Simple Sushi Food

SIMPLE SUSHI

Steps:

• KIDS the writing in bold is for you. ADULTS the rest is for you. TO MAKE SUSHI ROLLS: Pat out some rice. Lay a nori sheet on the mat, shiny-side down. Dip your hands in the vinegared water, then pat handfuls of rice on top in a 1cm thick layer, leaving the furthest edge from you clear.
• Spread over some Japanese mayonnaise. Use a spoon to spread out a thin layer of mayonnaise down the middle of the rice.
• Add the filling. Get your child to top the mayonnaise with a line of their favourite fillings - here we've used tuna and cucumber.
• Roll it up. Lift the edge of the mat over the rice, applying a little pressure to keep everything in a tight roll.
• Stick down the sides like a stamp. When you get to the edge without any rice, brush with a little water and continue to roll into a tight roll.
• Wrap in cling film. Remove the mat and roll tightly in cling film before a grown-up cuts the sushi into thick slices, then unravel the cling film.
• TO MAKE PRESSED SUSHI: Layer over some smoked salmon. Line a loaf tin with cling film, then place a thin layer of smoked salmon inside on top of the cling film.
• Cover with rice and press down. Press about 3cm of rice over the fish, fold the cling film over and press down as much as you can, using another tin if you have one.
• Tip it out like a sandcastle. Turn block of sushi onto a chopping board. Get a grown-up to cut into fingers, then remove the cling film.
• TO MAKE SUSHI BALLS: Choose your topping. Get a small square of cling film and place a topping, like half a prawn or a small piece of smoked salmon, on it. Use damp hands to roll walnut-sized balls of rice and place on the topping.
• Make into tight balls. Bring the corners of the cling film together and tighten into balls by twisting it up, then unwrap and serve.

SUSHI ROLL

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/3 cups water to a boil. Add rice, and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar ,and salt. Blend the mixture into the rice.
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). On a medium baking sheet, heat nori in the preheated oven 1 to 2 minutes, until warm.
• Center one sheet nori on a bamboo sushi mat. Wet your hands. Using your hands, spread a thin layer of rice on the sheet of nori, and press into a thin layer. Arrange 1/4 of the cucumber, ginger, avocado, and imitation crabmeat in a line down the center of the rice. Lift the end of the mat, and gently roll it over the ingredients, pressing gently. Roll it forward to make a complete roll. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Cut each roll into 4 to 6 slices using a wet, sharp knife.

HOMEMADE SUSHI

Steps:

• Place the seaweed on a bamboo mat, then cover the sheet of seaweed with an even layer of prepared sushi rice. Smooth gently with the rice paddle.
• Layer salmon, cream cheese, and avocado on the rice, and roll it up tightly. Slice with a sharp knife, and enjoy with soy sauce.

VEGAN SUSHI

Steps:

• Rinse the sushi rice in a fine mesh colander under cold water.
• Either cook the rice in your Instant Pot or cook it on the stove top. If you are using an Instant Pot use the rice setting (low pressure for 12 minutes). Allow the pressure to release naturally. The rice should be tender and the water should be completely absorbed. If you are cooking it on the stove top, bring the rice with the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. I usually prefer to make sushi rice in my Instant Pot.
• Combine the rice vinegar, the sugar, and the salt in a small bowl. Add the cooked rice to a large bowl and stir in the vinegar sugar mixture until well combined. Let it cool down. Cover the bowl of rice with a damp napkin or kitchen cloth until it's ready to use.
• In the meanwhile, cut the cucumber, the carrots, the avocado, and the tofu in thin strips. Heat some oil in a flat pan and cook the tofu strips for about 4 minutes on high heat until crispy. Add a tablespoon of soy sauce while cooking.
• Place a nori sheet lengthwise on a bamboo rolling mat with the shiny side down. Fill a shallow bowl with cool water and wet your hands. Take a handful of rice and place it in the center of the nori sheet. Spread evenly, leaving a 3/4 - inch strip of the nori sheet uncovered on the top.
• Place some thin strips of cucumber, carrot, tofu and avocado in a line on the near edge of the nori sheet. Make sure not to overfill the nori.
• Tuck your thumbs underneath the bamboo mat and hold the ingredients with your fingers. Then roll the bamboo mat and the nori sheet towards your fingers with slight pressure. Make sure that the ingredients are fully covered with the rice and the nori sheet. Roll slowly to ensure that the sushi is rolled evenly.
• Wet your fingers again in the shallow bowl of cool water and moisturize the uncovered strip of the nori sheet. Then completely roll up the nori sheet with the bamboo mat.
• Place the sushi roll on a cutting board and carefully cut it in half with a sharp knife. Put the knife under cold water before and after cutting. Put the sushi halves beside each other and carefully cut them into small slices.
• Sprinkle the vegan sushi rolls with sesame seeds and serve with soy sauce. If you want you could also add wasabi and pickled ginger.

