If you’re like me, you love cooking, creating, and playing in the kitchen. But if you’re feeling like I’m feeling these days while staying safe at home, it’s tough coming up with new ideas every night after this much time.
So I was recently craving sushi and remembered my mom and I used to make it at home all the time when I was in law school. You can make a ton of it for a fraction of the cost, and it’s just fun!! We’d spend so much time in the kitchen laughing, rolling, slicing, then eating!! Most importantly, though, if you’re going with raw fish, you gotta get sushi grade!! There are endless options, you don’t even have to go raw if that’s too scary for you.
This won’t be a detailed how-to-roll, as that comes with sushi making kits (or surely is on YouTube today – we didn’t have that back when I was making it circa 2000).
Pick your fixings, I had a frozen piece of sushi grade tuna (Fresh Market has this) and let it thaw.
I had also had shrimp, avocado, and cucumber. You gotta get sushi rice and nori (the seaweed wraps). Then get started! Begin by making the rice. Do not expect it to come out as good as the restaurants, it just won’t unless you’re a rice expert – which I’m not. But good enough is good enough, there are many tricks of the trade, I’m sure, if you want to hone this skill.
The nori (seaweed wrapper) comes in sheets and you’ll need a bamboo mat for the rolling.
I added a little sushi vinegar to the rice, I didn’t have mirin, which is one of the secret sushi rice ingredients, but I decided to squeeze in just a little lime juice for some zing.
While the rice cools down enough to handle, slice up all your fixings. Long, thin slices of everything is the way to go.
I skewered the shrimp to keep them from curling while cooking and just steamed them over simmering water.
Once you’re set up, start rolling!! Lay down the seaweed (I use about 2/3 of the sheet cause the whole sheet is kind of a lot – this all takes practice, and I was definitely out of it!!).
Spread the rice – if you wet your fingers, you can spread with your hands and it doesn’t stick. Then sprinkled on toasted sesame seeds. This one was going to be rice on the outside, so lay down the rice, then get a piece of plastic wrap and put on top, then flip, fill with fish and veg, and roll!
Wet the knife before slicing into the roll.
Keep on going and have fun – possibilities abound, be creative (how-to books or tutorials help!). Here’s how mine came out:
I had a good bit of tuna after I ran out of rice, so I diced up the rest of the tuna, avocado, and cucumber and made a little poke. Again, endless possibilities when you’re playing in the kitchen for a home made sushi night!!
And turns out sushi pairs beautifully with a Cosmo!!
It’s a great way to spend time making something beautiful and delicious in your kitchen. What better time than now to burn time while stuck at home? Make some yummy food for you and yours to feel good. Sushi is such a feel-good food!! Enjoy!
Eat, Drink, and Go! 