By Steve J Gerwig

When making sushi at home you need at certain amount of dry ingredients on hand to use in almost all sushi recipes. Unless otherwise noted, you will need to use these items within approximately 6 months and store them in a cool, dry, dark place, such as a pantry or cupboard. The following is a list of some of the more common dry ingredients you will need.

The Rice

White short or medium grain rice is best. Long grain white rice will not do. It cooks up dry and fluffy, you need your sushi rice to be moist and sticky so it clings together when making your sushi rolls. If possible try to shop in a local asian market or go online to find Japanese short grain rice. Some good brands include Koshihikari and Akita Komachi.

Dried kelp (Dashi Konbu)

Added to the rice while cooking, it adds a faint sea taste to the rice that is desirable in most finished sushi rolls. It resembles a broad, leathery, wrinkly ribbon. The darker green the better, reddish brown Dashi Konbu is usually old and less tasteful.

Dried Bonito Flakes (Katsuobushi)

Katsuobushi are shaved flakes of steamed or boiled, smoked and then dried Bonito (Tuna). Used in soups mainly, it needs to be stored in the freezer if not used within a month of first opening.

Powdered Green Tea (Matcha)

Matcha is used in the Japanese tea ceremony, but when purchased for sushi making it is usually combined with sugar or salt to use as a seasoning in certain recipes. Store opened packages in the freezer.

Sheets of Dried Seaweed (Nori)

Nori is dried sheets of seaweed used in the making of most of the sushi recipes for rolls. The best tasting Nori is dark green verging on black. Common sizes are 7 inches by 8 inches. It can be cut or broken (depending on how crisp it is) into smaller sizes for use in different sized rolls. Store in a tightly sealed bag in the freezer, then heat it in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 seconds before use.

That is some of the more common dry items you will need to make your sushi at home. Check any recipes you are going to use to see if you need any additional ingredients before beginning your sushi making.

Steve has been in the construction business for over 25 years and is starting to share his expertise by writing articles and creating websites. You can see his website on Orlando Signs by clicking on the link Orlando Signs.

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By Tony Fliven

There are several different kinds of food that fall under the all-encompassing category of what we as Americans refer to as ’sushi’. The most commonly known variety, that of makizushi is a long roll consisting of rice, nori and fillings that has been cut into 6-8 pieces. Nigiri usually consists of just a piece of raw fish over a chunk of rice. Sashimi is just a piece of raw fish.

Makizushi is normally divided in two varieties. Futomaki, or ‘fat sushi’ consists of a layer of nori on the outside, then sticky rice, then at least two different fillings in the middle. Hosomaki, or ‘thin maki’ usually is consisted of just one ingredient in the middle, usually a piece of raw fish, although vegetables and fruits may be used. If the nori is rolled up inside the roll instead of showing on the outside, it is called uramaki, or inside-out maki. This was first done because Americans did not like seeing the green nori on the outside of the roll.

Some of the most common varieties of maki rolls have sprung up especially to appeal and satisfy Western palates and cuisine. These are not technically considered to be authentic Japanese sushi, but they are very popular and can be very tasty.

The most common and ‘westernized’ recipe for maki rolls is the California roll. The California roll is usually made inside out and holds imitation crab, cucumber and avocado. The outside of the roll is sometimes covered with tobiko, or flying fish roe. The California roll is popular because it is seen as a ‘no-risk’ sushi, because it doesn’t have any raw fish. It came about from a Japanese sushi chef in Los Angeles in the 1970s who realized that the oily texture of avacodo was a perfect stand-in for raw tuna, which the original recipe called for. The California Roll is credited with spreading sushi’s popularity in the United States.

A common variant of the California roll is the Boston roll. In the Boston roll, the imitation crab meat is replaced with poached shrimp. The cucumber, avocado, rice and nori remain the same. Often, spicy sauce is added to a Boston roll, either in the roll on on the top.

A spicy shrimp roll is another variation on traditional sushi certain to appeal more to Westernized palates. It uses poached shrimp, like the Boston roll, but the shrimp is diced instead of whole. The spicy sauce is required now, and the avacado is replaced with sliced scallions. The spicy shrimp roll is usually made as an outside thick roll, but can also be rolled as a hand roll or a ship roll. It is on occasion topped with thinly sliced myoga.

