#27: Learn to Make Sushi

You may have noticed my best friend Mike B popping up in this blog quite often. He is always ready to try anything, which makes him great to be around, but also very helpful in terms of this list. This past weekend, while he was here to support me by running the 10k, he also brought his sushi making kit!

I fell in love with California rolls when I was in college. My then boyfriend Gary introduced me to them, and it’s been a passionate relationship ever since. (With the sushi, not Gary). Since California rolls, I have tried squid, tuna, salmon, sashimi of all kinds, eel, and octopus. I have always wanted to attempt making my own sushi, and now seemed like a good time.

To make your own sushi you need the following:

Sushi rice, any other kind just won’t do

Rice vinegar

Sugar and salt

Nori (thin sheets of seaweed)

Whatever fillers you want inside your sushi roll (typically cucumber, avocado and fish)

I made my rice on the stove, since I don’t have a rice maker. Nothing difficult here, literally just boiling water and waiting. Once it was done I let it sit 15 minutes. After that I heated the rice vinegar on the stove and dissolved 3 Tbsp of sugar and 1 tsp of salt into it. I let that mix cool, and then folded it, a little at a time, into the sushi rice. Then I spread the rice out on a sheet of tinfoil.

Next, I laid out my sushi mat and placed a sheet of nori on top. I spread the rice on top of the nori, leaving just about a half inch around the sides. If you’re thinking in terms of bed linens (which I’m sure you all do) you want to spread a flat sheet of rice, not a pillow top mattress, on your nori. I ended up somewhere in between, with let’s say a down comforter layer, and it made my rolls a bit too thick.

I arranged my sliced cucumbers, avocado and crab meat on the top and was ready to roll!! (Mike B and I decided to make simple California rolls since it was our first attempt, and also because the tuna at the store looked less than appetizing). The rolling process was easier that I expected, probably due to the rice, it is seriously sticky. Using the mat, I rolled the nori as tight as I could, and then slightly wet the edges to seal the roll. After that I rolled it in plastic wrap and refrigerated.

When we decided it was time to try our creation, I pulled the roll out of the fridge and sliced it with a very sharp knife. Again, easier than I thought, but I did crush a few slices a bit too much. Above is the final product, and it was delicious. I was especially excited that Kevin asked for seconds!

I’d love to try this again. It was surprisingly easy and not too time consuming. And now that I understand the process I can start to get creative with the ingredients!

21 down; 9 to go