Anyone that's a regular reader of my blog knows that I like to experiment with newly found grocery items. Sometimes I just buy the stuff and it sits, and sits, and sits (sigh) but for the most part I get up enough courage to try something new and different. This past weekend at Wegman's, I came across these:
Interesting, no? Here's their website ... while I didn't find their website until after I'd made these, they do have some good recipes for different types of sushi rolls.
While I've eaten my share of sushi, I've never actually made it. I'm ashamed to admit that several (um... 7 ... eeks) years ago Woot had a sushi set for sale that I purchased but with the exception of making some formed rice for one of Adrienne's school projects, it has sat unused all this time. This week changed that and made me realize it's easy to make here at home.
I know the basics of how to make sushi. First, you have to pay careful attention to the rice. RiceSelect makes a good sushi rice, and that's what I ended up using. Cook it according to the package directions - including letting it sit for 10 minutes off the heat and then stirring in some rice vinegar. I've seen sushi chefs fan the rice to cool it down but we just kept stirring it until it was cool enough to handle.
I think the hardest part was spreading the rice on the sushi wrapper. You didn't want it too thick or too thin but the biggest key was to keep your hands wet so the rice didn't stick more to you than the wrapper.
I used thinly sliced cucumber, carrots, imitation crab meat and avocado. (Yes, typical American, make a California roll.) Rolling it up was no problem - just needed to remember to wrap the mat tightly so there's no air pockets. Once rolled, cut them in half, then half again, then half again to make 8 rolls. We dipped it in just soy sauce because at the time I couldn't find where I had stuck my little jar of wasabi, but next time I'd make some of that as well.
Honestly I think this weekend I'll be making some more - they were delicious, fresh, flavorful, and the best part, easy.
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