Japanese Sushi

You would not think that sushi is something one needs to introduce to today´s world, but trust me, every time I go back to Slovakia and make a few for visitors, there will always be at least one that wonders: "Hey, Zu! What are these funny looking rolls? And what´s that black thing around them?" And then, naturally, everyone falls in love with it and wants to make it right away.

It may not seem so, but sushi is a very easy dish. All you need is dried nori seaweed leaves, rice and some leftovers. All you need to bring is your fantasy and a bit of free time to play.

Traditionally, sushi is made with raw fish, but there is more to it than that. So, here is a very easy example with using commonly available ingredients. Below are some of my favorite fancy combos. Voilla, a plate of:

JAPANESE SUSHI:

• for the rice:
• 1 cup white rice
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• for a basic filling:
• Omelet stripes
• cucumber
• carrot
• soft cheese slices
• sautéed mushroom
• nori seaweed sheets *
  
• sesame seeds
  

* Note: If you ran out of sushi leaves, try blanched spinach or mangold leaves. Maybe shortly boiled cabbage could work, too?

Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Put in a pot together with two cups water, bring to boil, cover and cook until all the water evaporates (this will take up to 20 minutes. Do not mix it, rice will create a little “holes” to breathe).
Meanwhile wash the cucumber and the carrot cut them lengthwise into thin matchsticks.
When the rice is ready, pour in the vinegar mixture and mix well. While still hot, start spreading layers onto the sushi seaweed, the thinner the better. Leave 1 cm on each side. Evenly put three rice grains on the empty 1 cm seaweed - one to the middle and one on each end. (This serves as glue). Now get crazy and line-up the filling to the first (less than) third: 2-3 cucumber, carrot and omelet stripes, one line of sautéed mushrooms, cover with soft cheese slices. Start rolling. At the end, press a little on the “glue”, so the rolls stay rolled-up

Leave for 10 minutes with the end on the bottom, so it sticks properly. Make some more rolls.

To serve, take a thin long knife and wet with water. Start cutting from the middle towards the end 1.5 cm thick slices. Water your knife with cold water after each slice (rice is too sticky, you may ruin the roll). Arrange nicely on a plate, with the endings in the middle. Pretty, isn’t it?

Traditionally served with soy sauce, pickled ginger and grated wasabi.

A few of my favorite fancy fillings:

1. "mushy fillings"
1. Grated tofu mixed with yogurt and shredded horseradish.
2. "Japanese Guacamole" (avocado with soy sauce, pressed garlic and a few drops of dark balsamico vinegar)
3. Tuna or egg sandwhich spread.
4. Hummus
5. Peanut butter
   
2. "Sprinkles"
1. Fresh herbs
2. Garden cress
3. sesame seeds
4. chopped nuts
   

This was the first thing that popped to my mind when Kaykat announced this month´s Think Spice Think Wasabi event run by Sunita of Sunita´s World. I am pretty sure that I am one in a million that will submit sushi, but my wasabi usage skill is fairly limited. This is also why I am super-excited about the round-up... ehm... to expand horizons :-)