Friday, January 2, 2009

Sushi...for a beginner

And I really mean 'for a beginner'. AKA I've never made sushi before. So let's examine the steps!
The mise en place: avocado, julienned carrots, bamboo sushi roller covered in plastic wrap, seaweed, rice.
I was actually quite pleased with how the rice turned out. I didn't have the proper short-grain rice commonly used for sushi so I actually used long-grain rice and was prepared for disaster. I really didn't think it would stick together enough for rolling the sushi. I cooked one cup of rice (rinsed in cold water until clear) in 2 cups water. While that was cooking I dissolved 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 tablespoon salt in 1 tablespoon white vinegar. I also didn't have rice vinegar on hand and was scared how that would affect the rice's taste. Surprisingly, it tasted just fine! Once the rice is cooked completely you add it to the vinegar mixture and fold to mix. I don't know how it works, but somehow the vinegar, salt, and sugar work as a 'glue' and make the rice super sticky!
I moistened my fingers and pressed the rice onto the seaweed, leaving a border on the farthest edge from me. I laid the carrots and avocado in a row nearest to me and started rolling, holding the row of toppings with my fingers and rolling the mat with my thumbs.
The finished roll! Oops...looks like I didn't line it up correctly! At least you can cut off the ends and the middle looks it was done by a pro!
Aren't they pretty?
Smile for your close-up! I was so pleased with the finished product. For dipping I created a paste with wasabi powder and water and added that to Teriyaki sauce since I was also out of soy sauce. For not having so many key ingredients, I couldn't have been happier with the outcome. They tasted just like the freshly made ones from Wegmans or Whole Foods! Next up--mincing sushi grade tuna and making spicy tuna rolls. Don't worry, I'll post about it whether I succeed or not! Half the fun of cooking is trying...

2 comments:

Melissa said...

That's so awesome! I have the stuff to make maki at home, but so far I have shied away. Kudos to you for venturing into it.

Thanks for stopping by. Love to see new pages and new cooks - more people to learn from! :D

Tiffany said...

Hey, thanks Melissa! Definitely give it a try and post when you do. I was scared the rice would just fall apart but the sugar/salt/vinegar mixture really does the trick. Hope it's successful, but if not--all the more reason to keep trying and cooking! =Þ Thanks for checking out my page!