# Sushi



## notoriouslyken (Sep 27, 2006)

Anybody ever tried to make their own sushi? Seems pretty easy to me, the hardest part would be getting the rice right. Especially, since I do not have a steamer. Fake Crab and Avocado for California Rolls can be found at any grocery store. I think I've seen the seaweed wraps (I believe it's called Nori) in stores also. Shrimp Tempura would be do-able as well, although I do not know what they use for the sauce on that one. If you can pick up a few pieces of sashimi grade fish, then you can make your own nigiri too.


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## allie (Jul 21, 2006)

I love California rolls. I may be mistaken but am pretty sure it's against health department regulations in Indiana to serve any raw meats or fish. I have NEVER been in any restaurant that served sashimi. 

I would love to make my own California rolls but am very intimidated at the thought of trying to roll them!


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

What a shame ....

Shel


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## castironchef (Oct 10, 2005)

I'm pretty sure that you're wrong about that. Such a backwards law would surely have made news, at least in foodie circles. Also, a Google search reveals sushi and sashimi in a number of Indiana restaurants.

Could it be simply a lack of demand in your area?


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## even stephen (Oct 10, 2005)

You just need the standard warning in regard to raw and undercooked
meat and seafood described on your local health department websight.
As far as a sauce goes for your sushi. Soy and good wasabi is a must.
Another is a mix of mayonaise and Thai chili Paste. Ponzu is an option
as well.


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## dirk skene (Feb 13, 2007)

I guess I am a sushiholic  Can't get enought. Yes I make my own & I have my own sushimi knife just for that :chef: Once a month at my cooking school we bring in a local fellow that is kinda known as the "godfather" of Memphis Japanese resturants, just to teach sushi. It is always sold out I love working with him because he always makes some extra for me.


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## notoriouslyken (Sep 27, 2006)

Well I tried to make sushi last night and the rolling process wasn't that bad. My rice turned out far too mushy though. Just made California rolls and some smoke salmon rolls because I couldn't get any sashimi grade fish. Maybe next time.


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## dirk skene (Feb 13, 2007)

You may have used too much of the vinegar mixture to the amount of rice you had. That could account for the mushy rice. 

Smoked salmon is good stuff :lips: buddy!


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## allie (Jul 21, 2006)

It may be the lack of demand but I've seen signs in quite a few restaurants in nearby towns about health department prohibiting the serving of raw meat or fish. I live in northeastern Indiana. I can get California rolls in quite a few places but that's it. I'm in the middle of smaller towns. Fort Wayne would be the closest at 45 miles away from my home. I did see one place in Fort Wayne that serves it. I had never even heard of that restaurant but then I don't get into The Fort that often. 

I'm adventurous and have always wanted to try it!


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## chris1980 (Dec 22, 2006)

I don't know if I could live in a place that didn't have sushi and sashimi available. Sushi and sashimi are mostly the same thing, except sashimi is just the fish without the rice. If I'm dining out, I prefer sushi and sashimi over the rolls (but my wife likes the rolls). I dislike California rolls.


I have only made rolled sushi myself. I'm not very good at it though. I can roll it and make it fine, but I haven't been able to get much of a good taste out of them.

Can't seem to find quail eggs. I love raw quail egg with ponzu sauce.


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## tphsun (Sep 19, 2010)

try http://www.sushifishmarket.com. i've ordered from them before and they seem to know what their doing. best part is they give you the option of cutting it for you as well.


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## pxatkins (Sep 15, 2010)

Not sure where you live, but many Chinese grocers carry quail eggs at a reasonable price.


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## Guest (Sep 20, 2010)

I don't know what you use for a rice recipe but I want to share mine with you. So here it is-

300g or 10 oz Japanese short grain rice

330ml or 11 fl oz water

1 postcard size piece of kombu (optional)

Vinegar mixture-

4 tbsp Japanese rice vinegar

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Preperation-

1.Wash rice thoroughly. Wash until it runs clear. let sit for at least 30 minutes to dry.

