Actually, it’s not hard or expensive to make sushi at home and there is a million different ways to make it. You can make it in a roll using Nori (Seaweed) or you can just form the rice in your hand using plastic wrap and squeezing your hand into a fist. In the second way you don’t need Nori. It can be as simple as laying a piece of smoked salmon on top of the sushi rice and enjoying along with some soy sauce and wasabi!
I like to make the rolls and at home in California I have a sushi mat that can be purchased at the Asian markets. Here in Italy I don’t have the mat so I just used plastic wrap and it worked surprisingly well. Some of my favorite toppings or fillings are smoked or fresh salmon, cooked shrimp, avocado and cucumber.
I also love the crazy “Fusion” sushi that we get in California, Sushi with such toppings as mango, cilantro, candied walnuts, jalapeños and roasted garlic. That’s the great thing about making your own sushi, you can be a “purist” or go “fusion”, it’s just about whatever you can dream up!
Vinegar Rice (for two people)
Ingredients
- 1 cup of arborio or sushi rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar (I used 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar because I AM in Italy, but it’s really not as good as rice vinegar if you can get your hands on it)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
Instructions:
- combine rice, water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and steam for 20 minutes
- When the rice is cooked spoon it out onto a large dinner plate and loosely spread it out to allow it to cool.
- Mix the vinegar and sugar until the sugar dissolves then pour over the rice and gently work it in
Condiments:
- Wasabi
- Soy Sauce
- pickled ginger
Suggested Ingredients for inside The sushi roll or laid on top:
- Smoked or fresh raw salmon
- Cooked shrimp
- Imitation crab meat
- Raw tuna
- fish eggs
- avocado
- cucumber
- cream cheese
For “Spicy Tuna or Salmon”
3 ounces smoked or raw salmon or tuna, chopped, add a little mayonnaise and Sriracha and mix together. Roll into the center of the sushi roll. (See picture)
Sauces:
- Oyster Sauce in a bottle
- Sriracha with mayo
- Sesame oil with mayo
- Sriracha
These sauces can be mixed then spooned into a plastic bag, tie the bag closed then snip the corner of the bottom of the bag to drizzle on top of the sushi.
Crazy Topping for “Fusion” Style Sushi:
- chopped mango
- chopped cilantro
- candied walnuts
- roasted garlic
- sliced jalapeños
