Fun sushi facts
Moristuke, or the art of garnishing, is an extremely important part of Japanese cuisine. As sushi is such a visual medium, there are several insider guides that sushi chefs often rely on to make beautiful presentations. For example, did you know that it is traditional for fish and seafood used in sushi to be displayed in a alternating white and red pattern? The inspiration for this tradition is derived from the colors in the Japanese flag.
Having said that, it should be mentioned that the white and red color distinctions are not always obvious. Take for instance salmon.
Did you know that salmon is considered by sushi chefs to be a white fish and is often displayed next to tuna, despite the orange hue of the fish being visually akin to red?
The reason for this is that the orange hue is not original to the fish. Instead, the flesh of the salmon absorbs pigments due to its diet. Or in the case of cultivated salmon, a pigment is often added the the feed to produce the same effect.
So, the next time you’re in a sushi bar with friends, impress them and your sushi chef by referring to salmon as the white fish.
The other day I was catching up on the latest happenings on one of my favorite Facebook pages, The Japanese Food Report, when I came across this album posted by a fan. Benjamin Rodriguez is a student at the Maui Culinary Academy. He is also a sushi lover. For a project in his Advanced Pastry/Baking Class, he and a partner designed this amazing sushi-all from sugar!
With his permission, I am posting a link to his sugar sushi album.
Thanks for sharing, Benjamin!
We all have our pet peeves. My list as a sushi chef has a few prime ones like don’t mix wasabi paste in your soy sauce, don’t ask me to cut your hand roll, and don’t ask me to recreate another sushi bar’s signature maki. I like to think these are sensible pet peeves, not too much to ask of any sushi lover. Even when these are breached, I am usually able to keep my cool. But nothing gets me on my soap box more than hearing someone claim that sushi without raw seafood isn’t “sushi” sushi.
If I had a quarter for every time I had to say “Sushi doesn’t mean raw fish or even fish at all”, I’d be a very prosperous lady. Sushi doesn’t not mean raw fish – or even fish at all. Sometimes sushi dishes contain raw fish; sometimes they contain cooked fish. Sometimes they do not contain seafood at all.
Someone actually asked me once “What good is sushi if there’s no fish? I mean, it’s not really ‘sushi’ sushi right?”
Now don’t get me wrong. I love my seafood just as much as anyone and I am not a vegan. But there are a few reasons why I think we could all benefit from abandoning the “sushi-must-contain-seafood” mentality.
While it’s true that most forms of sushi contain seafood, limiting ourselves to seafood only sushi creates some serious gaps of sushi enjoyment. Two very well – known maki zushi are seafood-free. They are the kappa maki, a thin roll consisting of cucumber and perhaps a few sesame seeds, and the ume jhiso, a thin roll consisting of sour plum paste and fragrant shiso leaves. Both maki zushi are classic and refreshing. But even more so, the deceptive simplicity of these maki zushi is beyond complex explanation of why they work. The same holds true for many other non-seafood based sushi. Ever tried a delicious piece of shiitake nigiri or a perfectly prepared piece of tamago nigiri? The experience of these can be more gratifying than a very well prepared seafood selection.
Secondly, limiting and being wise about our seafood choices with sushi is an issue that we all face. With the population of certain sea creatures such as bluefin tuna in danger, we may create a situation one day where the options may no longer be available to us. Enjoying a variety of sushi selections including seafood – free in place of those that continue to endanger species is a good way to eat sushi ethically and contribute to sustainable sushi practices.
And last, if expanding your horizons or caring about our oceans isn’t really your thing (which I hope isn’t the case!), then do yourself a favor. Save face and just remember that the definition of sushi leaves no question about whether or not sushi is sushi without the fish. Sushi is simply a specially prepared dish made of a specially cooked, vinegar dressed rice.
Happy Sushi!
Thanks to freeze-dried scallops and tuna, astronauts aboard the International Space Station enjoyed a snack of sushi that was out of this world – literally. Naoko Yamazaki and Soichi Noguchi were shown in photos issued by NASA enjoying sushi. Float away grains of rice were caught with their mouths mid-air. No word was mentioned whether or not shoyu, wasabi and pickled ginger were served with the space sushi.
Here’s a fun thought. If you could create sushi to eat in space, what ingredients would you most like to use?
I’d bring along smoked duck and dried cherries. It’s very untraditional but wouldn’t it be fun to start a new space tradition?
Want to save money on sushi and impress your friends? Learn to make sushi from the comfort of your home kitchen. The basis of any good homemade sushi is a great batch of sticky rice. With a rice cooker and about 1 hour, you’ll be just that much closer to creating impressive maki.
Recipe for Sushi Rice (English Standard Measurement version)
950 mL California short or medium grain rice
950 mL water (minus a splash)
Vinegar Dressing for Sushi Rice
60 mL unseasoned rice vinegar
15 mL (1 tablespoon) sugar
10 mL (2 teaspoons) salt
WASH Before cooking the rice, place in a medium sized bowl. Swish with cold water and rinse to remove excess starch. Repeat at least 4 times.
RINSE Place rice in strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water.
DRAIN Allow rice to drain in strainer for 10 minutes.
STEAM Place rice and measured water in a rice cooker. Start a timer or make note of the time as rice is done after exactly 40 minutes.
MARINATE While the rice cooks, mix the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small non-metal cup or bowl. Set aside. Do not heat to dissolve sugar and do not refrigerate.
After rice is cooked, turn onto a large plastic or wooden cutting board making sure to omit any browned parts. With a wet wooden spoon, gently toss the rice with the vinegar mixture. Toss well ensuring that each grain is dressed.
COOL Allow rice to cool to room temperature. Cover with a damp, lint-free kitchen towel or paper towel.
