Gari (Pickled Ginger for Sushi)

Gari is specific to sushi service. Its function as a palate cleanser was established in Edo-period sushi restaurants. The word gari refers to the sound the ginger makes when bitten — a onomatopoeic name reflecting the young ginger's crispness.

Young ginger (shin shōga) pickled in sweetened rice vinegar — the condiment served alongside sushi that cleanses the palate between bites of different fish. Gari's function is physiological: gingerol and shogaol (the active compounds in ginger) stimulate saliva and refresh the olfactory receptors, allowing the next piece of sushi to be perceived as clearly as the first. The colour — pale pink in young ginger turning deeper pink with the vinegar's acid — is a quality indicator.

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