Most people are well-acquainted with the more traditional kinds of sushi, ones where the toppings usually involve soy sauce and wasabi, and common pieces of fish.
It’s almost always a fantastic combination, enough to have made sushi one of the most popular dishes in the world.
Chefs, however, aren’t always comfortable making the same recipes over and over, and many of them have experimented over the years with different toppings.
Here we will look at some of the weirdest sushi toppings that may be worth giving a go when regular sushi becomes a bit boring.
Herring Roe – Kazunoko
This unique sushi recipe is made from marinated roe of herring. The roe is commonly marinated in a special dashi seasoning, which is a Japanese stock that’s made from a mixture of kelp and fish flakes.
Kazunoko is not eaten that often within Japan and tends to be reserved for New Year’s. As with any kind of roe, this is a dish that can be quite expensive to both buy or make at home.
Pollock Roe – Mentaiko
Another dish that’s made using roe, mentaiko is made using the raw roe from pollock. It’s generally seasoned in some kind of chilli marinade, giving it a strong bite.
Originally, it was inspired by Korean locals, where people have been eating something similar to this for many hundreds of years. It works extremely well with other dishes, and it’s common to find the Japanese eating it as part of a sandwich or even in pasta. When it’s added to sushi, it’s strong and unique flavour makes it like nothing else.
Fermented Soybeans
Soybeans are something of a staple within japan, and over the centuries they’ve been transformed into a huge range of different ingredients and recipes.
Fermented soybeans are considered as something of a delicacy by the Japanese, although those that have never tried them before may be immediately put off by the pungent flavour. Regardless, they’ve become a popular topping for sushi,
Freshwater & Saltwater Eel
Eel isn’t the most appetising kind of meat around; but the Japanese eat both saltwater and freshwater eel.
These can be dangerous when eaten raw, and must be cooked to completion before they’re served. They’re often either grilled in soy sauce or simmered after being marinated.
Sea Urchin Gonads
Uni is used to refer to the reproductive organs of sea urchins, both of which are used as a popular topping for many kinds of sushi. They are prepared with light seasoning in order to attain a sweet and salty flavour, and the texture has been described as creamy.
It’s a delicacy in many regions across the planet, although uni is also often consumed raw. It should also be noted that this can be an expensive topping, and uni can go for hundreds of dollars per kilogram, meaning a person would need to win big at online bingo sites to afford it.