Sushi Glossary
The following is a list of terms you might see or hear in a Japanese restaurant. - Fish - Other Foods - Drinks - Useful Phrases FISH Aji- Spanish mackerel, horse mackerel Aji-no-tataki- Fresh Spanish mackerel Akagai- Red clam Akami- Lean tuna, cut from the back of the fish Ama-ebi- Sweet shrimp, usually served raw Anago- Conger eel (saltwater) Ankimo- Monkfish liver Aoyagi- Yellow clam Awabi- Abalone Ayu- Sweetfish Baigai- Small water snails Bonito- English word, for the Japanese katsuo Buri- Adult yellowtail Chikuwa- Browned fish cake with a hole running through its length Chutoro- Medium fatty tuna, from the upper belly Ebi- Shrimp Engawa- (1) Halibut fin muscle; (2) meat surrounding the scallop muscle Fugu- Blowfish, toxic if improperly prepared! Geoduck- Mirugai, in the American Pacific northwest Hamachi- Yellowtail Hamachi-kama- Yellowtail collars Hamo- Pike conger Hatahata- Sandfish Hirame- Halibut Hokkigai- Surf clam Hotatagai- Scallops Ika- Squid Ika-geso- Squid's tentacles Ikura- Salmon roe Iwana- Char Iwashi- Sardine Kajiki- Swordfish Kamaboko- Fish cake Kani- Crab meat Kani-kamaboko- Fake crab meat Kanimiso- Green contents of a crab's head Kanpachi- Very young yellowtail Karei- Flounder, flatfish Katsuo- Bonito fish Katsuo-boshi- Dried bonito fish Kazunoko- Herring roe Kimachi- A small fish from the yellowtail family Kohada- Gizzard shad Koi Saltwater carp Kurodai- Snapper Langostino- A small shellfish Madai- Red seabream Maguro- Tuna Masu- Trout Mekajiki- Blue marlin Mirugai- Long neck clam Nama-tako- Fresh or raw octopus Negitoro- Chopped and mixed negi-onion and toro Niika- Cooked Monterey squid Nijimasu- Rainbow trout Odori-ebi- ``Dancing shrimp,'' ama ebi served living Otoro- Fattest tuna Saba- Mackeral Sake- Salmon Sanma- Japanese mackeral Sawagani- Small crabs Sayori- (Springtime) halfbeak Sazae- Conch Seigo- Young sea bass Shako- Mantis shrimp Shira-uo- Whitebait, icefish or salangid Shiro maguro- Albacore tuna Shirako- Sperms sacs of the cod fish Suzuki- Striped bass, rockfish Tai- Sea bream, porgy, snapper Tairagai- Razor-shell clam Tako- Octopus Tekka- Tuna, especially in a roll Tobiko Flying fish roe Torigai- Cockle clam Toro- Fatty tuna Unagi- Freshwater eel Unagi maki- Eel roll Unagi no kimo- Eel innards Una-don- Grilled eel, served on rice Uni- Sea urchin OTHER FOODS Aburage- Puffy, brown fried tofu Edamame- Soybeans Gari- Pickled ginger Goma- Sesame seeds Gyoza- Stuffed fried wontons Hijiki- Black seaweed in tiny threads Kappa- Cucumber (in a roll) Katsu- Cutlet Kombo- Sea Kelp Miso- Soy bean paste Nori- Seaweed sheets Ramen- Thin noodles Shiitake- Japanese mushroom Shoyu- Soy sauce Soba- Buckwheat noodles Su- Rice vinegar Takenoko- Bamboo shoots Tempura- Battered and deep fried seafood or vegetables Teriyaki- Broiled and marinated in sweet soy sauce Tofu- Soybean curd Tori- Chicken Tsukemono- Pickles Udon- Thick, wide wheat noodles Wasabi- Green, very hot Japanese horseradish Yaki- Grilled DRINKS Agari- Green Tea Biiru- Beer Ocha- Tea Sake- Rice wine USEFUL PHRASES Domo- Thank you Domo arigato- Thank you very much Dozo- Please Gaijin- Outsiders, foreigners Gochiso-sama [deshita]- Traditional phrase closing a meal Hai- Yes Itadakimasu- Traditional phrase opening a meal Itamae- The sushi (or other Japanese) chef Konichiwa- A greeting, roughly `how are you' Omakase- Chef's choice Okonomi- The practice of ordering sushi a few pieces at a time Sabinuki- `No wasabi, please.' |
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