raw fish — sushi

Preparation

Baking Directions:

SUSHI RICEPrepare the tezu, or sushi vinegar.

Mix together 1 cup of water, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar and 1 tablespoon of salt.

Set aside.

Wash the rice several times till the water is clear.

Move to a colander and drain for one hour.

Transfer the rice to a heavy pot or electric rice cooker and add the measured water.

Make sure there is a tight-fitting lid and bring to a boil.

Simmer over low heat allowing the rice to steam for 15 minutes more with the cover on at all times.

Mow remove from the heat, remove the lid momentarily to stretch a clean tea towel over the pot and replace the cover.

Let it remain covered and without heat to finish steaming for another 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the rice vinegar, sugar and salt together in a small saucepan.

While stirring, heat the mixture till the sugar dissolves.

Set aside the mixture to cool to room temperature.

After the rice has steamed properly, take a wooden spatula or spoon and cut and fold the rice.

Do not use beating or stirring motions as you want to avoid smashing the grains.

Dampen a cloth using the per-prepared tezu and rub the insides of a bowl.

The traditional bowl to use is the flat bottomed wooden sushi oke or hangiri.

The wood absorbs excess moisture and the large surface allows the rice to cool more quickly and evenly.

Put the hot rice into the bowl and quickly add the tezu.

Mix with the same cutting and folding motion.

After mixing, fan the hot rice mixture in order to remove moisture as well as to cool it.

This should take about 10 minutes.

The rice grains will have a nice sheen.

The result will be ideal sushi rice with a slightly chewy consistency and just a touch of stickiness.

The rice is not to be refrigerated and should be used with an hour after the preparation.

Keep the rice covered with a clean cloth and at room temperature till you are ready to make your rolls.

MAKING THE SUSHILay a sheet of nori on the mat.

Wet your hands.

Take a 1/4 cup prepared sushi rice.

Place in center of nori and spread evenlyTake 1/8 of a teaspoon of prepared wasabi.

Dab horizontally in center of rice.

Lay down 2 oz of finely julliened cucumbers in the center.

Place 2 oz of crab on top.

Using mat, begin to roll up.

Tips:

Step by step to make rolls