Sushi

[Shimmer]

Okay, you adventurous people. Has anyone out there tried making sushi? What resources helped you?

I recently found a great website that I recommend going to: www.stickyrice.com. It has great recipes and questions answered by a sushi chef. For the best info, go to the archives page.

It seems like a fun thing to do, but I'd like to know what you all have done, and what problems you encountered.

So?



~~Shimmer~~

[Anneke]

Sushi is one of those things I've always left to the experts. It takes years to become a sushi chef, and I would almost venture to say that it is a rather elitist process. But that said, I've seen too many non-sushi chefs taking the concept too far and sticking all kinds of salad greens and things in their rolls and frankly, I thought it unappetizing if not altogether disrespectful. I like borrowing some of the concepts though, like taking sticky rice, making a sesame crust and searing them into little cakes, etc... Sushi is such a wonderful thing...
Oh, and great web site by the way!

[Suzanne]

Actually, it isn't all that hard to make the rice (unless you're on Survivor). And with practice and a good mat, the rolling is easy. However , it is almost impossible for a home cook to get the really really fresh fish you need. Unless, of course, you catch it yourself. And that's hard!

[pollyg]

It's not too hard to make sushi, but there are definately some tricks to it. It's good to have someone who can actually show you the process.
My best resource was the chef who taught me. Then it's just a matter of practice with rolling etc. I usually only make nori rolls though ( maki sushi), as the 'hand formed' sushi (nigiri sushi) is harder to do well.
And the amazing slicing of fish that true sushi chefs do, well .. let's just say i'm not really amazing just yet.

[Shimmer]

In my limited experience, sushi doesn't need fish. I prefer the sushi with veggies only! My mother-in-law is great friends with a sushi chef, and has developed some sushi rolls that once he tried them, he put them on the menu. And she doesn't eat fish. So that wouldn't be a problem (otherwise I wouldn't try, living where I do!!!).

As I read on various websites today, people mistake sushi (meaning sticky rice) for sashimi (meaning raw fish), so the essential ingredient becomes the rice rather than fish. And that means green leafies might be within the allowable ingredients, possibly....

It just seems like a fun thing to try. Once I have all the ingredients, I'll let you know!

~~Shimmer~~

[pollyg]

If you don't like raw fish then cooked prawns or crab are delicious, as is japanese omlette, and my favourite: japanese pickles and flying fish-roe (forgotten it's japanese name).
It is possible to put many different types of vegetables and pickles into maki sushi, but i don't think that leafy things would be that appropriate.
Having said that, lots of places aroud here make nori rolls with teriyaki chicken and salad leaves, so what the ****, do whatever you like the taste of.
It may not be japanese in the end though.

[Isa]

The first thing you need is good rice, short grain or medium grain rice, preferably Kokuho or Calrose. Once cooked, the rice is temperamental do not forget to fan it to help it cool. Sounds stupid but you really need to do it. Pour the rice in a large but low platter so it will cool faster.

The second thing you need is a good and trusted fish market. If they are nice they will cut the fish for you. Don’t refuse their offer. The hardest part of sushi making is the fish cutting. Don’t forgot to mention what kind of sushi you are making before they cut the fish.

There are many kind of sushi, such as pressed sushi, temaki sushi or roll sushi, etc. To begin with, you should limit your self to the folowing:

Sushi maki or rolled sushi. On a sheet of nori, pressed sea weed you put a layer of rice. Add some fish and/or vegetables, eggs or tofu. Roll on a bamboo rolling mat and slice into 8 pieces of regular size.

Nigiri sushi or luscious slabs of raw fish pressed onto delicately flavoured rice. Where you mould a little bit of rice on which you put a fish or seafood onto it.

Is it hard to do? Not really once you learn how to roll on the bamboo mat and know how to form the rice balls. You can find gadget to help you in a Japanese grocery.


Don't forget the wasabi, pickled ginger and soya sauce!

[Kimmie]

Nowadays sushi is commonly known as raw fish on a piece of rice.But actually sushi means vinegared rice that is rolled with vegetables, fish or pickles, then wrapped in nori, and sliced into rounds (Norimaki). There are different sushi formats: Nigiri (hand-shaped), futo (thick), maki (rolled), temaki (hand-rolled), chirashi (scattered on top of the rice).

Lots of books are available. Make a search on www.amazon.com for these titles:

Nobuko Tsuda:
SUSHI MADE EASY
Step-by-step guide of how to make sushi with some color photographs. List of sources for Japanese food.
Paperback, published by Weatherhill

Yasuko Kamimura, Kazuhiko Nagai:
SUSHI: MAKING AT HOME

Kinjiro Omae & Yuzuru Tachibana:
THE BOOK OF SUSHI
'This book is as carefully and intricately put together as fine sushi.' (New York Times)
Published by Kodansha International
**[This one is my favorite. Take a a look inside THE BOOK OF SUSHI, read the customer reviews as well as the editorial reviews.]

Heihachiro Tohyama & Yukiko Moriyama:
QUICK AND EASY SUSHI COOK BOOK
Mainly pictures which show in an excellent step-by-step way from preparing the fish to shape the sushi the art of making sushi.
Published by Joie, Inc. Japan

Masuo Yoshino:
SUSHI - THE DELICATE FLAVOR OF JAPAN
This book is a kind of guidebook to sushi, mainly hand-formed sushi. Lots of nice pictures as well as detailed list with nutrition facts and fold-out poster of sushi.
Published by Gakken Co.

Amazing photo gallery

Sushi Filmed Lesson

Other links:

http://www.rain.org/~hutch/sushi.html

http://www.hyperisland.se/studentzon...rtin_ragnevad/

Good luck with your Japanese adventure!

[chrose]

There are a lot of great Sushi books out there with Beautiful pictures. I love the pics but I'm not all that thrilled with some of the creations. If you get one though by a Chef trained and steeped in Japanese tradition than you get the true picture.

Admittedly not hi-tech, I got my basic training through the Time Life Cookbook series book on Japan Cookery, that was put out in the 60's/70's. Many books in the series can be found on e-bay for very cheap. This is a good, inexpensive way to start. Or just go to a JApanese restaurant, eat and watch, and then eat some more!

[kokopuffs]

I used to take the bus thru Berkeley and Oakland and get hasseled by the locals - me being the only white passenger. So one day before hopping on the bus I purchased a fresh octopus tentacle from the Tokyo Fish Market and placed it in a plain brown paper bag. I got on the bus and when I felt hasseled I whipped out the tentacle I sliced off a piece, slathered wasabe all over the appendage and then gingerly consumed it. Noone on that bus ever messed with me again.

Don't ever mess with a white boy in possession of a tentacle!

[Isa]

To eat food as a defense mechanism, great idea Koko!