Tuna roll is one of the simplest kinds of maki sushi to prepare. In Japanese, it is referred to as tekkimaki. It only consists of sushi rice, nori, and sashimi-grade tuna (raw tuna). The tuna roll is traditionally rolled up outside thick or thin, depending on preference.

Dynamite rolls are a different take on a traditional tuna roll. In sushi fusion, dynamite refers to something spicy. Dynamite rolls are tuna rolls with spicy mayonnaise drizzled over them. The mayonnaise is then burned with a chef’s torch.

The spicy tuna roll is a little less basic than the regular tuna roll. It is made with tuna trimmings prepared into spicy tuna mix instead of slices of tuna. Spicy tuna is made with tuna trimmings, scallions, chili oil, and some Japanese mayonnaise. The chopped tuna may also have cream added to it to make the consistency silkier. It is then combined with cucumber bits to make a traditional spicy tuna roll. It is usually rolled as an outside thick roll.

The Tijuana roll is served as an outside thin roll. It consists of thinly sliced yellow tail tuna and sliced jalapeno peppers. It doesn’t need any wasabi because the jalapeno is already spicy.

The spider roll is an especially weird looking sushi roll made with tempura-fried soft-shell crab rolled by itself. It is usually rolled as an outside thick roll with the legs sticking out.

The Michigan roll is a variation of the traditional spicy tuna roll that has smelt roe spicy sauce and avocado to balance the spiciness of the tuna. It is usually rolled as an outside thick roll.

Aside from maki rolls, another common kind of sushi is nigiri sushi. Nigiri sushi doesn’t always have nori, like the maki rolls do, and usually just consists of a piece of raw fish over a ball of sushi rice. Different sauces or seasonings may be used, but it is essentially just some kind of raw fish and sushi rice.

Tony Fliven is a blogger and internet marketer from Atlanta, GA. In his free time, he enjoys cooking and blogging about his efforts, especially dealing with how to make sushi.

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By Fran Sloan

Sushi is a delicious meal or even snack on its own. Sushi is essentially cooled, boiled rice mixed with rice vinegar that is typically shaped into bite-sized pieces and topped with raw seafood. Sushi can also be formed into a long seaweed wrapped roll that contains strips of vegetables or raw fish and is then sliced into bite-sized pieces.

While earlier, you’d only find sushi in select Japanese restaurants and specialty stores, these days with people getting increasingly more adventurous with their foods, sushi is also available in several grocery stores.

Making your own sushi at home, using ingredients and components that you enjoy is a labor of love that is sure to impress any die-hard sushi lover. Here are a few things you will need to begin your sushi making adventure: a bamboo rolling mat, a cutting board, a sharp knife and a large bowl.

The first step is to make the rice. You will want to use short grain or cal-rose rice. Instant rice and brown rice do not have a place in sushi. Rice should be slightly harder for sushi than other dishes, this does not mean undercooked, just not overcooked to the point of mushiness. You may also wish to rinse and drain your rice in a colander, which is optional. Once you have transferred the rice to a bowl, pour sushi vinegar over the top and mix. About one tablespoon of sushi vinegar per cup of cooked rice should do the trick. Mix well and cool. The rice mixture needs to be cooled before using to make sushi.

While cooling the rice get out nori seaweed for sushi rolls. You can find this at Asian grocery stores if it is not available in the general grocery store. Lay out your bamboo mat and if desired, cover with plastic wrap to keep it clean. Place one sheet of nori seaweed on top of it. Spread rice on top of the seaweed, leave about an inch of seaweed exposed along the edges for rolling. One of the biggest mistakes people make is using too much rice. Rice should be about 1/4th inch thick and the nori should be visible through the rice. Don’t overload the nori with rice or you will not be able to achieve a well-rolled product.

Place the items that you want inside your roll on top of the rice near the edge, the edge you will roll first. A California roll contains a slice of avocado, a slice of crab meat and a slice of cucumber. Other rolls contain different sliced vegetables or fish. Place these on top of the rice and then begin to roll. You do not have to apply to much pressure to pack the rice and other items inside the roll, the rolling process will take care of that. Slowly fold the mat over and tuck the nori as you go. Apply light pressure as you roll, removing the mat and plastic wrap as the nori rolls and takes shape. Once the roll is formed moisten your knife and cut into six to eight even pieces. Stand on end to serve.

