Aren’t you tired of serving Indian or Chinese, all the time? Start impressing. Now you can really impress your guests with your repertoire of exotic dishes from the Far East and beyond. Today we have for you the jewel of Japanese cuisine i.e. sushi! If you are preparing sushi for the first time, it’s best to start with a Western style California Sushi Roll. It’s easier to make and more suitable to the Indian palate, since silky avocado is the key ingredient in this recipe. But make note that it is essential to select a ripe one (the skin should be a bit soft when you poke it).Sushi has become very popular dish world wide not only for its delicate flavors but the main ingredients of raw fish and rice are naturally low in fat as well as high in protein, carbohydrates , vitamins and minerals, making it healthy eating. This will give you the chance to cut down those gym hours as well!
In keeping with the aesthetic qualities of this dish, sushi is best enjoyed on minimalist, mono or duo tone wood plates. So, get out your best samurai style knife and follow this simple recipe to create the perfect sushi…
Ingredients
- avocado
- 5 cups of Sushi rice
- 4 sheets of nori (toasted seaweed)
- 7 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 Japanese cucumber (or English cucumber)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
- 5 ounces of imitation crabmeat
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of sliced scallions
Utensils
- bamboo mat wrapped in plastic
- sharp knife
Method
- Mix the mayonnaise and scallions in a bowl.
- Cut the cucumber and imitation crab into matchstick slices
- Cut the avocado in half and remove the large seed. Peel and slice.
- Place the shiny side of the nori facing down on the bamboo mat.
- Dip your hands in water and shake them.
- Grab a ball of sushi rice (about 1 1/4 cup) and press it evenly over the sheet of nori.
- Sprinkle on the toasted sesame seeds.
- Gently pick up the nori and flip it upside down so that the rice is facing the plastic.
- Evenly spread out the cucumber, crab and mayonaise on the nori facing you.
- Lift the sushi mat by placing your thumbs underneath the mat.
- Grasp the ingredients with your remaining fingers to keep everything in its place.
- Bring the mat forward until it touches the edge of the ingredients.
- Gently squeeze and form the roll using both hands.
- Slowly unroll the mat and bring the roll back to the edge of the mat.
- Repeat these steps until all of the nori disappears.
- Let your roll rest for about a minute.
- Moisten a very sharp knife and cut the inside-out roll into two even halves.
- Places the halves side-by-side and cut again. Slice into 4 or 6 pieces.
To make your sushi roll even better, you can add flying fish roe or tobbikko to use the Japanese name either inside or on the outside of the roll. If you are unable to get this ingredient, then you can sprinkle the roll with toasted, white sesame seeds. To make your dish more authentic, serve it with a small helping of soy sauce or wasabi sauce. Yummy!