CALIFORNIA SUSHI ROLL RECIPE

Steps:

• Wrap the sumaki with plastic wrap. This will prevent rice from sticking on to the surface of the sumaki. Place the half sheet of nori horizontally. Lightly wet your hands, and cover the nori with layer of rice. TIP: It is better to make a narrow rice ball the length of the nori first, and place the rice ball on the bottom edge and spread the rice by pushing the rice towards the upper portion of the nori.
• Sprinkle sesame seeds as desired. After the rice is evenly spread out, flip the nori, so that the rice side is facing the sumaki, and the nori side is facing up. Place your ingredients in the bottom portion of the nori (not too close to the bottom edge). TIP: Mix crab meat with mayo to make a dressing. For imitation crab, dice up the imitation crab into smaller pieces first before making a dressing.
• Using the sumaki, fold the bottom portion inwards so that it covers the ingredients. It is ideal to have about an inch or inch and half of nori left over (you do not want to over stuff the roll).
• Apply pressure on the sumaki so that the roll is tight, and continue to wrap the remaining portion. The inside ingredients should be wrapped about 1.5 times, rather than just once.
• When cutting the roll, place the roll out of the sumaki onto a cutting board. Moisten the knife with a wet towel, and cut it into halves first. Then, line up the two halves and cut it into 3 evenly spaced pieces so that you will get a total of 6 pieces from a single roll. TIP: When cutting a sushi roll, do not attempt to "chop" it by pressing hard. Rather begin with the front edge of the knife, and while pressing down, pull the knife backwards towards you, so that you are "slicing" it. It will prevent the roll of being squashed and give you a cleaner cut.

QUICK AND EASY SUSHI MAKI (SUSHI ROLLS)

Steps:

• Rinse the rice very well under cold water. Drain thoroughly and put into a large saucepan that has a lid. Pour over 1 pint of water. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for about 25 minutes or until nearly all the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and allow to stand for 10 minutes.
• Then tip the rice onto a large flat clean tray. A metallic is probably best as it will help the rice cool down quicker. Dress the rice with the mirin, turning frequently as this helps the rice to cool. Then fan with a fan or a magazine until the rice is room temperature (not essential but quite authentic).
• To make the sushi take a Japanese bamboo sushi mat and place a sheet of seaweed on top. Have a small bowl of water to hand. Dip your fingers in the water before you touch the rice. Spread the rice over three quarters of the seaweed, take a little rice at a time and push it to the edges leaving a layer about ½ cm thick. Leave the quarter the furthest away from you plain.
• Next smear a little wasabi in a line a little off centre nearest to your body. Follow with a layer of tuna, a spring onion and a piece of cucumber. Roll up the bamboo mat slowly, tucking in the closer end of the sushi roll to start a roll and press lightly with both hands. Remove the roll from the mat and leave to sit with the joining edges downwards. You can wrap in cling film and keep in a cool place until you are ready to serve. Don't place in the fridge as this dries out the rice.
• To serve, using a lightly moistened sharp knife to trim the ends, then cut into 6-8 pieces. Serve with the pickled ginger and little bowls of soy sauce.

EASY SUSHI CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 F.

EASY SUSHI RECIPE FOR KIDS

Steps:

• Spread seaweed nori sheet on the sushi mat. Make sure it is shiny side down, and the lines are running vertically.
• Get your children to layer the rice on top of the nori. You want about half an inch (or less, depending on personal choice). It doesn't need to be flattened and pressed - but it does need to be equal all the way across. Leave about a centimeter of room around all edges.
• Align your cucumber and and avocado on one end of the nori in a vertical line. You'll want to do this towards the end nearest to you - so that it gets rolled up first.
• Add your additional ingredients, in this case carrots and omelette.
• Slowly roll the sushi up. Seal the edge with a bit of rice vinegar or water.
• Leave rolls in the fridge to secure and settle while you make the rest of your rolls.
• Take rolls out of fridge and cut (with a sharp knife, gently) into equal pieces, about 1/2 inch wide.
• Serve and enjoy!