hillsdown":zt4g6733 said:
Oh and can you get away without using the seaweed paper or use something else ? That stuff is nasty and really one thing that I could do without.
There's another type of wrapper made out of soy. It's whitish colored and doesn't have much taste. I don't usually see it in stores, so you'd prolly have to order it on-line. Restaurants use it commonly for people who don't like the taste of seaweed (which is high in iodine and good for you!). Unless you're making individual pieces of fish sitting on top of rice pats (nigiri sushi), you need something to hold the rolls together. There are also inside out rolls that have rice on the outside (and usually a layer of seaweed on the inside). To roll the inside out roll, you have to cover the bamboo roller with saran wrap. To cut the roll, you cut right through the saran wrap and then just pull it off the roll when you're done.
There are so many kinds of sushi and everyone has different taste, but if you really like it, it's worth experimenting. I've never met anyone who absolutely can't do it. Some just need more practice than others. There are some types of sushi I only eat in restaurants b/c they're too complicated to make but you can make many types at home that will taste every bit as good.
Pickled sliced ginger is good to have as a condiment too, but not necessary. At the Japanese fish market, I can get the little tiny fish eggs (tobiko) frozen in packages. I usually have one in the freezer at home and they last a long time.
Here is an idea for making a "salad style" roll out of cooked ingredients like imitation crab (shredded and chopped), cooked scallops (chopped), or cooked shrimp (any size shrimp, chop if needed): use about 1 cup of cooked ingredients, add about 2 teaspoons mayonnaise, 1 1/2 teaspoons very finely chopped green onion, 1/4 teaspoon very, very finely chopped pickled or fresh ginger, 1/4 teaspoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds, pinch of red chili powder. Adjust flavors and add salt or more mayo if needed. If you used pickled ginger, add about 1/4 teaspoon or less of the juice b/c it adds the right flavor and thins out the salad a little bit. If you have little fish eggs, add about 1/2 teaspoon. If you don't have those things, don't worry about it. Roll with cucumber, avocado and radish sprouts (optional). This recipe would make about 4 rolls (about 6 pieces per roll). In a restaurant, one of these rolls would be anywhere between $6-$8. It's much cheaper to make at home. Add steamed rice and instant miso soup and it's sushi date night on a budget...
