Making delicious sushi can be intimidating. From finding the perfect balance of ingredients to using the correct equipment, there’s a lot that you need to keep in mind before you dive in.
Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be as scary as it seems. Sushi is actually one of the easiest types of cuisine to cook, which is why we have so many fantastic recipe examples for you here. In this article, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about making sushi at home with step-by-step instructions and helpful tips.
What is sushi?
Sushi, or sashimi as it’s sometimes known, is a Japanese dish made from cooked rice combined with various types of seafood, vegetables, and other ingredients. The rice is then garnished with seasoned seaweed called nori.
The end result is a very healthy, low-carbohydrate meal that’s both nutritious and remarkably tasty. Sushi is very versatile and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack.
The different types of sushi have different purposes and purposes, which we’ll cover in a bit. Sushi is typically eaten for lunch or dinner, but it can also be a great breakfast food. However you choose to enjoy it, sushi is a great way to incorporate healthy ingredients into your diet.
How to cook sushi at home
There are a few different ways you can make sushi at home. You can either use sushi rice, or you can make your own roll using ingredients such as cucumber and avocados. To prepare sushi rice, simply put rice in a pot with water and bring to the boil.
Once it’s boiling, leave to cook for 12 minutes. Once the rice is cooked, drain the water and then let it cool before using to make sushi. If you’d like to make your own rolls, you’ll first need to prepare the fillings. You can do this the night before you plan to cook the sushi.
Equipment you’ll need
- Rice cooker: You’ll need a rice cooker to make your sushi rice. Rice cookers typically come with a rice-cooking function, so you can make rice with just one button pressed. Some also have buttons for steaming vegetables, making risotto, and more, making it even easier to create delicious dishes.
- Sushi mats: To create sushi, you’ll need a sushi mat. This is a very thin piece of material designed to prevent your fingers from sticking to the rice as you make your sushi. You can also use parchment paper to prevent your fingers from sticking to the rice.
- Nori sheets: These are the seaweed that goes on top of the sushi before being garnished with wasabi and pickled ginger. You can either buy nori in sheets or make your own using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sheets. – Sushi vinegar: You can buy or make your own sushi vinegar using rice vinegar and mirin.
The 4 most common types of sushi
- Nigiri sushi: This is the most simple and common type of sushi. All you need to make this type of sushi is rice, some fish, and seaweed. To create nigiri sushi, you’ll need to place the rice, fish, and seaweed on a plate and then press it with your hand to form it into a round shape. Then, using a spoon, place the ingredients on your mouth.
- Maki sushi: To make maki sushi, you’ll need rice, some vegetables, fish, and seaweed. To create this type of sushi, you’ll need to roll the ingredients in rice and then wrap it in nori.
- Temaki sushi: Temaki sushi is similar to nigiri sushi, but it’s made using a hand-rolled technique. This means that you’ll need to prepare your sushi ingredients, such as rice and seafood, and then roll them up in a piece of nori. Once you’ve formed the sushi roll, you can use the piece of nori to pick it up and eat it.
- Other sushi rolls: If you’d like to experiment with other types of sushi rolls, you can use cooked sushi rice to make other types of sushi rolls. These include California rolls, Philadelphia rolls, spider rolls, and more.
How to make nigiri sushi
1 Pick your ingredients – This is the first step to making nigiri sushi. Pick out your ingredients, such as fish, vegetables, or sauces. You can use different types of ingredients for different sushi rolls, so pick something you like.
2 Cook rice – Next, you’ll need to cook some rice. You can use short- or medium-grain white rice for best results.
3 Make the sushi – Once your rice is cooked, you can proceed with making the sushi. Place a small amount of rice in your hand and then place the ingredients on top of the rice. Make sure that the ingredients are on top of the rice, not on top of each other.
4 Garnish with wasabi and pickled ginger – To finish off your sushi, garnish it with wasabi and pickled ginger. You can use a sushi comb to comb your sushi and then use wasabi and pickled ginger to finish it off.
How to make maki sushi
1 Pick your ingredients – You’ll need some ingredients to make maki sushi. These include cooked rice, seaweed, and some type of flavoring, such as wasabi, soy sauce, or sesame seeds.
2 Cook rice – Next, you’ll need to cook some rice. You can use short- or medium-grain white rice for best results.
3 Roll up the ingredients – Once your rice is cooked, you can proceed with making the maki sushi.
4 Garnish with wasabi and pickled ginger – To finish off your sushi, garnish it with wasabi and pickled ginger. You can use a sushi comb to comb your sushi and wasabi and pickled ginger to finish it off.
Temaki sushi
1 Pick your ingredients – This is the first step to making temaki sushi.
2 Combine ingredients – Next, you’ll need to prepare your ingredients.
3 Roll up the ingredients – Once your ingredients have been combined, proceed with making the sushi.
4 Garnish with wasabi and pickled ginger – To finish off your sushi, garnish it with wasabi and pickled ginger. You can use a sushi comb to comb your sushi and wasabi and pickled ginger to finish it off.
Tips for making perfect sushi
- Rice: Short- or medium-grain rice works best in sushi. You’ll want to use sushi rice that’s as close to being fully-cooked as possible. If it’s very sticky, it’ll be hard to roll your sushi. If it’s too firm, it’ll break when you try to pick it up.
- Fish: You want to make sure the fish you use is fresh and that it’s from a reputable source. Once you’ve chosen your fish, make sure you clean it thoroughly and pat it dry before you cook it.
- Wasabi: You want to make sure to use real wasabi rather than a premixed wasabi powder. – Pickled ginger: If you’re using homemade pickled ginger, make sure to boil it before use to kill any bacteria. If you’re using store-bought pickled ginger, make sure to keep it in a sealed container to prevent it from drying out.
Conclusion
This recipe is easy to follow, and you can easily adapt it to fit your taste. You can also use different types of fish and add other ingredients depending on what you think will work.
The amount of wasabi you add will depend on how much you like wasabi and how spicy you want your sushi to be. If you’re having guests over, make sure to double the recipe so that there’s enough for everyone!