topped with sauce.
The story that was unfortunately not ranked is…
The most interesting result outside of the rankings was yellowtail (hamachi). In the United States, it is eaten in the second place after shrimp, but in France and Italy, fewer people eat it, so its popularity does not seem to increase. Sea bream and cod seem to be eaten as sushi because they are often caught, but yellowtail, which is an ingredient that is rarely used, is not included in the list.
Additionally, octopus, which has a grotesque appearance, is a sushi topping that Westerners tend to avoid as a demonic creature. In countries in the Mediterranean region, octopus is often eaten in dishes such as ajillo and carpaccio, but many Westerners seem to dislike octopus. Therefore, octopus tends to be less popular as a sushi topping than in other regions.
In addition, there are many people online who are reluctant to eat small pieces of seafood such as sea urchin and salmon roe, which are popular in Japan. The way we perceive ingredients changes greatly depending on a country’s culture and history.
summary
This time, we introduced the sushi toppings that Westerners like in a ranking format.
Standard sushi toppings such as salmon and tuna were also popular in Europe and America. What was surprising in Japan was the ranking of sushi rolls. For Westerners who aren’t used to eating raw fish, sushi rolls are an easy way to combine their favorite ingredients with Japanese style.
If you have a chance to go to Europe or America, we recommend trying local sushi rolls and seeing how they differ from Japanese sushi. You might be able to enjoy a different world of sushi that you can’t experience in Japan.
