Jan 30 2010

Sushi Making – Secrets Revealed


How to Make Sushi – Secrets Revealed – What Sushi Restaurant Owners Do Not Want to Tell You
By Magdalene Tan

When it comes to food, we all have our weaknesses. Some people just cannot resist another bite of chocolate or that beef burger oozing with all its juices.

For me, I love Sushi! Sushi is NOT just about raw fish and caviar. The varieties and ingredients are as wide ranging as your imagination can be. You can roll a sushi with egg, avocado, carrots, cucumber, beef, prawns and the list goes on and on.

More importantly, Sushi is extremely healthy. It is heavily pack with nutrients and minerals. A typical setting of 7 – 9 pieces contains about 300-450 calories. Not only are they low in fat, the fishes used provide protein and are rich in Omega 3 fatty acid, the vegetables are a great source of vitamins and the Nori (seaweed sheet) is rich in iodine. Even the sushi rice provides complex carbohydrates. You really cannot get a more nutritious meal and snack than this.

There are 5 good reasons why you should make your own sushi and we will go through each of them in this article.

1. Sushi is one of the fast growing healthy fast food

2. Sushi can be prepared very quickly

3. Sushi is very easy and fun to prepare. Even a child can help out

4. Sushi can be prepared very economically i.e. on shoestring budget

5. Sushi makes great party food

Unfortunately, for many people, sushi is extremely pricey. Any Sushi Lover will tell you that sushi dining is kept for that special occasion because of its price tag. Seeing how Sushi Masters stalwartly wave their razor sharp Yanagi Ba knives and their deft hand movement, it is no wonder that we think that making sushi is best left to these highly skilled and talented Sushi Chefs. Did you know that it is actually a misconception that only sushi master can carve out a decent sushi platter? I will let you into a little secret… You do not even need to know how to use chopsticks to know how to make sushi, what’s more eat it!

Making sushi is one of the easiest tricks of the trade. The good news is you can learn to make sushi in no time and on really shoestring budget as well.

Let us very quickly run through the usual ingredients that you will need. You can get Japanese Sushi rice grains, Nori and Sushi mat from most Oriental supermarkets. For all other ingredients such as beef, prawns, capsicum, carrots, cucumbers and really any ingredient that you fancy putting into your sushi roll; they are easily available from your local supermarket. By the way, there is minimal cooking involved, so even if you are not a great cook, you can still be your very own Sushi Master. Most of the work and fun of course, is in cutting up the ingredients and rolling them up into sushi rolls. There are really no special skills or talent needed to roll the sushi. The motion in rolling a sushi roll is identical to rolling up a towel into a baton! It is that easy. There is a very simple video in the link below that will show you exactly how this is done.

You will be amazed by the spread and colours of your sushi platter from just these basic ingredients. To give your platter the “restaurant look” you can include garnishing and decorations made from thin strips of carrots and cucumbers or you can use cookie cutters to cut out carrots and cucumbers into shapes of flowers.

Just these tips alone will allow you to throw a brilliant sushi party at home. Your guests will be able to eat till their hearts’ content without you feeling the pinch in your pocket. In fact, I will suggest that they join you in rolling their own sushi. It is a lot of fun to get everyone involve making homemade sushi and the truth is making sushi is really not rocket science.

Never again will you have to resort to eating the cold, gunny sushi rolls sold in supermarkets or even sushi bars and restaurants. You will derive so much more pleasure in sinking your teeth in the warm and moist homemade sushi rolls.

For decades, Sushi restaurants and bars have fiercely guarded these tips and tricks and kept these secrets from the public domain, which are now made available to you. I strongly encourage you to try your hands on making sushi and I promise that you will never look back.

To find out more about how to make sushi, watch a video demonstration of making sushi and obtain more information about The Art of Sushi Dining and get more Sushi Recipes, visit http://www.HowtoMakeSushi.co.uk.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Magdalene_Tan

http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Make-Sushi—Secrets-Revealed—What-Sushi-Restaurant-Owners-Do-Not-Want-to-Tell-You&id=3645784


Dec 18 2008

Sushi Making 101

Arthor: Anne Rivera

If you want to make sushi, you should know that there are more varieties to sushi than the ordinary fusion of raw fish and rice. A Japanese staple that has earned the favor of the rest of the world, sushi is now considered to be one of the most popular Asian dishes. Sushi has evolved into more than a culinary treat but an enduring art form, after it has originated in the Muromachi period when fish and rice were first fermented together.
Some Truths About Sushi

Making sushi can be done in several ways, whether rolled in nori sheets, stuffed inside tofu pouches, or even scattered over vinegared rice. All these make sushi a versatile dish that can be eaten anytime during the day. Contrary to popular notion, sushi does not refer to the raw fish or raw seafood itself. Sushi is actually the vinegared rice that is served together with the raw or cooked seafood, and then dipped in sauces before eating.

