Sushi is everywhere. It`s in your shoes, under your mattress, in service stations and on hundreds of Britain`s high streets.

The Japanese delicacy has well and truly been democratised. But, outside the higher-end restaurants , are we doing it right?

Often, no. We`re nibbling through raw fish aplenty, but are often unaware of the etiquette that applies to sushi.

Did you know, for example, that (just as we wouldn`t serve a Yorkshire pudding with roast chicken) the Japanese would never put the pickled ginger on top of their sashimi?

It`s because the spicy kick is supposed to be a palate cleanser. It makes up a trinity of accompaniments, and each has its place.

The other two in the trio of sushi extras are soy sauce and wasabi.

We`ve looked at some expert guidelines to give you some more pointers. They`re not absolute rules – some travellers may even see Japanese eaters changing it up.

Here are some other rules to consider when tucking into sushi...



Don`t dip your rice in soy sauce

The rice shouldn`t touch the soy sauce. It`s already been seasoned by the chef (who knows better than you), and the rice may break apart during the dipping process. Only the fish/seafood/egg should touch the liquid.

Never, ever, mix your wasabi and soy sauce

Combining the two together would be telling the chef that his flavours aren`t spot on. If you`re eating somewhere high-end, the chefs will have picked out good quality ingredients, and you want to either taste the fiery hit of wasabi, or the gentle saltiness of soy sauce - the two don`t go together, they compliment the sushi by themselves.



Down in one

The correct way to eat morsels of sushi is in one go. To eat a piece in two bites is simply upsetting. You can ask the chef to cut a piece in half if it`s too big.

Order of consumption

The simplest way to eat your way through a platter is to go from light to dark – it`s an indication of intensity, with the lighter fish probably less robust in flavour than the dark. Start with sea bass, for instance, then move onto fattier fish like tuna. End with the sweeter egg.

Chopsticks?

No, silly – use your fingers. It`s the proper way. Good restaurants will give you hand towels to wipe up.

Finally

Basically, as well as being delicious, sushi is supposed to be beautiful. Chefs train for years to know how best to roll their maki, scorch their salmon, and cook their rice. And you don`t want to mess up their art, right?

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