2.If using kombu make a few cuts to release the flavour.

3.Put the washed rice and water in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add kombu, if using, and cover with a close fitting lid. bring to a boil over medium. listen for it to boil. Do not open lid! Adjust heat to keep from boiling over if necessary. Cook for 3-5 minutes.

4.Reduce heat to its lowest setting and simmer for 8-10 minutes, remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Now lift the lid and discard the kombu.

5. While rice is sitting for its 10 minute rest heat the ingredients for the vinegar mix just to disolve the sugar and salt. Do not boil.

Transfer rice to a pre soaked wooden rice tub or salad bowl. Pour a little of the vinegar mix over a wooden spatula into the rice.

6. Continue adding the mixture a little at a time using a slicing action with the wooden spatula to thoroughly coat the rice.

during this process fan off the rice every couple of minutes. Continue to fan until cooled to room temperature.

hope this works for you

Justin


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## dcarch (Jun 28, 2010)

pxatkins said:


> Not sure where you live, but many Chinese grocers carry quail eggs at a reasonable price.


Quail eggs also come in cans. Not bad. Save all the peeling.

Here is a sashimi dinner I made:

dcarch


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Lovely plating, nice cutting. 

You guys are aware that this is a three and half year old thread, right?  If whoever wanted those quail eggs hasn't found them by now, it's probably too late.

BDL


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

Maybe they were looking for "old eggs"??? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/rollsmile.gif


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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

All in all, making sushi is not really that tough a thing to do. After a dozen or so tries I've become acceptably good enough at doing it. NO, not Japanese good, but good enough that the Asian _"physical therapy"_ women at the end of my block ask for it. Don't fear making the rice, just follow the directions on the bag. LOL. I've been using _"Kokohu Rose" _brand; 1 cup rice w/ 1 1/4 cup water, rinse the bageebies out of it then bring it to a boil uncovered over high heat, cover it and let it simmer for 15 minutes over very low heat, let it sit until it is finger-touch cool. I then cut in a mix of apple-cider vinegar, sugar, hot chili oil and toasted sesame seeds. _"California Roll"_ is an easy way to get started. I do strongly suggest throwing away the _"inside-out"_ idea and just do it regular way with the rice inside. Save yourself the head-aches. Be careful with the size you roll/cut the pieces. My first batch came out the size of two(2) stacked _Oreo_ cookies. I'm told they are supposed to be _1-bite_ size. Use a very sharp knife with a low/short profile. I wet mine between every slice. Don't make too much stuff to go inside. Trust me, you'll over-prep and have a big bowl of extra salad left over. *LOL.* I have also found that regular nori is big enough for two(2) rolls. This last part is really off the reservation, but everyone that's had it likes it. I make a "sauce" by mixing one(1) part wasabi paste with two(2) parts _"Green Goddess"_ salad dressing. Enjoy yourself, go have some fun.

_***_ Oh yeah, I forgot this part. Buy _REAL_ sushi rice, from a good Asian store. _STAY AWAY_ from Whole Foods. _*"DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!!"*_


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## Iceman (Jan 4, 2011)

Gindara/Sablefish: Tastes buttery and smooth. Long-lined and trap-caught from Alaska and British Columbia is the eco-friendliest choice.










Iwana/Arctic Char: Tastes like trout but it looks like salmon. Unlike farmed salmon, farmed char is ecologically sound. And since char farms are becoming more popular, sushi bars can buy it locally - minimizing the distance your sushi has to travel.










Iwashi/Sardines: Tastes a little more salty and oily than the others. With the population stocks at an all time high, choose U.S. Pacific sardines over imported varieties.










Merugai/Geoduck: Tastes like a less chewy clam. Seek out farmed over wild since it creates less by-catch.










Shiro Maguro/Albacore Tuna Belly: Tastes exactly like Bluefin but it isn't as over-fished . Ask for Pacific troll-caught albacore from the United States, Hawaii, or Canada.










