An exquisite Japanese dish - sushi - is easy to repeat at home. You just need to follow the instructions exactly. It is in this oriental scrupulousness that the art of an experienced sushi lies. The more often you make sushi at home, the tastier it will be.
It is necessary
- - rice;
- - rice vinegar;
- - sugar;
- - sea salt;
- - nori;
- - wasabi;
- - seafood;
- - raw or freshly salted fish;
- - avocado, cucumber, pickled radish, etc.
Instructions
Step 1
How to cook sushi rice
The perfect sushi starts with the right rice. It should be round and short-grain with white, polished grains. For beginner sushi lovers, rice is ideal, sold in various grocery stores, on the bags with a special label "For sushi". Over time, you can upgrade to premium brands from specialized Japanese stores such as Tamaki Gold, Tamanishiki, Kokuho Rose, Nozomi and Yume.
Step 2
Rice for sushi needs to be thoroughly rinsed under running water. The cereals are placed in a colander and kept under the stream until clear water begins to drain from the sieve. This will rinse away any starchy rice powder adhering to the grains. The washed rice must be dried. Otherwise, the cooked rice will be tough on the inside.
Step 3
The easiest way to cook sushi rice is in a rice cooker or in a slow cooker, but if you don't have them, then this is not an obstacle. Take a saucepan with a thick bottom, put the dried rice in it and cover with cold water. There should be only a little more cereal water, otherwise the rice will turn into a dough ball. It is enough for the liquid level to be 3-4 centimeters higher than the cereal level. Bring the rice to a boil, then cover the pot with a transparent lid and simmer the cereal over the lowest heat for 8 to 12 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat and let the rice sit for another 10 minutes.
Step 4
While the rice is cooking, prepare the tezu seasoning by mixing rice vinegar, sea salt, sugar, and warm boiled water. Heat it over low heat until the salt and sugar are completely dissolved. Transfer the rice to a wide plastic, preferably wooden bowl, previously wiped with a damp towel dipped in vinegar water. Add a quarter of the tezu and begin to gently stir the rice with a wooden spatula. Avoid metal contact with rice, as it can oxidize from the vinegar and ruin the flavor of the entire dish. Gradually add all the vinegar water while continuing to stir the rice.
Step 5
Before you start making sushi, the rice must be cooled and dried. To do this, you can vigorously fan the cereal for 5-6 minutes or use a hairdryer turned on for a cool blow. Do not store ready-made sushi rice for more than 5-6 hours before cooking. It is not put into the refrigerator, but left at room temperature, covered with a clean cotton towel.
Step 6
How to make nigiri sushi
Nigiri sushi is one of the easiest types of sushi to prepare. It consists of a handful of pressed rice, a drop of wasabi, and a slice of fish, seafood, omelet, or vegetables, sometimes intercepted by a strip of nori. When working with rice, your hands should be constantly wet, so place a bowl of vinegar-acidified water next to you. Take a small handful from the bowl of rice, it should weigh about 20-30 grams, and form an elongated oval "drop" from it. Spread the rice on a clingy surface using light pressure. The bottom of the land should be flat and the top rounded. Apply a drop of wasabi to a 1-inch piece of filling. Place the seasoning slice on the sushi and press lightly to secure. Cut the nori sheets into strips and wrap the nigiri sushi with them.
Step 7
How to make maki sushi
Maki sushi - twisted sushi or rolls - one of the most popular types of sushi. To prepare it, you will need makisa - a special bamboo mat. A nori sheet is placed on it. The sheet must be very dry or it will start to stick to your hands, mat and food before the rolls are rolled up and will not hold their shape. The sheet is laid on the mat with the rough side up.
Step 8
With wet hands, take a handful of rice, place it on the makisu and spread it evenly, rolling the rice away from you on the mat. To prevent the grains from sticking to your hands, do not forget to moisten them with vinegar water. The rice layer should be no thicker than a centimeter and should remain free about a centimeter along the top edge of the rug. Place the filling along the bottom edge of the rice. It can be slices of cucumber, avocado, raw, freshly salted or smoked fish, shrimp, squid, octopus, tofu cheese or an omelet prepared in a special way. Fatty Philadelphia cheese is often added to European sushi. Holding the filling, use your index fingers to roll the roll tightly. Cut it into 5-6 pieces.
Step 9
Ura maki is a type of maki sushi in which the rice is on the outside of the roll and the nori leaf is on the inside. To prepare such sushi, makisu is covered with cling film so that the rice does not stick to it and does not get stuck between the strips of bamboo. Cut the nori sheet in half, place it on the mat, matte side up, and spread the rice in one centimeter layer, pressing down lightly. Sprinkle the rice with white or black sesame seeds, if desired, and spread out small fish caviar or dried tuna shavings. Gently hold the nori sheet and flip it over onto a plastic-covered rug so that the rice is on the bottom. Place the filling on the edge of the nori and roll. Cut it into pieces.
