ようこそ (Yōkoso) - Welcome!
The summer is here in full blast and so is the heat and humidity. Today, I cannot even bear the thought of getting near the stove, oven, or anything that produces heat as I may melt. However, the family is hungry and is wondering what is cooking in Healthy World Cuisine tonight- well actually nothing. I am not going to "cook" a thing. I am going to "prepare and facilitate" some delicious simple sushi dishes without even breaking a sweat.
Sushi 寿司 is a Japanese dish that uses rice seasoned with sweet-rice vinegar. Raw fish can be used in sushi but the main element is rice. Japan is an island surrounded by abundant fish in the seas and the most plentiful crop is rice and therefore it is easy to see why these dishes are so popular. The first types of sushi called Nare-zushi (馴れ寿司, 熟寿司), was first developed in Southeast Asia. Fish was salted and wrapped in fermented rice and was stored for months at a time for preservation. The fermented rice was discarded and fish was the only part consumed. Then during the Edo period, rice was mixed with vinegar, fish, vegetables and dried nori (seaweed). This type of sushi is still very popular today and the type we are going to be making in Healthy World Cuisine. One of my teenagers like spicy tuna rolls and my other teenager likes sushi with vegetables only. Sushi is great way to get the family involved in making the rolls and having fun inventing their own combinations.
When we lived in Japan, my favorite sushi restaurants were Kaiten-zushi. Kaiten-zushi is a sushi restaurant where the plates with the sushi are placed on a rotating conveyor belt that winds through the restaurant and moves past every table and counter seat. Customers may place special orders, but most simply pick their selections from a steady stream of fresh sushi moving along the conveyor belt. The final bill is based on the number and type of plates of the consumed sushi. This is a fun and inexpensive way to enjoy sushi.
This is a special tribute to all the dear Japanese people who were affected by the Tsunami and the devastation. May you keep your strength to rebuild and renew.
- 2 ¼ cups short grain sushi rice
- 3 cups water
- 1 package of dried nori leaves for sushi
- 1 package of dry powdered sushi seasoning or (¼ cup rice vinegar, ¼ cup sugar, 1 ¼ teaspoon salt)
- thinly sliced assorted vegetables such as cucumbers, carrots, daikon, advocado
- thinly sliced sushi grade fish such as maguro (tuna), salmon, ebi (shrimp), imitation crab, or whatever you like.
- rice vinegar (little bowl for dipping your hands and knife to keep it clean)
- sushi bamboo mat
- pickled ginger (optional)
- wasabi (optional
- soy sauce (tamari sauce) for dipping (optional)
- japanese pickles
Step 1: Wash the rice until water runs clear
Ingredients
- sushi rice -
- water -
- dried nori leaves -
- sushi seasoning -
- rice vinegar -
- sugar or sugar alternative -
- salt -
- carrots -
- cucumber -
- diakon radish -
- advocado -
- tuna (sushi grade) -
- shrimp (sushi grade) -
- pickled ginger -
- wasabi -
- tamari (soy) sauce -
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