Sushi has become increasingly popular in most parts of the world. If you want to have something fancy for dinner or lunch, it is definitely a good option to impress your guests. Sushi is made with cooked vinegared rice mixed with other ingredients like seafood and variety of vegetables. If you have all the necessary ingredients, then making a batch of sushi in your own kitchen is very easy. So, why don’t you try preparing this dish on your own. Here’s how you can go about it.
Complexity Level: Basic
Time Required: 60-65 minutes
Resources Required:
- Chinese short grain rice
- Large cooking pan
- Water
- Vinegar
- Sugar
- Salt
- Knife
- Bamboo mat
- Vegetables like carrots, cucumber, avocado etc
- Fish, shellfish or other toppings
- Dried seaweed (nori)
- Optional condiments: Wasabi, pickled ginger, soy sauce
Instructions:
1. Making the rice
- Wash the short grain rice under cold running water a couple of times and then soak it for at least half an hour. Drain properly.
- Heat a large pan and put the washed rice into it.
- Add about 3 cups of fresh water, cover and bring to a boil.
- Once it continuously boils, reduce the heat to low and cook until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is perfectly cooked. It should take about 12 to 15 minutes.
- Move the cooked rice onto a plate and spread it apart, to help the cooling process.
- In a sauce pan over medium heat, mix together vinegar, salt and sugar. Stir till the sugar melts.
- Then, pour over the vinegar mix on to the rice and slowly fold it in.
2. Prepare the filling
- Decide what all vegetables you want to include in your sushi. Then, wash and slice them into long strips.
- Get the seafood also ready by slicing them up in similar lengths.
- If using sesame seeds, then roast them till they turn light brown.
- Similarly, if using eggs, then make an omelette out of it and then slice into strips.
3. Assembling
- Lay out the bamboo rolling mat on to the kitchen counter.
- Toast the seaweed sheets lightly on a frying pan and then place its shiny side down on to the mat.
- Carefully, spread a thin layer of cooked rice over the seaweed, leaving about a centimetre from the edge on the side farthest from you.
- Take the filling of your choice and place over the rice in a row across the centre of the rice.
- Use a little water to moisten the empty strip of seaweed. Then, holding the edge of the mat, roll it over away from you, squeezing while you go to shape it.
- Then, stick it with the wet end, open the mat and take the sushi off.
4. Serving
- Place the roll on to a chopping board and slice them in half first.
- Then, cut it into smaller pieces.
- Serve it with accompaniments like soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger root.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are the different types of sushi variations?
There are different types of sushi you can make. For example, the California roll has the rice outside and the seaweed wrap on the inside. The Philadelphia roll has smoked salmon, cream cheese and onion. The tekkamaki is made of raw tuna and rolled smaller than the traditional ones. The spider roll is dominated by crab meat and not fish.
Quick Tips:
- Wasabi is very strong, so be careful while using it. The pungent taste might not be comfortable for all.
- If you want to go all out, then present sushi in rectangular serve ware and use chop sticks to pick them up. Separate bowls for condiments is a must in such cases.
Things To Watch Out For:
- Sourcing ingredients can be a bit of a problem as they may not be readily available in all grocery stores.
- Raw fish is highly prone to parasite attack which can harness your health.