It is important to note however, that fish and other seafood used in making sushi can either be raw or cooked. Although the traditional means of serving sushi involves placing a slice of raw fish on top of a bed of vinegared rice and then tying these with a band of nori, the contemporary ways of serving this Oriental staple have embraced the use of non-traditional ingredients like cucumber, mayonnaise and wasabi sauces and even mango strips.

The Basics of Sushi Making

If you want to make sushi, consider first if you would rather eat raw seafood or not. You can always use other substitutes such as boiled crab meat, squid, shrimp, fish roe, and even sea urchin.

Making nigiri sushi is very simple, and you only need seasoned or vinegared rice as the base, a slice of raw or cooked fish or any other seafood, and wasabi sauce. Sushi rice can be prepared ahead of time, and this can be done by boiling short grained rice and water in equal proportions until the rice is cooked. You can then add a tablespoon of sushi vinegar per cup of rice.

In order to make sushi of the nigiri variety, start by shaping a small mound of sushi rice through your hands. Use about two tablespoons of rice and roll them into a well-shaped oval. Flatten the top of the mound and spread wasabi paste on the surface. If you don’t fancy wasabi however, you can omit this step. Finally, you can place the thin slice of raw fish or shrimp on top, usually about 2×5 cm in size. To secure the sushi, cut a strip of nori and wrap the thin band around the rice and fish.

Maki sushi is a roll of nori, sushi and fillings which are cut into medium sizes. Temaki sushi involves shaping the nori into a cone and stuffing it with rice and fillings. Chirashi sushi is just scattered sushi, with toppings of vegetables and sashimi spread over the sushi rice. You can also make sushi without using the nori but tofu pouches instead. This is called the inari sushi.

Important Sushi Tips

When you use raw fish or seafood, remember to choose the freshest ones available. Sushi masters typically prefer to use deep saltwater fish types like salmon and tuna since they are normally free from parasites. Fresh water fish are more prone to parasites, thus placing you at risk for infection and diseases.

There are several health issues confronting the consumption of sushi on a regular basis and one of these is the alarming levels of mercury present in raw fish and other seafood. However, you can always choose to have the fish cooked or to enjoy other fillings as well. Fish is an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids and is a better alternative to most red meats. When you make sushi, always remember that you can enjoy this exotic treat in more delicious ways than one.

Website: http://foodandanne.blogspot.com and http://www.mysushiset.com/

May 20 2008

What You Need Before You Make Sushi

Your Sushi Kitchen

Article Written By: Marisa Baggett

To get started making sushi from your home kitchen, there are a few essentials you’ll need to have on hand.

Equipment
Rice cooker- Perfecting sushi rice on the stovetop can be quite nerve wrecking and tricky. I recommend purchasing a rice cooker and all recipes given for rice assumes that a rice cooker is used. You don’t have to purchase an expensive one. Many discount stores and Asian markets sell models that are less than $30. To make your rice cooker more cost effective, use it for cooking other grains such as barley.
Wire Mesh Strainer or Colander-  You’ll need a strainer, plastic or wire, to allow the sushi rice to drain. If you don’t have one with small holes, a standard kitchen colander lined with lint-free kitchen towels should do the trick.
Wooden or Plastic Cutting board- Although you may use a large bowl to toss the vinegar dressing into your freshly steamed rice, a flat surface is superior as it ensures that all grains are dressed evenly. Try using a wooden carving board with a grooved edge to catch drips. Just be sure to purchase one that is for sushi use only! When using wood, make sure that it is wet before tossing the rice.
Wooden Spoon or Paddle- You’ll need a non-metallic utensil to toss your sushi rice in the vinegar dressing. If using a wooden utensil, be sure to dip it in water before tossing the rice.
Sharp Knife – Unless you plan on frequent use, it is not necessary to purchase a sushi knife. Any sharp kitchen knife will do for making sushi at home.
Maki Su (Bamboo Rolling Mat) – A rolling mat is essential and can usually be found wherever sushi products are sold. For easy cleanup, tightly wrap your mat in plastic wrap in before each use. Remove and toss used plastic wrap before storing mat. To clean the mat itself, submerge in warm soapy water and brush food particles away with a non-abrasive soft bristled brush. Rinse well with warm water and allow to stand upright until completely dry.
Several Lint Free Kitchen Towels – Towels with small fibers are best.
Bowl for Hand Water – Any size bowl will do for this purpose. All you need is room to wet your fingers.