Uni/Sea Urchin Roe: Tastes briny and sweet. Since several Sea Urchin populations are questionable, only give it the taste test it if it derives from British Columbia where they are most abundant.










Awabi/Abalone: Tastes like clams and calamari. Farmed, not wild, Abalone is the only way to go since wild are poached from over-fished stocks. Abalone farms are also eco-friendly since they don't require additional feed or fish meal.










Ikura/Salmon Roe: Tastes very fishy and salty. Order wild-caught, Alaskan since it is certified sustainable under the Marine Stewardship Council.








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Eight Exotically Green Sushi Options

Eight Exotically Green Sushi Options (Slideshow)


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

Nice pics Iceman.

The definition of Sushi is "vinegared rice." 

Add fish to it...then call it Nigiri Sushi.

Your display is more Sashimi than Sushi.

Beautiful presentations though.


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## esquared (Oct 14, 2011)

There used to be a Japanese place near my house that served sushi. I became friends with the manager when he found out I could get ramps so quite a few times after they closed we would make a meal in the kitchen and eat. He let me make my own sushi several times. Their sushi chef let me cut some of my own fish and let me make a batch of rice and I enjoyed it. I would love to find a good place in Phoenix to but some sushi grade fish so I could make it again.


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## shnooky (Oct 11, 2011)

Oddly enough the chinese grocery story near my doesn't sell sushimi, I was disappointed. I asked them but they didn't really have an answer, I hope that my asking is an indicator to carry some, even a small amount.

Thanks for the recipe and great picks!


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## petemccracken (Sep 18, 2008)

shnooky said:


> Oddly enough the chinese grocery story near my doesn't sell sushimi, I was disappointed. I asked them but they didn't really have an answer, I hope that my asking is an indicator to carry some, even a small amount.
> 
> Thanks for the recipe and great picks!


Um, I think you might have better luck at a Japanese grocery, seeing as sashimi is a Japanese dish.


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Quite a few markets sell sushi, but very few sell sashimi.  Good thing too.  You don't want to buy pre-cut sashimi at a market, or from anywhere other than a good sushi-ya -- with the intention to eat it very, very soon.  Even held cold, and tightly covered with cling wrap, it dries out very quickly once cut.  Sashimi, because it is naked and unadorned, looks particularly unattractive if held for more than twenty minutes or so.  Unfortunately, less than good sushi/sashimi is far less than good -- you shouldn't tolerate any leeway at all with raw proteins. 

Many Korean and Japanese markets carry fish sufficiently fresh and high-grade for you to buy and cut your own sushi and sashimi; so do some Chinese supermarkets (like 99 Ranch); and so do some "ordinary" American fish mongers.  You want very fresh, very high quality, from a market which screams freshness.  Don't settle.   

Cutting your own, or at least cutting it right is another matter.   It's not hard at all if you know what you're doing; but acquiring the eye and the skills which are most of "knowing what you're doing," takes tons of practice.  You need to know how to "fabricate" the fish into ready to cut loins, you need to know how to orient the loins according to their grain and the particular fish, and you need to know how to cut appropriately sized slices.   Every cut must leave a glass-smooth surface.  You do not want to "saw" at the fish -- you'll feel ragged, furry surfaces on your tongue, and the sensation won't be as sensual or pleasant. 

Consequently, there are equipment needs.  For fabricating you want something durable enough to cut through bones, fins, and skin yet sharp enough not to leave any ragged surfaces.  For slicing, you want extremely sharp, long knives. Sushi men often use highly specialized knives called debas and yanagibas.  The deba is used to "fabricate" the fish down to fillets, and the yanagiba to skin them, cut them into loins, and cut portion slices.  Don't fall in love with the deba and yanagiba before understanding that long, sharp, and skills are far important than particular knives.  

Sharp doesn't mean "sharp like a new Wusthof," "sharp" means much sharper than that.  Buying a yanagiba isn't going to make you a sushi man (or woman).  Learning to sharpen is a start.

BDL


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