| Making Sushi | | | | with the water level just slightly above the rice |
| When it comes to preparing something tasty, | | | | level. Bring the rice to a boil, stirring frequently. Do |
| inexpensive, and relatively good for you, I really | | | | NOT let the rice stick to the bottom or side of |
| have to endorse sushi. Sushi is a delightfully | | | | the pan. After the water level is down below the |
| delicious bit of Japanese cuisine that can be really | | | | rice level, cover the pot and put it on low heat |
| intriguing and satisfying to prepare yourself. Going | | | | for 8-9 minutes. |
| out to sushi bars can be fun, but costs a lot. If | | | | Fourth Step |
| you learn how to make your own sushi, you'll be | | | | While the rice is cooking, you can prepare the rice |
| able to save money, eat great and keep the | | | | seasoning from the rice vinegar, sugar and salt. |
| kitchen cool in the summer, because don't | | | | It's this mixture that gives sushi rice its notable |
| forget-sushi uses RAW fish. That means no | | | | sweet and sour flavor, so it's very important to |
| cooking, which means a nice cool kitchen:) | | | | get this right, but thankfully, it's not especially |
| | | | {tough|tricky|difficult] to get right. When I'm |
| Sushi can have many different ingredients, but | | | | preparing 2 cups of rice, I like to use 3.5 |
| usually comprises of a few core ingredients. You'll | | | | tablespoons of vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar |
| need special short-grained Japanese sushi rice, nori, | | | | and 2 teaspoons of salt. Put all the ingredients in a |
| (flattened sheets of green seaweed) and | | | | small saucepan and heat until the sugar and salt |
| ingredients to put in the sushi roll. You'll also need | | | | dissolve. Do not let the mixture start to boil; it |
| some rice vinegar, sugar and salt to add | | | | should never get that hot. Stir the mixture to try |
| seasoning to the rice. You can get all of these | | | | to make the sugar and salt dissolve fully and then |
| things at any well-stocked local grocery store | | | | keep it on very low heat until the rice is ready. |
| except for the nori, which you may need to go | | | | Fifth Step |
| to an Asian market for. If you don't live near an | | | | When the rice is done, remove it from the pot |
| Asian market, you can look online for a sushi | | | | into a wooden bowl. Treat the rice carefully-you |
| materials supplier. You will also need a very sharp | | | | don't want to crush any of the grains. If any rice |
| chef's knife or santoku. A bamboo mat is useful, | | | | is stuck to the side or bottom of the pot, leave it. |
| but not necessary, and can also be found at an | | | | You don't want any crispy rice in the sushi. It's |
| Asian grocer. Some common sides for sushi | | | | important to use a wooden bowl because the |
| include soy sauce for dipping, wasabi paste (the | | | | vinegar seasoning is about to be poured in and |
| spicy green stuff!) and pickled ginger (which helps | | | | the vinegar may react with the metal. With the |
| clear the palate between different sushi). | | | | rice in the bowl, drizzle the seasoning over it and |
| First Step | | | | cut it in (don't stir!) with a wooden spoon. You are |
| The first thing you want to do is prepare the | | | | just trying to coat the grains of rice with the |
| sushi rice, since it has the greatest preparation | | | | mixture. If you stir too forecefully, you may |
| time. You need to rinse the rice very thoroughly | | | | damage the grains. |
| and then let it sit in water for around 30 minutes. | | | | Sixth Step |
| The soaking allows water to soften the rice grains | | | | Let the rice cool for a while. You need cool rice to |
| and will make the rice cook properly. I find that 2 | | | | work with when making sushi. I like to take |
| cups of rice prepares around 4 full maki rolls (or | | | | advantage of this time to prepare the rest of my |
| around 32 pieces of sushi). | | | | ingredients if I haven't done so already. I also like |
| Second Step | | | | to tidy up the kitchen at this time (you'll be |
| While the rice is soaking is an ideal time to | | | | shocked how much mess you've made in the last |
| prepare your components. The most common | | | | 5 steps). In a sushi restaurant this is generally the |
| base ingredient is raw fish. Common species used | | | | time when a chef's assistant will actually fan the |
| include yellowfin tuna, salmon, squid or eel. Make | | | | rice to help it to cool down more quickly. |
| sure your fish is very fresh (never frozen!) and | | | | Seventh Step |
| preferably sashimi-grade. Go to your supermarket | | | | When the rice is cool, take a small hunk of it and |
| and ask if they have sashimi-grade fish. If they | | | | spread it over the bottom 5/6ths of the nori, |
| doesn't know what you're talking about, go | | | | which should be on the bamboo mat if you have |
| somewhere else! I like to buy all my fish at the | | | | one. Nori has two sides, a shiny side and a rough |
| Asian market because I know it's fresh and is of | | | | side. Make sure you place the shiny side down. |
| the proper quality for making sushi. In addition to | | | | The rice should be spread thinly enough to still see |
| fish, sushi often contains other ingredients to add | | | | little bits of green through the rice, although you |
| different flavors or textures like avocado, | | | | can spread it thicker than that if you have only |
| cucumber, green onion, cream cheese and spicy | | | | one ingredient. When you've covered the whole |
| sauces. Feel free to get a little crazy when it | | | | nori sheet except the little bit at the top, you're |
| comes to putting ingredients into your sushi roll, as | | | | good. It helps to spread the sticky rice by keeping |
| long as you keep it under 3 ingredients or so. I've | | | | a small bowl of water nearby to dip your fingers |
| also had delicious vegan sushi rolls that featured | | | | into, so they don't stick and get messy. Last Step |
| bananas, sweet potatoes or tofu. You're going to | | | | Lay your ingredients near the middle-bottom of |
| require around an 8' long strip of each one of | | | | the nori. Roll up the bottom section of the nori |
| your ingredients. How thick you cut them depends | | | | over the ingredients. If you have a bamboo mat, |
| on how many ingredients you want in your roll, | | | | use it to make sure the roll has equal pressure |
| but i find around 1/4th inch square is pretty good | | | | applied on it and is packed tightly. Continue shifting |
| for three ingredients. | | | | the bamboo mat to roll up more and more of the |
| Third Step | | | | sushi roll. When you reach the part with no rice, |
| Next you need to prepare the rice. The rice | | | | you can roll it over and seal it with a bit of water. |
| should be prepared in a rice cooker which will | | | | Then, use a sharp knife to cut the sushi roll in half. |
| make perfect rice AND keep your kitchen cool, | | | | A slight sawing motion is needed and it helps if |
| but if you don't have a rice cooker, you'll have to | | | | the knife is dipped into hot water first. Double up |
| make do with a microwave or stovetop. | | | | the two halves and cut THEM in half to make |
| Preparing Japanese sushi rice in the microwave | | | | quarters, and each quarter in half to make |
| can be very difficult and I would strongly suggest | | | | eighths. Arrange your sushi rolls on a plate and |
| you use the stovetop method if you don't have a | | | | serve with soy sauce, and wasabi and ginger if |
| rice cooker. Place the rice in a medium sized pot | | | | you desire. Enjoy! |