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CALIFORNIA ROLL
Named after the state of California, the “avocado capital” of the U.S., a California roll combines avocado, cucumber, and crab leg (or imitation crab/surimi) in a reverse roll or uramaki.

The world’s top avocado grower is Mexico, followed by Colombia and Peru.

Here’s the history of the California roll, which is also the history of uramaki.
 

CHAKIN-ZUSHI

Vinegared rice wrapped in a thin egg crêpe. Also called fukasa-sushi. The rice can be seasoned with nori flakes, sesame seeds, or other Japanese ingredients, such as caviar pearls. In addition to the style in the photo, it is also gathered up into beggar’s purse-type pockets.

This sushi specialty is not found at most sushi bars in the U.S. because of the delicate nature of the wrap and the time required to make it.

See also inari-sushi, which is vinegared rice stuffed in a tofu pocket.

CHIRASHI-SUSHI

A bowl of sushi rice topped (“scattered”) with assorted raw fish and vegetables; the rice has more vinegar and less sugar than the rice used for nigiri sushi. The toppings are called gu and can consist of almost anything, raw or cooked. Chirashi is different from “sashimi with a bowl of rice” because sashimi is fish only, not vegetables (except for daikon and carrots and shiso leaf typically used as garnish), and sashimi is served with a separate bowl of plain boiled rice, not set atop seasoned sushi rice. The most common form of chirashi in Japan is vegetable chirashi; the dish is easy to make and often served at home. Chirashi-sushi originated as bara-sushi in the Kansai region of Japan, where it was largely eels on rice.

CHU-TORO

Medium fatty tuna, from the upper belly of the fish.

CRAB STICK

See kanikama.

CRUNCHY ROLL

Chinese bread crumbs, panko, are added for crunch.

CUCUMBER ROLL or KAPPA MAKI

Kappa maki, a roll of rice, cucumber, and usually, white sesame seeds.

CUCUMBER WRAP

A naruto roll (maki), where the rice and other ingredients are wrapped in a thin wrapping of cucumber instead of seaweed.

DAIKON

A large, long white radish (often called giant white radish). It’s usually served shredded as an edible garnish with sashimi.

DASHI

Dashi is the basic Japanese cooking stock made with kombu seaweed and bonito flakes. It is the base of miso soup, clear broth, noodle broth, and many simmering liquids. Different recipes flavor the dashi with kelp, shiitake mushrooms, or the heads of sardines.

As with stock in the U.S., time-strapped home cooks use granulated or liquid instant dashi instead of the [superior] homemade stock.

Dashi is also mixed into flour base to make the batter for some grilled foods like okonomiyaki, Japanese pancakes, and takoyaki, snacks filled with minced octopus and other ingredients.

DRAGON ROLL

An American invention, the Dragon Roll is an inside-out roll with a center of eel (and sometimes, cucumber). Sliced avocado is applied to the surface, to resemble the scales of a dragon (or more eel can be the topper). In the photo at right, the sushi chef has used a slice of eel and carrots to create the head of a dragon.

EBI

Shrimp. While boiled ebi are often served on a sushi combination plate, they are not considered a delicacy. The way to enjoy shrimp is via ama-ebi, raw shrimp, sashimi-style. Ama-ebi is a different species of shrimp.

EDAMAME

Soybeans steamed in the pod and salted, a popular starter at sushi bars. Learn more about edamame in our review of Seapoint Edamame.

EDOMAE-ZUSHI or EDO-STYLE

SUSHI
 

An old term for nigiri-sushi, based on the Japanese word for Edo, as Tokyo was previously called, where the style was created.

EEL ROLL

Broiled eel (unagi), often combined with avocado or cucumber and garnished with “eel sauce” (see kabayaki tare).

EEL SAUCE

See kabayaki tare.

ENGAWA

Fluke fin. This portion of flesh, near the tail end of the fish, has more a feathery texture and is popular with connoisseurs.

ESCOLAR

Escolar, Lepidocybium flavobrunneum, is a fish found in tropical and temperate waters around the world. It is also known as snake mackerel and is sometimes fraudulently marketed as “butterfish” or “white tuna,” a controversial practice due to potential health problems related to consumption of the fish. It has a high wax ester that can can cause keriorrhea, a condition similar to diarrhea, only the body will expel yellowish-orange drops of oil (the ester from the fish). Headaches and stomach cramps can accompany the keriorrhea. Portions of six ounces or less seem to limit the negative effects, so a few pieces of mislabeled escolar at the sushi bar may not be harmful.