Difference between Sushi and Maki

By Jaxson

Main Difference

While people around the world like to try new food, it is important always that you know what you are trying. Japanese cuisine is although not that famous all over the world but there are few dishes such as Sushi that have made their mark all across. It forms from rice that is cooked properly with the help of oil and then other ingredients are added to it to make it look different from just another dish of rice. While Maki is the type of Sushi, that is presented in the form of a roll and has all the ingredients that fill with a round piece of seaweed.

Comparison Chart

Basis of DistinctionSushiMaki
OriginJapanJapan
FamousAround the world.Specifically, in the United States.
RecipeMade from rice which is cooked properly with the help of oil and then other ingredients are added such as seafood, chicken or other types of meats and vegetables.Seaweeds and all the material that usually is part of sushi. Wrapped around the whole structure.
EateryAs a rice dishAs a roll.
NatureAppetizerMain course dish.
TypesMaki Sushi, Nigiri Sushi, and Oshi-Sushi.None.

Sushi

Sushi is one of the most famous foods when it comes to Japanese and is famous not only in the country itself but all over the world because of its distinctive taste and the way it prepares. It is a type that originated in Japan and made from rice that is cooked properly with the help of oil and then other ingredients are added to it to make it look different from just another dish of rice. It can either eat as a main dish or appetizer, but the main use of it is the latter one. It can mix with seafood, chicken or other types of meats and vegetables but the first dish itself has fish in it. People have come up with different varieties of it and even add tropical fruits in the dish. The only thing that is common in all of them is the rice that can either be boiled, fried or steamed depending on personal choice. The type of rice can also differ, while most people use white rice, some regions, especially subcontinent prefer using brown rice. Individuals who prefer eating it are mostly vegetarian and the ones who require losing weight. It usually serves with different types of ingredients that can include pickles, ginger, wasabi and sauce. There are many forms in which it cooks, the most common one as explained earlier is the sushi rice, the other types include nigirizushi that consists of the sushi rice alone, there is also the bowl of sushi that is topped with raw fish or vegetables and is known as Chirashizushi.

Maki

Maki can either be considered a separate dish itself or a type of sushi depending on the personal choice but is relatively different from the primary source. It can be defined simply as a Japanese dish that is served with raw vegetables and served along with the seaweeds and sushi is wrapped around the whole structure. This item is a type of roll which originates from sushi and therefore is sometimes known as Sushi Role. In this layers of raw fish or seafood are added on the top that can either be replaced by fruits if someone wants to eat something sweet or with the vegetables for people who do not want to eat meat.  Always wrapped in the seaweed that gives it the distinction over the other forms. People lay all the stuff in the form of layers that is placed on the sheet of dried sea kelp and then is rolled to form a cylindrical shape which is then finished by adding other spices or even frying it in some cases. This type is more famous in the United States, where people like to have bigger portions of food, just eating sushi along is not that fulfilling and that is the reason that we utilize it as a main course instead of the appetizer. The main drawback is that you have to eat it as quickly as possible since the rice in the roll make everything moist and the taste changes as soon as the roll becomes less warm. It is not difficult to make and barely takes 10-15 minutes, and the price of it is more than the other types because of the ingredients.

Key Differences

  • Sushi cooks with the main ingredient of rice which baked in a different way and then served along with fish, other seafood, chicken, meat, vegetables and even fruits in some cases. Maki cooks with the help of seaweed that places on the surface, and then the material of sushi that separately prepared is rubbed on the surface and then the cylindrical shape becomes obvious.
  • Sushi as a dish becomes consumed by people in the form of an appetizer or main course whereas Maki always is part of the main course.
  • Sushi is more famous in Japan and other places where Japanese food is preferred whereas Maki mostly preferred in the United States.
  • Sushi has a small portion size and therefore it does not fulfill the appetite whereas the portion of Maki becomes larger because it is in the form of a roll.
  • Raw material such as fish and meat added in the sushi depending on the requirement whereas only natural stuff the added in a maki is vegetable and fruits along with cooked meat.
  • There are primary types of Sushi that include mainly three types of Sushi called Maki Sushi, Nigiri Sushi, and Oshi-Sushi. Therefore, we say that Maki is a form of Sushi.

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