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 For some people, heaven is a Kobe steak; for others, it’s exquisite sushi like this tuna tataki (the equivalent of tartare) with ikura (salmon roe), wasabi-flavored tobiko (capelin roe) and nori flakes (seaweed). Photo by Kelly Cline | IST.
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Product Reviews / Main Nibbles / Fish, Seafood & CaviarTypes Of SushiAnd A Glossary Of Sushi & Sashimi TermsPage 7: R, S
If you enjoy this Sushi Glossary, we have a food glossary for almost every category of food. Check out the Seafood Glossary, too. You can click on the letter of the alphabet in the bar below to get to a term a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
Rainbow Roll: A reverse roll with strips of variously colored fish and possibly avocado placed diagonally across the top. The inside can be tuna or whatever the chef wishes. Red Clam or Aka-Gai or Ark Shell or Cockle: Red clam is imported frozen from Roe: Fish eggs. You can make a “roe tasting” of ikura (salmon roe), kazunoko (herring roe), masago (smelt roe), mentaiko (spicy cod roe), tarako (Alaska pollock roe), tobiko (flying fish roe) and uni (the gonad of the sea urchin). Don’t forget to add uzura no tamago (quail egg), on top either tobiko or uni—or any of the others.
Sabinuki: This term means “without wasabi” (if you’d like to request your sushi with no wasabi).
Saké: Pronounced sah-KEH. Distilled rice wine, pronounced sah-KEH. It is served hot or cold, depending on the quality. Note that unlike regular wine, saké is a distilled product and meant to be drunk young, not aged. Read more about sake in our our Introduction To Saké article, and our Saké Glossary. Sakura-masu: Ocean trout. Salmon: See Sake, above. Salmon Skin Roll: The skin of a smoked salmon is broiled and served, hot and crunchy, generally with cucumber, in a handroll. An American invention, this roll is considered a delicacy, although prior to its adaption by sushi chefs, the skin was thrown away.
Sashimi-Grade Fish or Sushi-Grade Fish: See Grade of Fish. Sea Bass: See Suzuki. Sea Urchin: See Uni. Shima-aji: Striped jack.
Shoga: Ginger root. Many people erroneously learn this as the word for pickled ginger, when they ask for the word for “ginger” at a Japanese restaurant. However, they mean to ask for the word for “pickled ginger,” which is gari. There is a separate type of shoga, beni-shoga, that is colored red and cut into small, thin strips as a garnish for food other than sushi. Shoyu: Soy sauce, a salty sauce made from fermented soybeans (usukuchi shoyu is “light” soy sauce). There are all levels of quality, from “supermarket level” to artisan soy sauces. As with any other products, you can taste the difference. The finest soy sauces aren’t merely salty: You can taste a winey flavor and the beans themselves. Shrimp: See Ebi, Ama-ebi and Odori-ebi. Spicy Roll: In this American invention, originally developed to hide the discoloration of older tuna, toubanjan (Chinese hot paste) and shichimi (red pepper flakes) are often blended into mayonnaise and mixed with the chopped fish. An American chile pepper sauce like Tabasco, mixed with mayonnaise, or plain hot chile oil, can be used instead. The dish became so popular that spicy salmon and spicy yellowtail are now commonly found. Spicy scallop roll, though seen less often, is another delicious combination.
Squid: See Ika. Photo of squid (ika) sushi by Daniel Tückmantel | Fotolia. Su: Rice vinegar. Part of the derivation of the word, sushi. Rice is shi in Japanese. Suimono: Clear soup, based on a fish stock. It is generally offered as an alternative to miso soup prior to the sushi or sashimi. Suji: Toro sinew, served grilled. Surf Clam: See Hokkigai.
Sushi Bar: In Japan the sushi bar plays a role similar to the pub in England: a relaxed and informal atmosphere. True aficionados sit at the actual sushi bar on a stool, watching the itamae (sushi chef) prepare the selections. Suzuki: Sea bass. Also called Black Sea Bass, is a delicate white color with red stripes on the skin. The flavor is delicate.
Continue To Next Page, Glossary Definitions T - Z Return To Glossary Page 1, Overview And Definitions A To B Return To Glossary Index Bar, Above
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Japan. The red color comes from hemoglobin in the flesh. It is a tradition to rinse the clam in rice vinegar prior to serving, since some people find the natural scent of the clam to be strong. However, over time, people have become accustomed to it. Ask the sushi chef if it has been rinsed, just so you’ll know if you are tasting vinegar or the natural flavor of the clam. 
Saba: Mackerel. Mackerel is not served completely raw, but is one of those fish that is cured in rice vinegar with some salt because it spoils quickly. 
Sake: Salmon, pronounced SAH-keh, has glistening orange flesh which makes it one of the more colorful pieces on the sushi or sashimi plate. It has a wonderful, unctuous texture like toro and yellowtail, but (along with mackerel) much higher levels of Omega 3 essential fatty acids. In addition to being served plain and in spicy salmon rolls, the skin of the salmon, which tastes very different from the flesh, is often grilled and served in a hand roll (temaki). 
Sashimi: Sliced raw fish, generally served with a bowl of plain, steamed rice (not sushi rice, which is prepared with vinegar and sugar). The word literally means “pierced body.” No one is certain of the origin, but it may have come from the former practice of sticking the tail and fin of the fish on the slices, to let it be known which fish one was eating. Regardless, it must be interesting as a native Japanese speaker to order a “pierced body” platter. While there is no rice implied in the term sashimi, it is generally served with a bowl of plain, boiled white rice. 
Shiso: The shiso leaf may be viewed by some as decorative garnish, but it is a delicious and costly addition to a sashimi plate (or to a sushi roll: negi-hamachi-shiso, yellowtail with scallions and shiso leaf, is an exquisite combination). It is also widely known as the beefsteak plant; from its botanical name, Perilla frutescens var. japonica, the leaf is also called perilla; in Nepal and parts of India, it is called silam. It is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae. There are both green-leafed and purple-leafed varieties. The flavor is a cross between mint and fennel. 
Spider Roll: An American invention, this is an inside-out roll of tempura-fried soft shell crab. The legs of the crab stick out at either end of the cut roll, resembling the legs of a spider (well, a very tasty spider). 
Sushi: A variety of preparations made with vinegared rice. Contrary to popular opinion, sushi does not mean “raw fish,” but “vinegar rice”: su = vinegar, shi = rice. See