Sushi For Christmas Dinner

Instilling the help of the fish guy from work I got the buzz on some fresh Ahi straight from Hawaii, sushi grade and delicious. Eel was brought in as a sample marinated, grilled, and ready to eat. Dugenous crab cooked freshly from Oregon along with some Sake and the stage was set for some great food. Our journey took us northeast to Missoula, Montana where my Dad and his wife live for Christmas. Tradition in our family is definitely not normal we like to change it up. When Elissa
came up with the idea for sushi for our Christmas dinner I was stoked! Elissa prepared fantastic homemade sushi for us. Here is how we spent our holiday dinner, which was healthful and filling. Thanks Elissa for a wonderful meal! Some major ingredients are definitely needed here to make decent sushi here is a shopping list I would recommend, also you want to try to go to a Japanese specialty / Asian market to get the best, more authentic ingredients.

Shopping List:

Short Grain Rice
Nori
Bamboo Rolling Mat
Wooden Spoon
Mirin Rice Wine Vinegar

Sake dry or sweet
Wasbi
Chili Paste / Sauce
Soy Sauce
Tobiko
Sesame Seed

A+ Ahi
Eel
Prawns
Crab (not imitation!)

Avacodo
Japanese Cucumber
Diakon Radish
Pickled Ginger

Making sushi requires very good knife skills, yet making the rice is the hardest part. Cooked too much the rice with be gummy and overly sticky, undercooked the rice with be crunchy of course and well, it won't stick to your nori. Also, rolling the sushi can be tricky, making the rolls too large may not be too appetizing.

Sushi Rice

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, use strainer to catch rice (bamboo strainers are traditional)
2. Cook the rice with the Mt.Fuji Method, until the water reaches the top of your knuckle.
3. Rice cooker or a pot both work well.
4. Add 1-3 Tbs sugar (depending on how much rice you cook and sweetness desired) and mirin that have been warmed together at the end of the rice cooking.
5. Mix in a wooden bowl very gently with a wooden spoon. To prevent sticking soak bowl and spoon.
6. Cover and store at room temp until ready to use.

One trick that I have learned when making sushi is to cover your bamboo mat with plastic wrap to prevent sticking of the outside rice roll. This also keeps your mat cleaner.

Also cut all meat and vegetables in nice julienne strips, this helps with a uniform roll.

Spread your sushi rice in a continuous direction all over the nori. Start with a line then work from on end to the other making it even.

Dip your finger dips in some water as you work with the rice to prevent sticking.

Roll the sushi with any ingredients you wish, and tightly form a half box at the top of your bamboo mat to fasten the roll. Water can also be used on the nori edge to seal the roll nice and tight.

When cutting the rolls use a very sharp nice, preferably a sushi nice with a single edge, dip the knife in water tap the butt of the handle to make the water drip down the blade, and cut the sushi in a single motion. Sawing with cause the roll to break.

Garnish and serve! But don't forget to have family and friends join you! That is the most important ingredient!