Food Essentials
Short or Medium Grain California Rice – You may find in the beginning that medium grain rice is easier to work with as the grains are larger easy to grasp. When buying sushi rice, make sure that most of the grains are unbroken. Lots of broken grains produce mushy rice.
Sushi Nori – The seaweed nori that is used for sushi usually comes two ways: full sized 8in by 71/4 in or half sized 4in by 71/4 in. If purchasing the full sized sheets, you’ll need to half them in width. Do this by folding the seaweed, a few sheets at a time,  in half horizontally, then crease.
Look for seaweed that is crisp and shiny. Check to make sure that the seaweed isn’t broken or bent.
Always stored opened nori in a tightly sealed plastic bag to retain crispiness. And keep nori covered with plastic during use.
Unseasoned Rice Vinegar  – Unseasoned rice vinegar should not have salt or sugar added.
Salt  – Fine sea salt or table salt works best.
Sugar – Granulated or raw turbinado sugar works best.
Wasabi Powder – Real wasabi root can be pricey and hard to come by. This manufactured powder is based on horseradish and needs just a touch of water to make a paste.
Pickled Ginger – Also called shoga, sushi shoga, gari. This condiment is used as a palate cleanser in between bites of sushi.
Japanese Soy Sauce – Soy sauce is brewed differently depending on its country of origin. For best results, use Japanese brands as they are most suited for dipping. For sushi, many people prefer to use the lower sodium varieties for dipping. In recipes, such as ponzu, that call for soy sauce, be sure to use the full strength.
Your choice of toppings and fillings.

Now that your sushi pantry is stocked, let’s get rolling!

May 15 2008

How to Make Sushi Rice

How to Make Sushi Rice

Article Written By: Marisa Baggett

cook-rice.jpg

Sticky Rice is the foundation of all great sushi as the definition of sushi is vinegar dressed rice. Though ingredients and freshness of fish may vary from one sushiya (sushi bar) to the next, it is the rice that truly determines an establishment’s uniqueness and each itamae (sushi chef) usually has his or her own custom recipe for sushi rice.

The carefully followed steps of preparation should yield sufficiently seasoned, toothsome grains that are high in gloss and easily separated yet simultaneously sticky. In other words, sushi rice should easily adhere to itself and the sushi nori, yet grains should separate and disperse easily and evenly across the tongue with each bite. With flavorful rice, the amount of soy sauce needed is greatly lessened and sometimes completely unnecessary.

From start to finish it takes about 1 1⁄2 hours to prepare sushi rice. Be sure to give each step the time it needs to be thoroughly completed.

Recipe for Sushi Rice

Yields: approx 8 cups
4 cups California short grain rice
4 cups minus 2 tablespoons water
Vinegar Dressing for Sushi Rice

1⁄4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice, optional

WASH Before cooking the rice, place in a medium sized bowl and swish with cold water at least 4 times to remove the excess starches.
RINSE Place rice in strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water.
DRAIN Allow rice to drain in strainer for 10 minutes.

STEAM Place rice and measured water in a rice cooker. Start a timer or make note of the time as rice is done after exactly 40 minutes.
MARINATE While the rice cooks, mix the vinegar, sugar, salt and lime juice if desired in a small cup or bowl. Set aside. Do not heat to dissolve sugar and do not refrigerate.
After rice is cooked, turn onto a large plastic or wooden cutting board making sure to omit any browned parts. With a wet wooden spoon, gently toss the rice with the vinegar mixture. Toss well ensuring that each grain is dressed. COOL Allow rice to cool to room temperature. Cover with a damp, lint-free kitchen towel or paper towel.

DO have plenty of dampened, lint-free kitchen towels or paper towels available for use. Sticky rice is just as it sounds-sticky!

DO inspect your kitchen area and clothes thoroughly after making sushi. Sushi rice is notorious for finding its way into other rooms and strange places. One usual suspect? Your shoes! Make sure to check the bottoms and sides of shoes, especially ones with deeply grooved bottoms to prevent rice from finding its way outside the kitchen.

DO wash hands before as well as during the process of handling sushi rice.

DON’T apply lotions or hand creams before making sushi. The rice will absorb any scent from hands.

DON’T handle strong onions or garlic with bare hands before making sushi.

DO remove rings, bracelets and watches while making sushi.

DO always remember to have fun!

Perfect sushi rice =toothsome , easily separated grains of flavorful rice