Sushi by Autumn

Sushi Directions

Rice –

· Buy Sushi rice for best results.

· Follow recipe instructions with the following additions:

o Make sure to rinse measured rice until the water is clear

o Allow rice and measured water to sit for an hour (if you have time) – this makes for stickier rice

o I add about an eighth to a quarter cup of sugar to my rice and water while it soaks – this also helps make stickier rice

· Follow cooking instructions

· When cooking is complete, put rice into a glass bowl and add rice vinegar – there are generally instructions as to amount on the sushi rice or the rice vinegar container – I usually put about a half a cup to a large bowl of rice and stir!

· Let it cool for about 10 minutes – I like to roll the sushi while the rice is still somewhat warm

Sushi Ingredients –

Meats –

· Tempura shrimp – use raw peeled shrimp

· Cooked shrimp - this is what I use in place of artificial crab if you don’t want to tempura your shrimp

· Smoked salmon – make sure that you use the thinly sliced (looks uncooked) salmon – there are thick packages of cooked, smoked salmon that don’t taste that good in sushi

Veggies –

· Avocado – my favorite sushi veggie – cut in long, thin slices

o The avocado should be firm, but ripe

· Green onion – this is a great addition to the taste of most any sushi roll

· Cucumber – peel, cut longways into quarters, cut seeds out of the wedges and then thinly slice in lengths

· Carrots, green pepper, cilantro, whatever you like – cut in long, thin strips for adding to the roll

Cream cheese –

· This is messy, but tastes good with smoked salmon and green onion – you can add it to any roll

· I’ve seen it with red peppers and crab

Preparation for rolling –

· Bamboo roller – I cover my roller with saran wrap and spray it with Pam (I also spray my fingers with Pam for pressing the rice onto the roller)

· Place all ingredients in general area in groups and make an assembly line with a tray at the end for placing the roll

· If you plan to place the seaweed on the inside (rice on outside), you will need a plate of sesame seeds to roll the rice in before placing on tray

· For seaweed on the outside, don’t worry about spraying the roller, but you will need a glass of water to wet down one side of the seaweed for sealing it to the roll

· For seaweed on the inside, cut the full sheets in halves or thirds (makes a bag go a long way)

Rolling the sushi –

· This just takes a little practice – in my case…… A LOT OF PRACTICE!

· Seaweed on the inside –

o Spray the bamboo roller

o Place a good sized scoop of rice on the roller (about 1 cup – maybe less – you don’t want your roll too thick or too thin – this is done by preference so make a couple each way to see what you like best)

o Press the rice out pretty thin, but even

o Place seaweed lengthwise and parallel with the bamboo

o Layer your ingredients with to the seaweed

o Make sure there is rice extending both sides of the seaweed by about ¾ inch

o Roll one side over the other and then release

o Roll the other side over the rounded half

o Continue to roll and squeeze the sushi roll until it is packed soundly – this will help make it easier to cut

o Roll it in sesame seeds and place on tray to cool

· Seaweed on outside

o Don’t spray roller

o Place seaweed on roller

o Press rice within a half in of both side of the seaweed

o Layer ingredients

o Wet on side of the seaweed with your finger

o Roll opposite side to the middle and then roll wetted side over it, pressing and squeezing – again this will make it easier to cut

o Place on tray to cool

Cutting sushi – I just recommend the sushi be cool and that you have a very sharp sushi knife – I can’t remember the name of mine, but it’s a Caphelon Sukano (or something like that). Mine cost $89 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, but Autumn bought a Chicago Cuttlery for $22 at Alberstons. I had five thin slices in my finger after you all left. I guess it’s sharp enough!!

Drizzles –

· My favorite is eel sauce, but there are many great drizzles that you can find on the internet. Autumn is going to try to find some websites to attach that have some good recipes.

· Wasabi – powdered or paste is great. I like the cans of powdered wasabi. Remember to mix it in equal parts powder and water to form a paste and then add soy sauce to the strength you like.

Remember – this is trial and error. You can probably learn so much from the internet that I didn’t teach you. I really need to get out there and find out more about raw fish. I love the tuna! If you get really interested, many sushi restaurants teach classes for you and your husband. It can be a fun family tradition like it’s become in our family. Everyone gathers around and steals the rolls as then come off the assembly line. We laugh and eat and have great memories. I hope you all had a good time and I can’t wait to hear about your successes ……..and failures!!! Hopefully, you won’t have as many as I did!