Can Indian people eat Sushi?

Hi,

I have a lot of Indian friends that I've met in Japan. I often see that they carry many jars of Curry powders, spices and paste and they seem to eat curry nearly everyday.

Now I have seen a lot of foreigners such as Indians in Japan, but have never actually seen an Indian eat Sushi before during lunch, after hours and in sushi restaurants.


So I was wondering do you know if people from that region actually eat Sushi at all?

i used to have a gf from the indian subcontinent back in college in the us. she loved sushi, so did her friends and sister and parents. and i totally dig south indian vegetarian super spicy stuff. so sure!

I've hosted some Indians and they were vegetarians, so if they were to go to a sushi bar, I suppose they have to stick to cucumbers.

I knew another lady who was from Pakistan, and she never tried to eat anything without curry taste. Some people offered her home-made dishes with curry seasoning, and she had a few bites, but didn't seem to like it too much.

On the other hand, her husband was very social. He said he loved yakitori. But not too crazy about raw fish.

Perhaps those who are willing and adventurous might enjoy sushi, but I think they aren't that many.

i'v noticed that indians in japan are a lot more traditional than the ones in the us and england. they don't associate w/ the locals as much, just kinda stick to their own people. given the chance, i think they will try to experience japanese people and japanese foods too, though this would only happen if japanese people made more of an effort to reach out and befriend foreigners, not just the white ones.

so just make them try it, and i'm sure they'll develop a taste for it. i've developed a taste for cow brain curry, so y not?

Thanks for your replies Uco and J-Grad..

Well I guess my original intention to ask the question is, whether I should even think about inviting some of them to try some raw fish sushi, like proper nigiri not just a maki ? I love raw seafood, especially hon-maguro and I was really curious if my Indian friends would like something like it, since the taste is so exotic and different.

I mean, I love Indian curry too, eat it all the time - I also eat Japanese flavour curry too, both are different yet both are great!



Why would you eat Cow's brain curry? I don't think most Indian or Sri Lankan people eat anything to do with Cows? :O What type of cuisine is this?

Actually now that I mention it, I would imagine most Indians have never eaten wagyu beef either!

Ken, you should simply ask your Indian friends, because that's what we did. Perhaps you can offer to prepare both Indian oriented dishes and sushi oriented dishes so that they won't be too hungry when they discover they don't like sushi.

I know for sure that some Indians are strictly vege, but some people only "try to" stick to vege.

J Grad Student, Indians are one of the oldest expats that ever existed in Japan. They have a big successful community here, and that is the very reason that such a thing as Japanese style curry is enjoyed so commonly among the locals. You may also notice that my previous post was a result of us making the "effort to reach out and befriend" them (and it didn't bother us that they don't like sushi).

hey uco-san, i didn't mean you when i said japanese should reach out to other non-white gaijin. just an observation, but in america, i see young indian people going out drinking, in clubs, interracially dating, doing drugs. in other words, acting just like the locals. in japan, the only ones i've seen tend to be married with children, with lots of facial hair, and interacting with the locals only for business reasons. so that's why i would conclude japan needs to do a better job of making them feel more at home.

as for the cow brain curry, not all indian people are hindu. some are muslim, some are christians, and what not. to those people, cows are merely delicious.

and from what i've read in oishinbo, and what my taste buds confirm, is that japanese curry came via the british, in cans, hence it is considered yoshoku. when i cooked japanese curry for my gf in college, she could barely recognize it as being indian in origin. when she cooked stuff for me, like egg dopeyaja, cauliflower masala, shutki (a smelly, rotting fish like kusaya no himono), biryani, i could see why she couldn't recognize bon curry as indian. they simply don't resemble each other at all.

Hi J Grad Student, it is true that the most popular curry & rice is European style, but haven't you heard of 中村屋 and ナイル商会？
I think Uco means something like them.
http://www.nakamuraya.co.jp/history/hist_02.html
http://www.nair.co.jp/gaiyou.html

And Indian dishes varies even within India, fron region to region....

i don't know nair, but i've had nakamuraya. its very tasty, but i still think its pretty far from indian food. i've tried dosas, uttapam, lots of pakoras, tandoori, dal, masala, bengali dishes, a quite wide spectrum of indian wedding sweets, deserts, snacky things and indian instant noodles whose name escapes me at the moment. and still nakamuraya tastes distinctly japanese to me.

My point is not the taste of the curry served there but its origin is India, Indian people came to Japan long time ago.

J Grad Student, sorry, I didn't mean to argue with you or anything, but I was merely pointing out some facts about my relationship with Indians, just in case.

About the curry, as . mentioned, that's what I mean. The "style" may have been imported from Europe, but it's the old Indian expats that ran restaurants and made their - rather Europen/Japanese/Indian menu popular. Sure, it wasn't until a few decades ago that genuine Indian curry became common in Japan, but still, Indians were always pretty much part of the people's life in Japan. My late grandmother grew up in Shinjuku and recalls how cute Nakamuraya' Indian baby was.

But yes, Japan is not as much of a "melting pot" compared to the U.S., and that's probably why people of different appearance _including whites_ tend to avoid sending their children to ordinary public schools (but my son's best friends from his public school are white and dark-skinned).

well, im an indian.
There is a significant percentage of people in india, especially those from coastal areas, who are perfectly ok with eating fish... but the idea of eating fish without boiling or frying it seems a bit weird. I have been in Japan for 3 months and I have tried lots of japanese food, including sushi. Initially it seems a bit bland because indians are so so tuned to eating spicy food that anything not 'spishy' tastes dull and colourless. but once i got used to the cusine here, i started enjoying it.. guess i will need to re-calibrate my tongue when i go back to india ;-)

Hey, why didn't you ask your "many Indian friends" first, before posting such a generalized question? Why just Indians? There are so many people in the world who find the thought of eating raw fish very disturbing. Also there are some people who like it. Again, I have to ask you why just Indians?

