Doha’s discovered sushi in a big way, with many popular eateries including it on their menu, as well as dedicated sushi restaurants doing brisk business. But there’s no reason to always eat out when you’re craving a bit of raw fish.

‘I believe anyone can make sushi, as long as they understand how to cook the rice and they use quality ingredients,’ says Chef Daud, sushi master at the Grand Hyatt Doha. ‘I’m sure there are many Japanese purists out there now that will say, “No, you shouldn’t put this or that in it,” but really, I mean if you have friends who can’t eat raw fish, you can still put teriyaki salmon inside a hand roll and it tastes delicious.’

Over the years, sushi has evolved to include many tastes and textures that don’t need to scare away diners squeamish over raw fish. Cooked sushi, although not perfectly authentic or traditional, is growing in popularity, and in Doha you can get everything from rolls stuffed with tempura shrimp and vegetables to smoked salmon and cream cheese.

There is some debate over the origins of sushi, however most food historians agree it developed around the second century in China as a way of preserving fish. The seafood was packed in rice and allowed to ferment, then the rice was discarded. Over time, the dish moved to Japan, where eventually vinegar was used to flavour and speed the process. By the 17th century, people were flavouring the rice with vinegar and eating it, right along with the fish. And by the turn of the 19th century, the first nigiri or ‘finger sushi’ is thought to have appeared on the streets of Tokyo.

There are many versions of modern- day sushi, but the most popular types include maki, the rolled sushi (often broken up into futumaki, thick rolls; hosomaki, thin rolls; and urumaki, inside out rolls, with the rice on
the outside), nigiri – a ball of rice topped with a piece of fish, made to be eaten in one swallow (or as Chef Daud explains, ‘small enough for a Japanese lady to eat it delicately in one bite’) – and temaki, hand rolls or cones of ingredients, eaten like an ice cream. Whichever you choose, sushi is seen by many people as a healthy alternative to other fast foods.

Chef Daud says that’s one of the biggest mistakes about sushi. ‘You’ve got to watch it – it’s a white polished rice, which is already refined, and then the sugar and vinegar accentuates the taste, but it doesn’t make it as healthy as you’d think,’ he says, explaining how most modern sushi rice isn’t just flavoured with vinegar, but loaded with as much as 400g of sugar, for the same reason hamburger chains season their buns with ketchup.

‘It doesn’t always have to be that sweet,’ he adds, ‘but that’s what we’ve become accustomed to with western food. Vinegar was traditional, but I don’t think many people would just do a straight vinegar mix with their sushi.’

But if you’re preparing it yourself, you can limit the sugar. Just make sure your ingredients are fresh. And in Qatar, you have the opportunity to buy from the same suppliers as restaurants, even if that means grocery chains. ‘If you’re getting fish whole, look at the eyes, look at the gills, and also check the smell. The eyes should be clear and full, and shouldn’t be grey, dull or sunken, and the gills again need to be bright red, not a dull grey or brown,’ says Chef Daud. ‘Presliced, make sure there’s no outside coating on it, it’s hard to tell if it is packaged.’

Or do what many chefs do and get to know those handling your food: ‘Talk to your fish suppliers. Find out when the fish is coming in, because this will be on certain days.’
Grand Hyatt Doha (4448 1234).

Where to find ingredients for sushi

Megamart
Chef Daud swears by Megamart’s consistent selection of ingredients, including seaweed, condiments and rice.

Lulu Hypermarket
The Landmark branch tends to have a better selection, according to Chef Daud, with several options of sushi rice available.

Dean & Deluca
A pricier option, but the quality is usually high.

Carrefour
Speak with the fishmongers. Ask them when the fish was delivered, and if possible get them to slice yours from one of the whole fish on display.

Daiso, Hyatt Plaza
Like an Asian version of a dollar store, this little shop is crammed with all sorts of bits and pieces, including sushi mats, plates, bowls, chopsticks, and even convenient sushi kits to help you get started.

Step-by-step
1) Wash your rice to remove all the starch – keep washing till the rice runs clear. Use a good mat, and cover it with plastic wrap; it helps with the clean-up. Be sure to lay your seaweed on your rolling mat shiny side up.

2) If making maki, layer the rice thinly over the seaweed, leaving about an inch free at the top. Be gentle with the rice, as you don’t want to squish it. Top with the ingredients and, using the mat, slowly start to roll, pressing and squeezing each side until the roll is complete.

3) If rice is getting stuck to your hands, try spraying them with cooking spray – it works wonders.

4) If making urumaki, or ‘inside out’ sushi, cover the entire piece of seaweed with rice before carefully flipping over, and layering ingredients on top of the seaweed before rolling.

5) Use a sharp knife to cut the roll into pieces and enjoy!