Sushi, Japan’s traditional delicacy, originated either as an attempt to preserve fish in vinegared rice, or as instant gratification for starving Japanese gamblers in ancient betting halls, but this week it was Citroën’s Dani Sordo giving it a try.
This potted history is what the sushi master who decided to teach his art to three up-and-coming rally stars – including Red Bull-backed Sordo (pictured above, centre) and Ford drivers Mikko Hirvonen (to Sordo's left) and Matthew Wilson (with the sushi) – told us. Gathered in a small sushi bar in the back streets of Sapporo before Rally Japan started, Dani was keen to grab the specially-made sushi knife (constructed from carbon steel) and get stuck in. Sushi knives are sharpened on one side only, allowing for more precision: just what a top-ranking rally driver needs.
Citroën Sport Photos
Sushi can be made from octopus, eel, snapper, amberjack, mackerel and salmon, but most commonly tuna – which was Dani’s first victim.
The art of the sushi chef consists of slicing the fish finely and then wrapping it via a precise recipe with nori (seaweed) as well as sushi rice.
A number of different toppings are also added, including wasabi: Japanese horseradish that, as you’ll know if you’ve ever tasted it, can make your eyes water. Dani found this out the hard way, when he tried a huge mouthful of it for a laugh. The joke backfired, along with most of Dani’s stomach lining. But at least everyone else found it amusing.
Sushi chefs often use a bamboo mat to lay their ingredients on, which they then can curl up to guarantee a perfect cylinder of Japanese perfection. Other sushi can simply be rolled into a ball by hand to create temarizushi – a favourite among beginners because it’s easy to make and carries a smaller risk of amputated fingers.
Citroën Sport Photos
“I like sushi,” said Dani, surveying his creation under the inscrutable gaze of the sushi master. “The raw fish tastes really fresh and sushi is also very good for you.” Which, to be really honest, is not something you can say often about health food.
While Dani may think that raw fish is typical Japanese sushi, he’s actually slightly mistaken. Raw fish on its own is simply sashimi. To be classified as sushi, the fish needs to be wrapped in a parcel with exquisite delicacies. This is why a sushi chef is a master craftsman, while a sashimi chef is just someone who knows how to wield a knife.
After a banzai performance at the sushi table, it was time to get on with the serious business of rallying. Dani’s close encounter with a swordfish clearly meant that he no longer felt fear: he stormed through the opening day’s stages of Rally Japan to end up in fifth, just over 30 seconds behind the leader Petter Solberg.
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