And now the rice is ready!
Coming Soon:
How to Make Sushi Part 2 – Futomaki
Can’t wait for Part 2? Download Sushi from your home kitchen or watch How to Make Futo Maki.
It’s a typical night. You’re surrounded by 30’s to 40’s Americans, dressed in hip attire, in an otherwise hip sushi environment. English menus, English speaking staff, packed with English speaking diners. As the hot sake flows and the mayonnaise and avocado clad sushi rolls pass you by, you might be wondering – Where am I? NYC? LA?
This is Sushi Zen in Okinawa.
As peaceful as it may sound, Sushi Zen is anything but as controvesy over the restaurant’s “No Japanese” policy makes headlines. While the restaurant is providing a welcome place for Americans and non-Japanese to dine, the blatant disrespect to potential Japanese customers is a bit disturbing. A sign, posted in Japanese, states that Japanese customers must be members (intial 50,000 yen and 100,000 yen annual membership fee) plus have sponsorship of two current members. Underneath, in fine print English, it states that Americans don’t have to be members. The restaurant insists that this is not racism, but an effort to keep out troublemakers.
Thoughts?
Once again in America, a season of Easter has passed us by. Children (and some of us adults, too!) have consumed our fair share of jelly beans, gummy worms, chocolate bunnies…and I suppose Peeps.
A few days ago I stumbled upon Peepshi from the clever folks at Serious Eats. Regardless of your stand on Peeps(to eat or not to eat?), in the end, it truly is a great way to make use of something that can’t really stand alone.
Want to make candy sushi of your own? Here’s my recipe for Candied California Rolls. The technique involved uses a maki-su, bamboo rolling mat and a sticky marshmallow rice to simulate the process of rolling ura maki. It’s a fun project for kids. And best of all, any sort of candy or treats can be used to make customized candy sushi!
Candy Sushi for Kids
6 cups crisp rice cereal
10 oz marshmallows
3 TBSP butter
For the Rolls
12 red licorice twists
1 small package Swedish Fish candies
1 small package gummy fruit slices, cut in half length wise
Orange jimmies
Black jimmies
Crystallized ginger pieces or 3-4 red gummy fruit slices, cut into very thin slices, optional
Very stiff icing, tinted green, optional
Chocolate syrup for dipping, optional
Non stick cooking spray
Waxed paper
Small bowl of ice water for dipping fingers
Bamboo rolling mats covered in plastic wrap, It is ideal to use 6 mats, but rolls can be made with one mat.
Before making the rice mixture, set out all fillings and toppings for the rolls in an easily accessible fashion. Place orange and black jimmies on separate flat plates. Lay bamboo rolling mats flat, with slats horizontal to the edge of the work surface. Cut 6 pieces of waxed paper to match the size of a bamboo rolling mat. Place 1 piece on each mat. Spray each piece of waxed paper with a light coating of non stick cooking spray.
To make the “sushi rice”, place marshmallows and butter or margarine in a large microwave safe bowl. Melt the butter or margarine on HIGH, removing and stirring every 10 seconds. Mixture should be smooth. Add cereal and stir thoroughly.
Working quickly and carefully, dip fingers into ice water and place about 1 cup of warm marshmallow mixture on each piece of waxed paper. Spread rice into an approximate 4 inch by 7 inch rectangle. Place 2 red licorice horizontally in the center of the rectangle. Line Swedish fish end to end horizontally in the center of the rectangle. Line gummy fruit slice pieces end to end horizontally in the center of the rectangle. If desired, sprinkle with orange jimmies.
Starting from the bottom of the rectangle, roll upwards until a tight roll is formed. Tighten and shape with the bamboo rolling mat. Remove rolls from waxed paper. Set waxed paper aside. Roll rolls in orange or black jimmies before placing back on waxed paper. Roll waxed paper around rolls and place in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes.
To cut, remove waxed paper from rolls and discard. Cut each roll into 8 pieces, seam side down, with a serrated knife using quick sawing motions. If needed, dip knife into water between cuts to clean the blade. Arrange on serving plates and serve with tinted icing wasabi, crystallized ginger, and chocolate dipping sauce if desired.
As an American sushi chef, I try to maintain the delicate balance of creating sushi that Americans will enjoy while maintaining true to Japanese customs. This is not always easy. Throw in the common notion that maki, or rolled sushi, isn’t even sushi at all and the balance is even more difficult to maintain.
What’s a sushi chef to do?
I turn my thoughts to the California maki – that quintessential crab, cucumber and avocado roll often topped with sesame seeds or vivid orange masago roe. Yet you’re probably wondering why any self-respecting sushi chef would fall back on such an elementary and generic form of sushi created to appease American taste buds? That’s simple. It’s the principle of the roll that gathers my attention most. And…the California maki may be more Japanese-inspired than you think.
Before you continue, grab a steaming cup of green tea and have a seat. What follows may be quite a shock:
The California maki was not originally created for Americans.
While the popularity of the maki may have spread throughout the American population, sushi history maintains that the creation was initially produced for Japanese taste buds. The first sushi bars in California were set up to accommodate traveling Japanese businessmen with a taste of home. With California’s proximity to the ocean, it was quite easy to provide more traditional styles of sushi with the freshest fish. However, a rising demand for toro, the creamy fatty belly of bluefin tuna, became more and more difficult to provide. To meet the customer demand, industrious sushi chefs used an age-old tenant of Japanese cuisine- the use of local, fresh ingredients- to mimic the feel of toro on the tongue. It was discovered that the combination of crab and new, local ingredient avocado created this sensation best. A legend was born!
So, who’s going out for California rolls tonight?
