I completely blame Jenna for the lack of sushi in my life pre-New York City. Indiana in the 90's was no place to find sushi, and especially in my house (my parents still refuse to try the stuff), so there was no way that I was going to get introduced. In college, however, there was a sushi restaurant a rocks throw away from our house. Being from the city, Jenna was a sushi pro. Or at least that's that she led me to believe. Long story short, I was not informed that you were supposed to use the ginger and wasabi on the rolls. I just though they were for show (glaring at Jenna). It wasn't until years later in Brooklyn when someone finally showed me how sushi was meant to be eaten. After that first heavenly bite I. Was. Addicted. After another year or so of eating restaurant sushi, I decided to give it a shot and make my own rolls. It took a couple of tries to get the technique down, but as long as you have the correct supplies, its as easy as pie. And the best thing is - homemade sushi is even better than takeout. And it happens to be dirt cheap to make!
Lets get started...
I get all my ingredients at a little gem of a Japanese market called Sunrise Mart, but you can find all of these ingredients at health food stores or large markets.
Basic Ingredients/tools you'll need:
A VERY sharp knife
1. Get your rice cooking (for me, that means get out the rice cooker....I couldn't make rice on the stove if my life depended on it)
A VERY sharp knife
Square of saran wrap large enough to cover bamboo mat
1/4 cup brown rice per roll you plan to make (I'll usually make 2 rolls per person)
Filling (this is just what I used this time around; get creative!):
Asparagus
Cucumber
How to:Carrot
Avocado
Spinach
1. Get your rice cooking (for me, that means get out the rice cooker....I couldn't make rice on the stove if my life depended on it)
3. Cut the rest of your veggies (or fish if you're using) lengthwise as slender as possible
(the pile of diced tofu is for the miso soup)
(the pile of diced tofu is for the miso soup)
4. Lay out your bamboo mat and cover with a layer of plastic wrap
5. When rice is done cooking, mix in the vinegar and set aside
6. Place a nori sheet on top of the plastic wrap and scoop 1/4 cup rice in the middle of the sheet
I always make a miso soup to go with sushi. It is delicious and incredibly easy to make:
Boil as much water as you want soup (I usually make about a cup per person), as soon as the water boils, add one heaping teaspoon of miso paste per cup of water.
Once the paste has dissolved, add a handful of chopped (firm) tofu and one diced sheet of nori.
Stir and place in bowls. Top with a chopped green onion.
My mouth is watering. If you don't love the recipe....you're crazy.
p.s. Jenna, I'm still angry about you denying me the pleasure of sushi for all those years. You owe me. Lets talk about it over homemade sushi.
Once the paste has dissolved, add a handful of chopped (firm) tofu and one diced sheet of nori.
Stir and place in bowls. Top with a chopped green onion.
My mouth is watering. If you don't love the recipe....you're crazy.
p.s. Jenna, I'm still angry about you denying me the pleasure of sushi for all those years. You owe me. Lets talk about it over homemade sushi.
I love this blog...
ReplyDeleteI use Japanese sticky rice in my rolls.