HOW TO MAKE SUSHI AT HOME (STEP BY STEP)

Sushi is a Japanese dishof prepared vinegared rice, usually with some sugar and salt, accompanying a variety of ingredients, such as seafood, vegetables, and occasionally tropical fruits. Styles of sushi and its presentation vary widely, but the one key ingredient is "sushi rice", also referred to as shari or sumesh. The term sushi is no longer used in its original context; it literally means "sour-tasting"

All sushi starts with rice but not all rice is the same. Varieties include brown rice, jasmine, wild rice, our barrio rice, mochi or glutinous rice and for sushi medium or short grain sushi rice. We've cooked Japanese sushi rice according to the instructions on the bag following the manufacturer's instructions on our rice cooker. If you don't have a special sushi bowl you can use a large shallow dish as long as there is a large surface area for stirring and cooling the rice. 

First drizzle a little seasoned rice vinegar also called sushi vinegar over the rice then use a rice paddle or spatula to break up the rice by gently cutting through it and folding it over itself. Fan the rice to cool it before adding more vinegar repeat the process adding more vinegar and gently turning and folding the rice until all the vinegar is added and the rice is cooled to room temperature. The idea is to gently break up any lumps of rice so each grain absorbs the vinegar without smashing or breaking the grains. When it's cool, cover the bowl with a damp towel to prevent it from drying out but don't refrigerate sushi rice. Get the other ingredients together including sheets of nori. For the filling we've chosen daikon sprouts pickled daikon pickled burdock root and fresh cucumber.

Start by setting a sushi mat in front of you. Toasted nori has a shiny side and a dull side. Set a sheet of nori, shiny side down with the longer side parallel to the slats of the mat. To keep the sushi rice from sticking to your fingers dip your hands in water gently clap your hands to remove excess water then gather about a cup of rice. Form it into a rough log shape and set it on the nori using your fingers gently push the rice to cover the nori evenly taking it 2/3 of the edges and leaving the closing edge with a margin of about an inch. If your fingers get too sticky dip them in water again line up the filling ingredients across the middle of the rice. Don't use too much filling and space the ingredients evenly to ensure a tight uniform roll using the mat as a support. Lift the edge up and over the filling use your fingers to tuck the filling in place as you roll. Now tuck the mat tightly into a roll so that only the nori without any rice is exposed. Pull back to tighten the roll. Reposition the mat and roll tightly. With the sushi roll on the work surface use the mat to gently squeeze and shape the roll slice. The sushi wiping the knife after each cut with a wet towel to keep the blade from getting too sticky. Cut the roll in half then cut each half into three segments arrange the sushi on a plate garnished with pickled ginger and wasabi and serve with Kikkoman soy sauce. 

To make a California roll, set a sushi mat wrapped with plastic wrap in front of you then arrange the nori shiny side up with the longer side parallel to the slats of the mat. Gently spread about a cup of rice over the surface. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds evenly over the rice. We've can use both white and black sesame seeds. Carefully flip the nori sheet don't worry the rice will stick to the nori and because of the plastic wrap it won't stick to the mat. Now arrange the filling in a strip across the center of the rice avocado surimi and cucumber lift the edge of the mat up and over the filling tucking the filling in with your fingers as you roll tuck and roll the mat tightly into a roll. So that only the nori without any rice is exposed then pull back to tighten the roll. Reposition the mat and roll tightly with a sushi roll on the work surface use the mat to gently squeeze and shape the roll. Slice the sushi wiping the knife after each cut with a wet towel to keep it from getting sticky. Cut the roll in half then cut each half into three segments. Arrange the sushi on a plate garnished with pickled ginger and wasabi and served with Kikkoman soy sauce.