Fran adores just spending free time in the kitchen trying out completely new recipes with the help of her crock pot. One of her all time wintertime favorites is certainly breakfast crock pot recipes.

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By David P Fishman

Making Sushi

When it comes to preparing something tasty, inexpensive, and relatively good for you, I really have to endorse sushi. Sushi is a delightfully delicious bit of Japanese cuisine that can be really intriguing and satisfying to prepare yourself. Going out to sushi bars can be fun, but costs a lot. If you learn how to make your own sushi, you’ll be able to save money, eat great and keep the kitchen cool in the summer, because don’t forget-sushi uses RAW fish. That means no cooking, which means a nice cool kitchen:)

What You Need

Sushi can have many different ingredients, but usually comprises of a few core ingredients. You’ll need special short-grained Japanese sushi rice, nori, (flattened sheets of green seaweed) and ingredients to put in the sushi roll. You’ll also need some rice vinegar, sugar and salt to add seasoning to the rice. You can get all of these things at any well-stocked local grocery store except for the nori, which you may need to go to an Asian market for. If you don’t live near an Asian market, you can look online for a sushi materials supplier. You will also need a very sharp chef’s knife or santoku. A bamboo mat is useful, but not necessary, and can also be found at an Asian grocer. Some common sides for sushi include soy sauce for dipping, wasabi paste (the spicy green stuff!) and pickled ginger (which helps clear the palate between different sushi).

First Step

The first thing you want to do is prepare the sushi rice, since it has the greatest preparation time. You need to rinse the rice very thoroughly and then let it sit in water for around 30 minutes. The soaking allows water to soften the rice grains and will make the rice cook properly. I find that 2 cups of rice prepares around 4 full maki rolls (or around 32 pieces of sushi).

Second Step

While the rice is soaking is an ideal time to prepare your components. The most common base ingredient is raw fish. Common species used include yellowfin tuna, salmon, squid or eel. Make sure your fish is very fresh (never frozen!) and preferably sashimi-grade. Go to your supermarket and ask if they have sashimi-grade fish. If they doesn’t know what you’re talking about, go somewhere else! I like to buy all my fish at the Asian market because I know it’s fresh and is of the proper quality for making sushi. In addition to fish, sushi often contains other ingredients to add different flavors or textures like avocado, cucumber, green onion, cream cheese and spicy sauces. Feel free to get a little crazy when it comes to putting ingredients into your sushi roll, as long as you keep it under 3 ingredients or so. I’ve also had delicious vegan sushi rolls that featured bananas, sweet potatoes or tofu. You’re going to require around an 8′ long strip of each one of your ingredients. How thick you cut them depends on how many ingredients you want in your roll, but i find around 1/4th inch square is pretty good for three ingredients.

Third Step

Next you need to prepare the rice. The rice should be prepared in a rice cooker which will make perfect rice AND keep your kitchen cool, but if you don’t have a rice cooker, you’ll have to make do with a microwave or stovetop. Preparing Japanese sushi rice in the microwave can be very difficult and I would strongly suggest you use the stovetop method if you don’t have a rice cooker. Place the rice in a medium sized pot with the water level just slightly above the rice level. Bring the rice to a boil, stirring frequently. Do NOT let the rice stick to the bottom or side of the pan. After the water level is down below the rice level, cover the pot and put it on low heat for 8-9 minutes.

Fourth Step

While the rice is cooking, you can prepare the rice seasoning from the rice vinegar, sugar and salt. It’s this mixture that gives sushi rice its notable sweet and sour flavor, so it’s very important to get this right, but thankfully, it’s not especially {tough|tricky|difficult] to get right. When I’m preparing 2 cups of rice, I like to use 3.5 tablespoons of vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of salt. Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan and heat until the sugar and salt dissolve. Do not let the mixture start to boil; it should never get that hot. Stir the mixture to try to make the sugar and salt dissolve fully and then keep it on very low heat until the rice is ready.

Fifth Step

When the rice is done, remove it from the pot into a wooden bowl. Treat the rice carefully-you don’t want to crush any of the grains. If any rice is stuck to the side or bottom of the pot, leave it. You don’t want any crispy rice in the sushi. It’s important to use a wooden bowl because the vinegar seasoning is about to be poured in and the vinegar may react with the metal. With the rice in the bowl, drizzle the seasoning over it and cut it in (don’t stir!) with a wooden spoon. You are just trying to coat the grains of rice with the mixture. If you stir too forecefully, you may damage the grains.

