Sushi, Sushi, Sushi

Sushi isn't just available in a restaurant or takeaway....

Its just as easy to make it yourself and also twice as fun! 

I first made sushi nearly two years ago, after returning from China and inevitably exploring London's China town and the chinese supermarkets. 


I think the best thing about making sushi is picking the things you like best to go inside. If you really hate avocado, take it out. If you are in love with cucumber, stuff it in, its all your choice.
The same goes for the meat element, there is a huge variety of meat and fish you can choose from, such as beef, duck and chicken to salmon, tuna, crab, prawn and eel. You can even stick to a simple, good old vegetarian options, such as omelette, tofu or one of the best being philadelphia (or cream cheese to be correct).  


Now, forget thinking you need a million and one things to make it. 
The key elements to sushi are:
1) Sushi Rice (japanese rice)
2) Nori Sheets (Dry Seaweed)
3) Mirin - (rice wine vinegar)
4) Makisu - Bamboo rolling mat
5) Vegetables (eg cucumber, carrot, avocado)
6) Neta - raw fish/meat


Tip: My best advice is go to a chinese supermarket for these products. They are better quality and half the price of those in western supermarkets, plus its all part of the experience. 



The two types of Sushi I generally make are:

Nigiri sushi (hand-formed sushi) consists of an oval-shaped ball of sushi rice topped with a slice of another item e.g. meat, fish or veg like asparagus. (easier to make) 




Maki sushi (rolled sushi) consists of sushi rice and other ingredients rolled together with a sheet of nori.

Sushi has become very popular around the world and this has resulted in the creation of western-style sushi, rarely seen in Japan. This begun in the 1970s in the United States with the california roll, to slowly introduce the concept of sushi without focusing on raw fish. For this they used imitation crab, avocado and cucumber. From this many more styles have become popular.

Western-style sushi examples:

Alaska Roll: variant of California roll, with raw salmon inside, or layered outside

California Roll: Containing avocado, kani kama (crab stick) or real crab, cucumber and in some places roe (fish eggs around the outside)

Philadelphia Roll: with raw or smoked salmon, cream cheese, cucumber or avocado.

Rainbow roll: is a california roll with around 6-7 types of sashimi ( yellowtail, tuna, salmon, snapper, white fish eel, etc) and avocado wrapped around it.

Seattle Roll: containing cucumber, avocado and raw or smoked salmon.

Spider Roll: with soft shell crab, cucumber, avocado, lettuce roe and sometimes spicy mayonnaise. 

Condiments:
When eating sushi, always serve with soya sauce, wasabi, gari (sushi ginger) and as I found out the other day, sweet chilli sauce is also great. 


Nutritional value:
The main ingredients used in traditional Japanese sushi i.e raw meat/fish and rice are low in fat and high in protein, carbs, vitamins and minerals. However, some western-style sushi varieties are now incorporating more fat with cream cheese, mayonnaise and avocado. It can still be said to be a great healthy alternative offering a lot of vitamins and minerals such as calcium and iodine from shrimp. 


Hot Sushi Rolls:
New varieties of sushi have developed from the traditional Japanese sushi and one type that I tried in Russia (a place obsessed with sushi) is hot sushi rolls. Basically fried sushi rolls. I have to admit I did quite like it, however it does take away from sushi's low-fat charm. 
Now onto the method of making sushi:
To make both Maki Sushi and Nigri Sushi use:
Ingredients:

• 255g/9oz- Sushi Rice
  55ml/2fl oz- Mirin
  340g/12oz- sashimi quality Salmon, cut into long thin strips
  4 sheets- Nori sushi sheets
  1- Cucumber cut into long pieces
  1- Carrot
  1- Avocado
  N.B. Nigiri Sushi will only use the rice and salmon in chunks.

Firstly cook your rice:
1)Rinse the rice very well under cold water. 
2) Drain, put into a large saucepan. Pour over 1 pint of water.
3) Bring to the boil, then simmer for about 25 minutes till nearly all the water has been absorbed.
4) Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
Then:
5) Put the rice into a flat preferably metallic tray (to allow it to cool quicker) and add the mirin, coating the rice.


To make the sushi:
6) Slice your vegetables and meat/fish into long strips.
7) Use the bamboo rolling mat and put a sheet of the Nori (seaweed) on it
8) Cover 3/4 of the seaweed with the rice to 1/2cm thick, leave the last 1/4 furthest from you free.
9)In lines around the 1st quarter, add your salmon slices, avocado, cucumber and carrot (or whichever ingredients you decide you wanted in your sushi) 
10) Roll up the sushi mat, tucking in the closest end of the sushi to start the roll. Press tightly ensure it is nice and compact.
11) Wrap in cling film until ready to cut and serve.
12) When ready to serve, use a slightly wet knife, trim the ends and cut into 6-8 pieces.


When making Nigiri sushi: Just use the rice to form an oval shaped ball (with about 3/4 tbsp rice, add a drop of wasabi paste and add your raw seafood/fish or vegetables on top (in this case salmon) 


So go ahead, don't waste time, do what we did and have a sushi dinner party. Its fun, easy and tastes great. Show you've learnt something new and once you've mastered these ones... try the harder varieties.