The word sushi immediately sets us thinking about Japanese culture and cuisine. A highly popular dish sought not only in Japan but also around the globe, the sushi usually consists of raw fish and rice flavored with vinegar wrapped in nori, a seaweed and served with shōyu (soy sauce) and the piquant wasabi.
Many would ask what is the raw fish that forms such a significant part of the sushi. Sushi devotees consider their sushi perfect only if it has tuna in it. The Japanese are great fans of the tuna and cannot imagine their sushi without tuna. Maguro, oumo, otoro are among the names by which tuna is popular with the Japanese.
However, soon all these sushi lovers will have to make do with sushi without tuna. The decision of tuna fishery management bodies to impose a reduction on the limit of annual tuna catches as a means to stabilize the tuna populations has led to the shortage of tuna. The growing popularity and demand for sushi, the shortage of tuna in the market and soaring prices of the available tuna are forcing people to look for sea foods and meat forms that can replace the tuna in sushi.
Desperate situations call for desperate measures! In a bid to keep the sushi popular on many restaurant menus, chefs may explore the possibilities of serving sushi packed with venison or raw horsemeat or even avocados instead of tuna. Earlier in 1973, a problem over tuna sales owing to fears of mercury poisoning had forced many people to look for ways of replacing the tuna in sushi. Shigekazu Ozoe, the owner of Fukuzushi, a midpriced restaurant in Tokyo says he may give venison and horse meat in sushi a try if the tuna crisis continues and escalates further.
Well, sushi with deer or horsemeat may sound quite weird but it may just be a grim possiblity sushi fans may soon have to face.
Image: Outofbalance
Via: Nytimes
