Shamoji

A Shamoji (Japanese杓 文字orしゃもじ) is in the Japanese kitchen, a flat spoon for rice. It is used for stirring and serving of rice, but in particular for mixing rice, rice vinegar, sugar and salt for preparing rice for sushi in a wooden tub ( Hangiri ).

The kitchen appliance is usually relatively cheap and is traditionally made of bamboo, wood or lacquer, but now often made ​​of plastic.

The Shamoji must be regularly dipped into the water during use to prevent sticking of the rice. More expensive plastic Shamoij have provided a non-stick coating. Metal, however, is rarely used, since this rather damaged the rice grains and can also damage the traditional wooden vessels for the sushi rice preparation ( Hangiri ).

When serving of rice with the Shamoji you have to be careful not to flatten the rice grains.

Wooden Shamoji are a typical souvenir from the island of Miyajima in Hiroshima, where they decorated and provided with inscriptions and in different sizes to specimens of approximately 1 m in length are available.