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 Although
you can visit any Sushi restaurant and enjoy fresh, delicious
food, another option is to learn how to make Sushi at home.
For some reason, many people feel intimidated when it
comes to making Sushi but in reality, the process is not
complicated and the results will be exactly as you would find
in a Sushi restaurant. Just
imagine having a dinner party and serving fresh, homemade
Sushi!
There are
three types of Sushi – Narezushi, Hayazushi, and
Namanarizushi. The
most commonly served is Hayazushi, which is what you find in
Sushi rolls and the type of Sushi most often sold in
restaurants. To
make Sushi, you do not need expensive equipment and any
specialty spices can be purchased at most grocery stores.
If needed, you can locate an Asian store where you live
to find the various things you need or order online.
To get
started, you will need to set out the things needed to make
your Sushi:
- Bowl
of water containing three lemon slices
- Bamboo
Sushi roll mat
- Sharp
knife
- Clean
cutting board
- Pack
of roasted seaweed
- Clean,
wet hand towel
- Cooled
Sushi rice
- Bowl
of wasabi made from one part water and one part wasabi
powder (condiment)
Using your
knife and cutting board, cut the seaweed in half.
Roll it out on the front end of the bamboo mat.
Moisten your hands with the lemon water, take 5 ounces
of rice, and form it into the shape of a rod.
Spread the rice from left to right onto one-half of the
seaweed. Moisten
your hands again and use the wet towel to wipe them off, which
will be done each time after handling the rice.
Leaving about
1/2-inch at the top of the seaweed spread the rice out evenly,
leaving a slight groove in the center.
This groove is where you will place the fish or
vegetables. Moisten
and wipe your hands again.
Next, place the strip of fish or vegetables of choice
in the groove. Carefully,
lift and roll the front end of the bamboo mat to the other end
of the rice, pressing slightly.
Now roll the
mat from the other end. The
1/2-inch space you left will be sealed with the other end of
the seaweed. Next,
press the mat lightly at the center, sliding your hands down
to the ends. Gently
remove the mat and press both ends of the seaweed to create a
tight seal. To
serve, use the sharp knife to cut into 3/4–inch pieces,
creating a round circle filled with fish and/or vegetables.
For
professional chefs, you will find that Sushi comes in a
variety of shapes, each a personal signature of the chef’s
skill. After you
have some practice in making Sushi, you too can create your
own signature shape if you like.
Remember to be patient.
While making Sushi is not difficult, it does require
getting used to. If
you find that you and the rice are having a battle and the
rice is winning, just remember to remoisten your hands and
wipe them on the towel.
To serve your
Sushi, there are three primary condiments:
- Soy
Sauce – This condiment is healthy and the perfect choice
if your Sushi has fish, as it will help to bring out the
natural flavors
- Wasabi
Paste – If you like hot and spicy, you will love Wasabi
Paste. This
appears as a green glob but it is actually made from
horseradish and is not for the faint of heart.
- Pickled
Ginger – This condiment should not be eaten with fish.
Actually, the pickled ginger is used to cleanse the
palette if you are eating a variety of Sushi types.
As you finish one variety, you take a very small
bite of the pickled ginger and then move on to the next
variety of Sushi.
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