For the Love of Sushi

When I was a kid, I hated sushi. What was to like? Raw fish did not taste or sound like a good idea...even to one who routinely ate chicken feet, calf brain soup, and thousand-year eggs. The rice was sour, too.

Aaaaah, but with age comes wisdom and maybe a more "distinguished" palate.

Now, the uncooked flesh of a freshly filleted fish is a delicacy. Granted, that first photo is of a caterpillar roll which raw contents consists only of its fruits (cucumber inside and the avocado splayed on top like a newly opened deck of cards at the blackjack table) and BBQ fresh-water eel. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

When I was at the Kushi Institute's Macrobiotic conference last summer, my friend, Leslie, had the good fortune of working with one of the sushi chefs. I will never forget (nor will she, I suppose) the 7 cups rice to 1 cup awase su (seasoned vinegar for sushi) for the sushi rice. So remember that folks, 7:1. Mix when rice is still hot and fan it during to make the rice tacky but not sticky and also gloriously shiny.

If you've got the rice, you're all set. You can make nigiri (the hand-formed bite-sized pieces) without nori (or seaweed). The nori is necessary for rolls (traditional ones anyway...there is also the soy wrappers or if you're really adept with a knife you can make a sheet of cucumber).

My friend, Heather, a novice at sushi making was actually very good at spreading the rice on the seaweed. It must be the massage therapist hands of hers. Karl was excellent with the spicy tuna. He was 50/50 with the mayo and Sriracha sauce. That was really spicy to me but with a little soy sauce, it was delicious.

Whether you're doing it at home or eating it out, it's never really "cheap." Besides, how cheap do you want to be with raw fish? But it should always be tasty and most definitely fun.

We made all that with 3 cups of uncooked rice and about 3 1/2 fl. oz. of seasoned rice vinegar. Purchase from a reliable fish monger.

My sushi hints:
1) Use a sharp knife otherwise you're just tearing everything.
2) Use fresh ingredients...it's raw, people.
3) Use half a sheet of nori for the skinny rolls, a whole sheet for the fat rolls.
4) Wrap your sushi mat in plastic wrap. Makes for easier clean up and if you're doing inside-out rolls (rice on outside), it's essential.
5) Place ball of rice in center of nori and spread outward.
6) When you roll, think of it making a rounded square instead of a perfect cylinder.
7) Do it with friends because it's a lot of work and you can have more of a variety. Yum!