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!