Sixth Step

Let the rice cool for a while. You need cool rice to work with when making sushi. I like to take advantage of this time to prepare the rest of my ingredients if I haven’t done so already. I also like to tidy up the kitchen at this time (you’ll be shocked how much mess you’ve made in the last 5 steps). In a sushi restaurant this is generally the time when a chef’s assistant will actually fan the rice to help it to cool down more quickly.

Seventh Step

When the rice is cool, take a small hunk of it and spread it over the bottom 5/6ths of the nori, which should be on the bamboo mat if you have one. Nori has two sides, a shiny side and a rough side. Make sure you place the shiny side down. The rice should be spread thinly enough to still see little bits of green through the rice, although you can spread it thicker than that if you have only one ingredient. When you’ve covered the whole nori sheet except the little bit at the top, you’re good. It helps to spread the sticky rice by keeping a small bowl of water nearby to dip your fingers into, so they don’t stick and get messy. Last Step

Lay your ingredients near the middle-bottom of the nori. Roll up the bottom section of the nori over the ingredients. If you have a bamboo mat, use it to make sure the roll has equal pressure applied on it and is packed tightly. Continue shifting the bamboo mat to roll up more and more of the sushi roll. When you reach the part with no rice, you can roll it over and seal it with a bit of water. Then, use a sharp knife to cut the sushi roll in half. A slight sawing motion is needed and it helps if the knife is dipped into hot water first. Double up the two halves and cut THEM in half to make quarters, and each quarter in half to make eighths. Arrange your sushi rolls on a plate and serve with soy sauce, and wasabi and ginger if you desire. Enjoy!

David Fishman is a blogger and sushi lover from Atlanta, GA. Take a look at his website How To make Sushi At Home and follow him as he blogs about awesome sushi recipes, more in-depth instructions about how to make sushi places to get sushi equipment, amazing pictures of homemade sushi and the ongoing story of his journey to become a sushi master. You can also submit pictures of YOUR homemade sushi and he’ll feature them on his site.

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Fresh Vegetables For the Sushi Making Experience
By Steve J Gerwig

Used as fillers and complementary flavors in most sushi rolls, the right fresh vegetables could make or break your sushi making reputation. Since most of these vegetables are perishable, they need to be purchased and used as soon as possible. They can be refrigerated for a short period of time before use, but the fresher they are the better the end result is with your sushi.

Below is a list of some vegetables for making sushi.

Japanese Cucumber

There are 4 very good reasons for being specific about using only Japanese cucumbers in your sushi rolls.

1. The skin is thin and delicious

2. They are not watery, so they don’t make your rolls soggy

3. No seeds

4. More tastier than their American or English counterparts

Most Japanese cucumbers are about 1 inch thick and grow to about 8 – 9 inches long.

Daikon Radish

Looking more like a giant white carrot, the Daikon Radish is usually shredded and added to soups, stews, sauces and salads. Can be stored in the fridge for about a week.

Daikon Radish Sprouts

Similar in taste and texture to alfalfa sprouts, they have a much sharper, peppery taste and will add zip to any sushi recipes that call for them.

Gingerroot

Used as a flavor enhancer in sushi. Look for one that is knobby and shiny, not wrinkled and dry. Keeps for about a week in the fridge.

Scallions

Also known as green onions, this is probably the easiest vegetable to find. Almost every grocery store will have a supply of these.

Shiso leaves

Known as Japanese basil, Shiso is a pretty little notched leaf herb. It has a minty taste and comes in red or green varieties. Red is used to color pickled vegetables and as a garnish. Green is used in making rolls. Make sure you pick leaves that look fresh, not wilted or turning dark around the edges.

There are also some pickled vegetables and frozen ingredients that are used in making sushi. Consult your recipes before making your final list so you won’t have to make repeated trips to the market to gather all your sushi making ingredients.

Steve has been writing articles on a wide variety of subjects. Come visit his latest site at http://philandtedstrollers.net/. You will find information and reviews from other Phil and Ted Strollers owners here.

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