Thanks for everyone different input - I would imagine there are always exceptional individuals in this world who are willing to accept new things? But needing to recalibrate the palate for stronger or blander type of food makes a lot of sense. I need to do this all the time as I eat all food in this world equally as much. Actually same applies with drinking elegant French wine compared with bolder Australian wine.

I was actually asking the question online because of discretion purposes.

Not sure if anyone realised but I thought I'd better take precaution on asking my friends directly (especially if my friends 'ARE' Indian people sarah) as it could become impolite.


Since I've trotted it out I'll tell you guys. I'd infact wanted ask questions here first before suggesting to my friends in person to try some fish such as Hamachi or Toro or Katsuo or Saba when these have a pretty strong yet nice taste for raw fish... compared to like Fugu or Hirame or Tai which are pretty bland.


My idea of the world - is for everyone to 'share' obviously some people will need some form of encouragement whereas some will do it automatically.

Just ask them. It is not impolite to ask someone if they like or would like to try sushi. Don't be so scared to ask your Indian friends this question. People are people you know.

Yes sounds like a good plan!


To be frank I was kind of thinking if I'd ask directly without doing some research, and then my friends reject the idea - the outcome might be that THEY will think that I WILL THINK that THEY are being strange if they said no to me? Does that make sense to anyone ? :O

That is why I was asking in a quite abnormal 3rd person kind of way - to see if anyone has actually seen it happen (referring to my original question) and this won't put me at odds with any individuals of that country haha!


May be it wasn't a good idea afterall but from my point of view - I was just barely trying to be considerate!


I'll ask my friends next time we go out for dinner :)

Anyone can eat sushi, just as long as they like it. But some of my Indian friends don't like sushi for various of reason. They are vegetarian and funny but lots of Indian are vegetarian and yeah. Oh and the other reason can be that they just don't like raw fish. But I find sushi delicious. Anyways yeah...there goes your answer. ^^

Hold on Guy's! I am Indian in Japan…..
Indian People:
Culture, traditions are dig into nerves of Indian so food habits. We are taught from childhood that Non-veg in not good for human health. Average Indians (from all religions) are vegetarian most of the weeks except Sunday. The families who eat non-veg only prefer to eat non-veg (Mutton,Chicken) only on Sunday's one meal or special occasions. Beef and Pork is hardly available expect some special regions of the country and religions.
When I landed in Japan my favorite food everyday at lunch was curry cup noodles or Japanese curry-rice. However, working in Japanese company my welcome party was first chance to see sushi and sashimi and beef-pork in my life. Remember, I think I am one who love non-veg and eat fish/mutton and chicken thrice a week in India (means great lover on non-veg). And I have seen pork-beef for the first time in my life at the age of 25. I and one my Indian friend was only two to try all out of 5 Indians.
Frankly: I did not like any taste, smell or flavor….. It was all waste for me. However, I eat it because it was served with lot of kindness and it was all for us. I used to hate while going walking back from office smelling that boiling meat everywhere. Now I realized it was Ramen smell…. I am not still habitual of it sometime and cannot take it. It is very strange for any Indian (100percent).
After 7 years: I guess there is nothing left which I haven't tired…. I can enjoy and eat sashimi only at Ryokans sponsored by someone or if it is part of the course. I haven't order it yet even it is available. In seven years I have discovered it's taste yet--- but do not mind eating it when offered. I love sushi and go by my self to eat…. All other Japanese food.. I love it!!! I ate raw horse too was at the party in big hotel. It was OK.

I could do all due to my passion to know the taste and why people like it. I ate sashimi each time when available at parties and courses to understand the Japanese tongue and their taste…. Still cannot make it but trying it… When I talk to my Japanese friends.. They also have similar opinion.. It doesn't taste then very good but like to eat because it is traditional Japanese food…. How many Japanese people felt that want to visit the place again after eating Ramen, gyoza, tonkatsu, yakitori ---- I guess lot but how many felt that they want to visit back after eating sashimi at some restaurant???

Any way as this topic is on Indian: It is in their roots to eat well cooked food, and when it is meat it should be very very well cooked with lot of spices to kill raw smell of meat. If they see blood with half cooked meat while eating. I guess that Indian will never want to have it again. It culture of more than 3 thousand years. How once can just change easily when he come to Japan?? So I would say offer them but do not expect them to finish it. They are POOR INDIANS with very diggly rooted culture and traditions and very hard to break it… I said POOR!!! Because I know and understand what they are missing in this great world!!!! To try different food and culture is best way to make friends around and to know world- but Indians are too bad in that due to their own food habits. After seven years I also do not prefer to go out with my Indian friends who do not drink and eat, it's irritating now.
More later...

right on ''New Dad'', you hit it right on the nose with that answer!!

Well I am an Indian.I am staying here in japan for last few years.Most of the indian people are vegetarian. So may be it's not about Sushi it's just about any meat.I myself like sushi.I think it's just about developing the taste for any particular food.In India generally the curried(or cooked) form of food is eaten.So many indian people find it difficult to eat raw meat.So may be that is one of the reasons.
Now about being socializing.It's true that indian people live in a closed community and interact with the local people only for business purposes.But there could be few reasons for that as well.One could be the language problem. And the other which I am facing is people here are ready to be friends with the American or European people but not Indian.This is my Personal experience so no offence meant to anyone in particular.As far I am concerned I enjoy going to IIzakayas for drinks, like Yakitori,Yoshinoya's Gyudon ,Nabe, sashimi,unagi everything.