SUSHI RICE

Let's start from cooking the sushi rice. As the taste of sushi depends on how
well the rice is cooked, it's important to make the rice properly. People
become regulars to a sushi bar because the taste of sushi rice is suitable to
them. See the sushi rice recipe for how to prepare it.

Tips for Making Sushi Rice

• Add vinegar mixture to the rice when the rice is still hot.
• Cool the rice quickly using a fan so that it will look shiny.
• Use a spatula to mix the rice, using a cut and fold motion so that you
don't smash the rice grains.

Prepare the toppings (called neta in sushi terms). Take fresh raw fish and
slice them into rectangular pieces (1 1/2 inch by 2 inch size). If you are using
squid (ika), shrimp (ebi), or octopus (tako) for your topping, you might want
to put the pieces into boiling water for a few seconds.

Now, wet your palms and fingers with the sushi vinegar
mixture used to make sushi rice above. Take about two
tablespoons of sushi rice in your hand and shape it into
an oval mound. Take a slice ingredient and put a dab
of wasabi on top. Then, place the oval shaped sushi
rice on top and press with your fingers. The wasabi
should be placed between the rice and the topping.
Turn the sushi over so that sushi rice is at the bottom.
Shaping Sushi Rice
Copyright:
Setsuko Yoshizuka

WASHABI -Japanese Horseradish

Wasabi (Japanese horseradish) is an essential condiment in Japanese cuisine.

It's the light green paste that accompanies sushi, seafood, noodle dishes,
and more. Typically, people dip sashimi (raw fish) slices in a mixture of
wasabi and soy sauce. Wasabi is said to be effective as an antidote to
prevent food poisoning. That is one reason that wasabi is served with sushi
and raw fish slices.

Ideally, to use fresh wasabi, the rhizome is grated by a metal grater. But the
availability of fresh wasabi rhizomes is usually low, and 100 % real, fresh
wasabi is rarely used. Wasabi powder, which is used by mixing with water, or
tubed wasabi, is substituted for fresh wasabi.

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The powdered wasabi is made mainly from seiyo-wasabi (western
horseradish) powder, mustard powder, and food colorings. Also, the
Japanese brands of tubed wasabi (such as S&B) include both real wasabi and
western horseradish. It's more convenient and cheaper to use the wasabi
substitutes than using fresh wasabi. But, the taste and smell of real wasabi
can never be matched. If you are using the powdered wasabi, mix with it
water right before you intend to use it. You can ensure the best flavor that
way.

Wasabi can grow in the ground, but commonly it's cultivated in water. It's
said that it's very difficult to grow wasabi. For wasabi cultivation, clean water
is essential, and the temperature must be mild (heat must be avoided).
When the wasabi plant grows to nearly 20 inches tall, with green leaves on
the head, the rhizome grows above the root and the plant is ready for
harvesting. See the Pacific Farms page to learn more about how wasabi
grows.

Since the flavor is wonderful, you might want to use fresh wasabi in your
cooking. If you want to buy fresh wasabi, there is a place online that sell it.

SUSHI RICE

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups Japanese-style rice

• 3 1/4 cups water
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt

PREPARATION:

After washing the rice well, cook it by pan or rice cooker. See how to cook
Japanese rice. Prepare sushi vinegar (sushi-zu) by mixing rice vinegar, sugar
and salt in a small pan.
Put the pan on low heat and cook until the sugar dissolves. Cool the vinegar
mixture. Spread the cooked hot rice into a large plate (if you have it, use a
wooden bowl called sushi-oke) by spatula. Sprinkle the vinegar mixture over
the rice and fold the rice by shamoji very quickly. Be careful not to smash
the rice. To cool and remove the moisture of the rice well, use a fan as you
mix sushi rice. This will give sushi rice a shiny look. It's best to use it right
away.

Makes 6 cups of sushi rice.

1. CALIFORNIA ROLL

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INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups sushi rice

• 4 sheets of nori (dried seaweed)
• 1 avocado
• 3/4 cup crab meat
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp salt

PREPARATION:

Peel an avocado and cut it into strips or mash it. Put imitation crab in a bowl
and mix with salt and mayonnaise. Cover a bamboo mat with plastic wrap.
Put a sheet of dried seaweed on top of the mat. Spread sushi rice on top of
the seaweed and press firmly. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the sushi rice.
Turn the sushi layer over so that the seaweed is on top. Place avocado and
crab lengthwise on the seaweed. Roll the bamboo mat forward, pressing the
ingredients inside the cylinder-shaped sushi. Press firmly the bamboo mat
with hands, then remove the rolled sushi. Cut the sushi roll into bite-sized
pieces

2. TUNA SUSHI ROLL

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups sushi rice

• 4 sheets of nori (dried seaweed)
• 4 ounces raw tuna sashimi

PREPARATION:

Cut the tuna into thin and long sticks. Put a nori sheet on top of a bamboo
mat (makisu). Spread the sushi rice on top of the nori sheet. Place the tuna
sticks lengthwise on the rice.
Roll up the bamboo mat, pressing forward to shape the sushi into a cylinder.
Press the bamboo mat firmly and remove it from the sushi. Cut the rolled
sushi into bite-sized pieces.

