Sushi at home

I cannot believe that I haven't gotten into making sushi at home a whole lot sooner. It is amazingly easy! That said, I'm not suggesting that sushi chefs have it easy - my home version probably wouldn't pass muster by actual sushi experts, but we'll get by with my not very authentic Warrnambool version.

The only sushi that is for sale around here is at a very small smoothie shop. They sell 3 varieties: smoked salmon, tuna and a chicken/cucumber version. Andrew and I really miss Sushi Train from our Sydney days so I decided to take the plunge and try to make my own, and was surprised at how easy and fun it actually is. That being said, it was a little slow at first, and I still probably make far too much for the two of us. It is a learning experience though, right? The fillings I am currently using are:

salmon nigiri

cooked prawn nigiri

cooked chicken schnitzel/avocado rolls

cooked chicken thigh/shallot/carrot

eel/shallot rolls

salmon/avocado/shallot

cooked salmon/avocado/shallot

tempura prawn

I also asked the good folks on the forums at taste.com.au to suggest some fillings other than what I am making, so if you're interested, please have a look. There's some good stuff there. 

So, for the rolls: all you need to do is follow the sushi rice instructions on the pack and then spoon the rice out onto your nori sheet (thickness can vary, depending on your taste I suppose!) add your filling at one end then roll it up. You can purchase little sushi making kits at the supermarket which have the little bamboo mat that helps you roll your sushi.

If you would like to make nigiri (the little mounds of sushi with a bit of wasabi then  the topping) all you need to do is shape your sushi into the required shape with a wet hand and then add a swipe of wasabi then your topping. Easy stuff!

This has quickly become a favourite at our place and I hope that you'll give this a try - it really is very easy!

For more technical explanations of sushi, take a look at this wikipedia article.