Making Your Own Sushi
Sushi at Home
Sushi has become a popular dish for many Americans. Many people often find a sushi restaurant they like and return there when they crave the many flavors of sushi. But, sushi tends to be expensive. If you are like me then getting sushi is a treat that I cannot have as often as I would like.
One night, my boyfriend and I were over at our friends house for dinner. They made sushi! In their own home. Technically, they were just California rolls. But, still. And they were pretty good.
I knew that make at home sushi kits exist. But I thought they were expensive and that you would need lots of expensive ingredients to make sushi. My boyfriend and I were walking through a bookstore one day and we saw a kit that had chopsticks, the sushi mat, a book about sushi with recipes, and some little tool that is used to remove fine bones from fish.
It was only $15! So, I had to get it. I have made sushi at least twice a month since.
Ingredients Are Your Choice
I have found that a bag of sushi from my grocery store is enough to make 10 rolls of sushi. Coincidence that the packs of nori have 10 sheets? I think not. Both are relatively cheap. The rice wine vinegar wasn't too bad either, and it is going to take me a while to go through a bottle. I even got some toasted sesame seeds!
What I love is that you can put whatever you want in your sushi. I am a fan of imitation crab meat, carrot, cucumber, and avocado. I usually add the toasted sesame seeds to the rice. I'll sprinkle them on top if I have the nori on the outside, and if I have the nori on the recessed with the rise on the outside I'll roll the log in the sesame seeds. It really adds a lot of flavor.
If you are able to get fresh fillets of fish I would try a nice cut of tuna. Just make sure that you remove all the bones. You can add the fish inside the roll or lay it on top.
What You'll Need
- 2 Cups Sushi Rice
- 1 tbsp Ricewine Vinegar
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
- 1 Carrot, Thinly sliced
- 1/2 Cucumber, Thinly sliced
- 1/2 Package Imitation Crab, Thinly sliced
- 1 Avocado, Cut depending on how us want to use it
- 4 tbsp Soy Sauce
Instructions
- Make the rice in a rice cooker. If using 2 cups of rice add two cups of water. When the rice is done add the vinegar.
- While the rice is cooking prepare the veggies. Thinly slice anything that is going to go inside the roles in long stick shapes. Anything that is going to go on top the roll can be a little larger, but should still be thin.
- Cover the sushi mat in plastic wrap. This will keep the rice from sticking to it.
- Place a piece of nori on the mat and cover it with a thin layer of the rice. Then add what you would like to fill it with on one side. I like to sprinkle the sesame seeds over the rice before I add anything.
- Once you have finished adding the ingredients start to roll the sushi. Make sure to adjust the mat so you are not rolling the mat into the sushi, but are keeping it on top. Make sure that you are applying even pressure across the room and are keeping it tight.
- Once the sushi is shaped move it to a cutting board. Get the blade of a sharp knife a little wet and cut into bite sized pieces.
- Arrange pieces as desired and serve with soy sauce or other condiments (like sriracha or wasabi mayo)
Changing Things Up
If you are able to find tempura batter at home, or frozen shrimp tempura at the grocery store you can make some of the more popular rolls from sushi bars. Think about it. Many of the specialty rolls have shrimp tempura in them. You can add different fruits, fish, and veggies. Changing the sauces you put on your roll can also dramatically change the flavor.
If a Philly roll is more your style just use cucumber, cream cheese, and salmon. If eating raw fish is not your style you can cook it first. It will just change the flavor. You can make your sushi into whatever you like.
For More traditional sushi just roll a little of the freshly made sushi rice in your hand to make an egg shape. Then top it with the cup of the fresh fish of your choice. It is as easy as that.
Heathy Eating
I find that most of the rolls I make tend to be healthy. Think about it. I am using fresh, raw, veggies. A protein and a carbohydrate. I personally don't add a lot of sauce to my rolls and I don't use a lot of soy sauce. I notice that when I order sushi at a sushi bar I tend to get the rolls that have been fired or are covered with different sauces.
So, not only am I saving money by making the sushi at home I am making a healthy choice as well! Its a win win for everyone.
A Fun Meal
Making sushi can be fun. It is a great way to spend an evening talking with family or friends. It takes a few minutes to prepare and then everyone can have fun customizing their rolls. Good food and great conversation are always a nice way to spend a night.