Makes 4 rolls

3. TUNA SALAD ROLL

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INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups sushi rice

• 4 sheets of nori (dried seaweed)
• 4 lettuce leaves
• 2/3 cup can of tuna
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp chopped onion

PREPARATION:

Mix the chopped onion, tuna, and mayonnaise in a bowl. (make your favorite
tuna salad.) Put a nori sheet on top of a bamboo mat (makisu). Spread sushi
rice on top of the nori sheet.
Put a lettuce leaf on top of the sushi rice.
Place the tuna salad lengthwise on the rice. Roll up the bamboo mat,
pressing forward to shape the sushi into a cylinder. Press the bamboo mat
firmly and remove it from the sushi. Cut the rolled sushi into bite-sized
pieces.
* If you prefer it to be spicy, you can add karashi mustard in the tuna salad.

4. SALMON OSHIZUSHI

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups sushi rice

• 10 slices smoked salmon
• 1 tsp sake rice wine
• 1 tsp lemon juice

PREPARATION:

Sprinkle sake and lemon juice over smoked salmon slices and set aside for
10 min. Spread a sheet of plastic wrap at the bottom and sides of a
tupperware. Press sushi rice in the tupperware and flatten.
Place salmon slices on top of the rice. Cover the sushi with a sheet of plastic
wrap and press the sushi with a sheet of cardboard paper which is cut into
the same size as the tupperware. After firming sushi, take out sushi from the
tupperware and cut into bite-sized pieces and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Sushi Party
Making Own Sushi Rolls

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Hand Rolled Sushi

Related Resources
• Sushi - Nigiri-zushi
• Sushi Rolls
• About Entertainment Site

Nigiri-zushi (hand-pressed sushi) and maki-zushi (sushi roll) are the most
commonly eaten sushi and can be served at your home party. But having
your guests make their own sushi would be fun! This type of sushi is called
temaki-zushi (means "hand-rolled sushi" in Japanese.) Each guest rolls
his/her own sushi, choosing his/her favorites ingredients. As a host, you
prepare various ingredients so that your guests have lots of choices. It's easy
to prepare since all you have to do is to cut and place the ingredients on a
large plate and to prepare sushi rice.

How to prepare for Sushi Party (making sushi rolls):

1. Cut ingredients into sticks or slices.

2. Place the ingredients on a large plate.
3. Cut nori seaweed into small squares. (*cut a sheet of nori into
quarters.)
4. Prepare sushi rice and put it in a large bowl or a large plate. (I suggest
using a decorative dish.)
5. Provide a spatula with a large bowl of sushi rice so that guests can
scoop the rice.
6. Serve soysauce with a tab of wasabi in a small dish for each guest for
dipping sushi.
7. Place some dishes of pickled ginger on the table.
8. Prepare a wet hand towel for each guest for cleaning hands.

Temaki-zushi Setting
Copyright 2002: Setsuko Yoshizuka

Common Ingredients:

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Avocado, cucumber, scallops, sweet omelet, raw tuna, raw salmon, crab
meat, squid, salmon egg, lettuce, and more.

Suggestions for Drink:

• Green tea
• Sake
• Japanese Beer

How to Make Temaki-zushi:

1. Clean your hands by a wet towel.

2. Take a piece of nori.
3. Place a small amount of sushi rice on top of the nori.
4. Pick your favorite ingredients from the plate and put them on top of
the sushi rice.
5. Roll the nori into a cone shape to wrap the ingredients and rice.
6. Dip the sushi in the soy sauce and wasabi mixture and eat.
7. Repeat this process when you finish eating a piece of sushi.

PICKLED GINGER

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large ginger roots

• 1 cup rice wine vinegar
• 5-7 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt

PREPARATION:

Peel the ginger root. Cut the ginger into medium-sized pieces and salt it.
Leave the ginger in a bowl for 30 min. Put the ginger into a jar. Mix rice
vinegar and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil. Pour the hot mixture of
vinegar and sugar on the ginger.

Cool, then cover with a lid and place in the refrigerator. In a week, the ginger
change its color to light pink. Slice thinly to serve. The pickled ginger lasts
about a month in the fridge.