SUSHI

SUSHI RICE

Sushi rice is simply Japanese rice dressed with a seasoned vinegar, a practice now done mainly for flavour, but that has its roots in the need to preserve both the rice and the fish with acidity and salt in the days before refrigeration. 

DIFFICULTY

Maybe difficult if you want a Michelin star – but not if you just want some tasty sushi

300 g (10½ oz/1½ cups) Japanese rice, washed
390 g (13¾ oz/1⅔ cups) water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar – now is the time to bust out the NICE rice vinegar
2 tablespoons caster (superfine) or granulated (raw) sugar
1 tablespoon salt

METHOD

Cook the rice in the water, according to the instructions. While the rice is cooking, stir together the vinegar, sugar and salt until the sugar and salt dissolve.

Once the rice is cooked, spread it out in a large bowl or tray and sprinkle over the seasoned vinegar. Mix the vinegar through the rice with a rice paddle or spatula, using slicing and turning motions. Return the rice to the cooking pan or to a plastic container to keep it warm – for me, sushi is best when the rice is slightly above body temperature, so it’s good to get all your sushi ingredients ready as the rice cooks, so it doesn’t get too cold while you finish your prep.

SPICY TUNA ROLL

DIFFICULTY

Have you ever rolled up a newspaper to swat a fly? 

100 g (3½ oz) fresh tuna, diced
2 spring onions (scallions), chopped
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sriracha or similar hot chilli sauce (or more or less, to taste)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1 sheet of nori, cut in half lengthways
200 g (7 oz/scant 2 cups) prepared sushi rice

METHOD

Stir together the tuna, spring onions, mayo, sriracha and sesame seeds.

Have a bowl of water handy – you will use this to wet your hands to keep the rice from sticking to your fingers. Lay the nori shiny side down on a dry, clean tea towel or cloth napkin. Rub your hands with water and shake off any excess, then use your fingers to spread the rice out in an even layer on the nori, leaving a gap of about 3 cm (1¼ in) uncovered along the far edge of the nori (you will use this to seal the roll).

Spread the spicy tuna mixture over the rice along the near edge, about 1 cm (½ in) from the edge. Now we roll. Use the tea towel to curl up the edge of the nori, over the filling, tightening the roll as you go with gentle pressure. When you’ve rolled to the far edge of the nori, use a little (just a little) water on your fingers to dampen the exposed nori, and press the roll together to seal. With a little luck you’ll have a tight, structurally sound spicy tuna roll – slice with a sharp, wet knife, and enjoy with typical sushi accoutrements.

SALMON, AVOCADO AND CUCUMBER ROLL

It’s like a sandwich, in sushi form. 

MAKES 2 ROLLS

1 sheet of nori, cut in half lengthways
200 g (7 oz/scant 2 cups) prepared sushi rice
100 g (3½ oz) salmon, pin-boned and skinned, cut into strips 1 cm (½ in) thick
½ avocado, cut into strips 5 mm (¼ in) thick and tossed with the juice of ½ lemon
¼ cucumber, cut into batons 5 mm (¼ in) thick
wasabi, to taste

METHOD

Proceed with the instructions for spicy tuna rolls , but with the salmon, avocado, cucumber and wasabi in place of the spicy tuna mix.