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| My first attempt ever at Sushi (and not looking too bad if I do say so myself!!) And here's how I did it...... |
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| I tried two different sushi rice types, Haruka and Kotobuki. Both are cooked using the same measurements and techniques; basically its 1 cup rice to 1.5 cups water; bring to the boil in a large pan, then simmer until the water has evaporated (approx. 8-10 mins); leave covered in the pan to cool. The rice is used at room temperature. If using a seasoning for the rice, it should be stirred through whilst the rice is still hot, otherwise it will lose its consistency / stickiness. |
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| And this is how sticky the rice gets.... use a bowl of cold water to rinse your hands to remove the grains. |
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| Unlike the Kotobuki rice, Haruka rice doesn't require any rinsing, and has a much shinier appearance to the grain. Both varieties gave the same end result though (although this one had more of a bite to it). |
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| Just some of the ingredients used as fillings: cucumber, ginger, chilli (a personal preference), wasabi sauce, japanese radish, lemon and lime. Obviously fish or meats would be good; egg strips were popular in Japan; and we even ate a sweet sushi, rice wrapped in a pancake rather than seaweed with a maple syrup type sugar sauce poured over. |
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| Using a bamboo mat for rolling (although a silicone baking sheet would be just as effective), place the seaweed sheet so that the glossy side faces down - the rice is placed on the rougher looking side. To spread the sticky rice, rinse your hands in cold water, scoop a handful of rice into a ball, then spread the rice by pushing it to cover the seaweed. The thinner the layer of rice, the easier it will be to roll up. Another tip: cover your bamboo mat in clingfilm or a bag to stop the rice sticking to it, and to give a cleaner finish. |
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| Add the required filling to the rice, spreading the flavours evenly. |
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| Using the mat, roll the seaweed into a long sausage shape; keep rolling and applying pressure until it is of a firm, dense texture. The seaweed sheet becomes quite elastic and pliable from the moisture of the fillings, so don't be afraid or it. |
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Cut the sushi roll down the middle. |
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| Match the ends of the roll, and trim off the rough edge. Presentation is everything!! |
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| et Voila (don't know the Japanese equivalent), here's the sushi. Add a dab of soy sauce, fish sauce, chilli sauce, etc for dipping. Yum, a nice, healthy meal - much more filling than it looks. |
