How to Make Sushi

Sushi is not only delicious, it's beautiful and good for you, too. If you're interested in making this delightful Japanese dish, you're in for a treat. You can start with a simple type of sushi and from there, let your imagination guide you.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• 2 cups Japanese short-grain rice (Sushi rice)
• Wooden spoon or spatula
• 2 cups Water
• Large dish to cool cooked rice
• Rice cooker or saucepan
• 2 tbsp sugar
• Cutting board
• 1 tsp salt
• Ingredients for fillings (raw or cooked fish, vegetables, eggs, sesame seeds)
• Knife
• Nori sheets
• Gari (pickled ginger)
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• Wasabi paste
• Soy sauce
• Sushi rolling mat

Making Sushi Rice

1. Measure 2 cups of rice and rinse it with water repeatedly. When the water starts draining clearly, you can move to the next step.

2. Cook the rice in a rice cooker. Use two cups of water.

3. If you do not have a rice cooker, cook the rice in a saucepan on the stovetop with two cups of water. Bring the rice and the water to a boil, then reduce it to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove it from the heat, and let it steam for 20 minutes.

4. Spread the cooked rice in a large dish using a spatula so that it cools down. Cool the rice completely.

5. Combine 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt in a saucepan and heat until the sugar and salt dissolve completely.

6. Add the vinegar mixture to the rice using a wooden spoon or spatula. Be careful not to press or mash the rice kernels.

Make Sushi Filling

1. Decide what ingredients you want in your sushi. Some of your options are smoked salmon, cooked shrimp, fresh raw tuna or salmon, tofu, crab, eggs (made into omelet and cut into thin strips), toasted sesame seeds, avocado, carrots, cucumber, mushrooms, snow peas and daikon radish.

2. Cut your ingredients into thin strips.

Make Sushi Rolls

1. Toast the nori (seaweed) sheets lightly on a pan. Use low heat. Excess heat can burn the delicate seaweed.

2. Put the rolling mat flat on an even surface and place a nori sheet on the mat.

3. Spread a cup of cooked rice on the sheet evenly using your hand. Leave an empty patch, about 1 inch wide, at one end on the nori sheet. This will help to hold the roll together.

4. Add wasabi to the rice. Smear it in a straight line near the center of the roll.

5. Place the filling on the rice in a straight line in the center. Roll the sheet up using the mat.

6. Gently squeeze the mat to ensure that the sushi roll is tightly packed.

7. Open the mat and take out the sushi roll.

8. Cut the roll horizontally into equal pieces and serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and gari (pickled ginger).