Sushi is classic Japanese cuisine and can easily
be prepared at home.
Japanese
culture shows a deep respect for nature. Products of the earth and the sea must
be prepared preserving their natural forms and flavours and of course using the
freshest of ingredients. Other elements of a Japanese meal are consistent and
traditionally restrained in quantity, high in quality and elegant in
presentation. There are more sushi bars in Japan than any other type of
restaurant and they have spread to become enormously popular all over the
world.
Although Sushi is considered a typical Japanese dish, it actuall originated i south-east Asia, gradually making its way to China around the 2nd century AD and then to Japan by the 7th century.
It was used as a way of preserving fish. By packing cooked rice around
the fish, the rice fermented and produced lactic acid which preserved the fish.
From the fifteenth century sushi started to develop into the dishes we know
today, Rice vinegar is now added to the rice to create the tart flavour of the
fermented rice and of course. From the northern islands to the southern
islands, many different varieties of Sushi were developed, but the constant
factors are the easy access to seafood and rice which has been grown all over
the islands since early times.
There are 5 main types of Sushi:
Nigiri-Zushi (squeezed), Maki-Zushi (rolled), Chirashi-Zushi (scattered),
Oshi-Zushi (pressed) and Maze-zushi (mixed).
The basic equipment needed to make good sushi includes: a wooden bowl
and spatula, a bamboo mat, a wooden chopping board, a good set of sharp knives,
a rice cooker and a pair of large tweezers for removing fish bones. The last
consideration is ingredients and
depending on the type of Sushi you wish to make, the essentials are as
follows: Su (rice vinegar), Wasabi (Japanese Horseradish), Shoyu (soy
sauce), Gari (pickled ginger), Nori
(seaweed), Shitaki (mushrooms), Kombu (dried kelp), Dashi (stock), Mirin (sweet
rice wine), Sake (rice wine), Shiso (perilla leaf), Oboro (fish flakes) and
mayonnaise.
Recipe 1. Nigiri
-Zushi
INGREDIENTS
500 grams fresh raw tuna, salmon, tai, etc.
2 cups sushi rice
2 tblspns rice vinegar
2 tblspns caster sugar
1 1/2 tspns salt
1 tspn wasabi
soy sauce
gari (ginger)
METHOD
In a medium saucepan, bring 375ml (1 1/2 cups)
water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes
until water is absorbed. In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar and salt.
Blend the mixture into the rice.
Take
a spoonful of sushi and cup it in the palm of one hand. With two fingers of the
other hand, squeeze into an oblong shape, approx. 2 cm x 4 cm.
It is easier
to complete all the nigiri and place them on a serving plate, then place the
wasabi and raw fish later. Sushi chefs make each piece as they go, as it is
actually more efficient; each piece needs only to be handled once. The method
you choose is completely up to you.
Slicing
the pieces of raw fish is perhaps the hardest part of making nigiri. Ideally, a
sashimi knife is the best, but any slender, sharp long bladed knife will do.
Place the fish on the cutting board, and slice diagonally, to end up with the
largest pieces possible. It is best to start slicing at the top end of the
blade (near the handle) and making the cut to the tip, in one smooth motion.
Don’t worry if it’s not possible to do this; it takes years to perfect the
technique!
To
assemble the Nigiri, place the rice in the palm of one hand, placing a small
dollop of wasabi on the rice. Then, cover with a piece of fish, and squeeze.
Recipe 2. Maki-zushi
1 cup uncooked short-grain rice
2 tblspns rice vinegar
2 tblspns caster sugar
1 1/2 tspns salt
4 sheets nori seaweed sheets
1/2 cucumber, peeled, cut into small strips
2 tblspns pickled ginger
1 avocado, peeled, cut into small strips
250 grams smoked salmon slices, flaked crab meat or tuna
METHOD
In a medium saucepan, bring 375ml (1 1/2 cups)
water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes
until water is absorbed. In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar and salt.
Blend the mixture into the rice.
Preheat
oven to 150 C. On a medium baking tray, heat nori in the preheated oven 1 to 2
minutes, until warm.
Centre
one sheet of nori on a bamboo sushi mat. Wet your hands, spread a thin layer of
rice on the sheet of nori, and press into a thin layer. Arrange 1/4 of the
cucumber, ginger, avocado and seafood of your choice in a line down the centre
of the rice. Lift the end of the mat, and gently roll it over the ingredients,
pressing gently. Roll it forward to make a complete roll. Repeat with remaining
ingredients.
Cut
each roll into 4 to 6 slices using a wet, sharp knife. Serve immediately.
