In fact, sushi is very simple: rice, fish, and various additives like cucumber or avocado. However, in order for your sushi to turn out really cool and not worse than in a restaurant, we advise you to adhere to a few rules.
- The knife is the main participant in the preparation of sushi after you. Therefore, he must be at his best. That is, it must be very sharp. Therefore, do not be too lazy to sharpen it before starting your culinary experiments. Choose knives with wooden handles: when wet, they won’t slip in your hands. Such knives in Japan are called “bento” and are used to make sushi.
- All ingredients must be exceptionally fresh or, as they say in the markets, the freshest. Otherwise, you risk not only tasteless rolls, but also your own health: we think we don’t need to say that stale fish is dangerous. In addition, whatever fish you choose – fresh, smoked or dried – it is important to cut it correctly. Do not cut tender fish fillets as they will lose their presentation. Here we go back to rule number one: the sharp knife.
- Fig. It is very important to prepare it properly. Sushi is made from warm round-grain rice prepared using a special technology. 460 g of rice requires 750 g of water. Rice must be washed and dried for an hour, then placed in a saucepan with a tight lid, pour in water and cook over minimum heat for 5 minutes after boiling. Then it needs to be steamed for 12-15 minutes on low heat, remove the pan from heat, remove the lid and cover with a towel for 15 minutes. Then gradually add vinegar dressing to the rice and let it dry.
- Mat. That is, the rug with which the rolls are rolled. It should be made of bamboo so you can press the sushi rice properly. Many beginners use a plastic bag for these purposes, but it does a poor job: rice will quickly fall apart.
- Acetic water. When forming sushi by hand, use vinegar water. It is convenient to wet your hands in this solution during cooking and rinse them after working with rice. To make vinegar water, mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with a glass of water.
- Proportions. Do not coarsely chop the sushi ingredients; this can impair the appearance and taste of the dish.
- Nori. Supermarkets sell sliced nori sheets, which are convenient only for making traditional sushi. If you bought these algae by mistake, don’t throw them away. Lay the sheets tightly together and crush a few boiled rice at the joints. This technique will help you easily glue nori and use them to prepare any kind of sushi.
- Wasabi. Do not get carried away by it. An excessive amount of this sauce will not let you enjoy the taste of the dish, because its sharpness dulls the taste buds.
- Eat immediately. Sushi should be eaten immediately, because this dish, prepared from fresh products, deteriorates very quickly. The maximum shelf life of sushi is six hours, provided that special boxes are used.
