Answer: Vinegared Rice

When you ask most people in countries outside of Japan what sushi is, they’ll describe a Japanese food with raw fish inside. That’s because over the years, the term “sushi” has become synonymous with one of the most common ingredients found within the Japanese delicacy: raw fish.

Sushi, however, is not defined by the presence of raw fish (despite how iconic that presence might be), but by the presence of rice. Sushi is a “food preparation” and is called such because the main ingredient is sushi-meshi, or cooked vinegared rice (that is combined with other ingredients). If you exclude the raw fish (or raw meat), the sashimi, and instead include vegetables, tropical fruits, or cooked ingredients in their place, you still have sushi.