Sushi Roku Saskatoon Food

VEGETABLE SUSHI ROLLS FOR ALL AGES

Steps:

• For the rice:
• Mix together vinegar, sugar, and salt.
• Rinse the rice in colander and drain. Put the rice and water in medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to very low and simmer, tightly covered. (For a good seal wrap the pan's lid tightly with a small kitchen towel and cover the saucepan. Make sure the towel's edges are folded up well away from the heat.) Cook until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat (don't uncover) and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Fluff the rice with a fork and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the vinegar mixture and toss with the rice, using a wooden spoon. Spread it out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Fan the rice continuously with a fan or magazine until cooled. Cover the rice with a damp towel.
• To assemble rolls:
• Place the sushi mat with the slats running crosswise directly in front of you on a clean work space. Lay a sheet of nori shiny-side down and lined up with the closest edge of the mat. Lightly moisten fingers with water, and evenly press about 1/4 of the rice onto the nori, with 1 1/2-inches uncovered at the far edge. Line up the fillings about 1-inch from the closest near edge, evenly across the rice. Leave 1-inch of rice uncovered at the far edge.
• Beginning with the near edge of the mat, tightly roll up the nori, rice, and fillings into a cylinder. Firmly tug on the rounded mat over the roll as you pull on the far edge of the mat to tighten the roll. Open the mat, dab unsealed edge of nori with a bit of water and roll the sushi forward to seal. Transfer the sushi to a plate and cover with damp paper towels. Repeat with remaining rice and fillings.
• Cut each sushi roll, crosswise, into 8 pieces with a sharp wet knife.
• Serve with bowl of soy sauce for dipping.

SUSHI CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Prepare the cake mix as directed; divide the batter between the pans and bake as directed. Let cool 15 minutes, then remove to a rack to cool completely.
• Trim the domed tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level. Spread frosting on one cake layer, then invert the other layer on top. Spread a thin layer of frosting around the outside of the cake and on top. Reserve 1/4 cup frosting for the wasabi.
• Melt the candy melts in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds, until smooth. Add the cereal and stir.
• Mark a 3 1/2-inch circle in the middle of the cake with a paring knife. Arrange the dried mango in half of the circle, trimming as needed. Toss the apple with the lemon juice and arrange cut-side up next to the dried mango, pushing it into the cake.
• Wrap a 5-by-26-inch strip of parchment around the cake so that it is slightly taller than the cake. Spread the cereal mixture around the apple and dried mango (the parchment will create a wall for the cereal mixture). Refrigerate the cake.
• To make the seaweed, microwave the marshmallows and 1/4 cup water in a bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth. Transfer to a stand mixer. Beat in the confectioners' sugar with the paddle attachment, then gradually beat in the cocoa powder until smooth. Beat in the butter.
• Dust a piece of parchment with cocoa powder and roll the chocolate mixture into a 5-by-26-inch strip. Trim the long sides to make them straight.
• Remove the parchment from the cake. Carefully wrap the chocolate strip around the cake, making sure the top of the strip aligns with the top of the cereal mixture. Trim the bottom edge so it's flush with the bottom of the cake. If the strip tears, just press it back together. Transfer the cake to a board.
• For the wasabi, tint the reserved frosting with green food coloring and freeze until stiff, 15 minutes; scoop onto the board. For the pickled ginger, flatten the Starburst candies, shape into curvy pieces and place on the board.

VEGETABLE SUSHI

Steps:

• Make the rice. Combine the rice and 3 1/4 cups water in a rice cooker and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. A rice cooker is the best way to get perfect sticky-firm rice, but if you don't have one, just use a saucepan. Fold in the vinegar. Combine the vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Transfer the cooked rice to a large wooden bowl (traditionally, a wooden tub). Drizzle a quarter of the vinegar mixture over a wooden spoon or spatula onto the rice. Fold the rice gently with the spoon to cool it and break up any clumps; be careful not to smash the grains. Fold in the remaining vinegar mixture and let the rice sit 5 minutes. Spread the rice.
• Cover a bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap. Place a half nori sheet rough-side up on the mat. Moisten your hands and scoop a handful of rice, slightly larger than a lemon, onto the nori. Press the rice to spread it evenly up to the edges of the nori, moistening your fingers as you go. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Prepare the vegetables. Peel the cucumber and slice into matchsticks. (Morimoto cuts the entire cucumber into a paper-thin sheet, then quickly slices it into strips-but he's had some practice.) Thinly slice the avocado, tomato and red onion; peel the tough ends of the asparagus. Add the filling. Carefully flip over the nori so it's rice-side down on the mat with the short end facing you. Spread a bit of wasabi paste in a line about one-third of the way up the nori-it's spicy, so use it sparingly. Arrange a few pieces each of lettuce, cucumber, avocado, tomato and onion in a tight pile in the lower third of the sheet. It's OK if the vegetables hang over the edges of the nori. Roll the sushi. Roll the sushi away from you with your hands, tucking in the vegetables as you go. Remove the mat from under the roll and place it on top. Press the roll into a compact rectangular log, using the mat to help you. Slice the roll. Cut the sushi roll into 4 to 6 pieces. Repeat with the remaining nori, rice and vegetables. Serve with pickled ginger and more wasabi. Photography by Rick Lew

SUSHI RICE

Steps:

• Place the rice into a mixing bowl and cover with cool water. Swirl the rice in the water, pour off and repeat 2 to 3 times or until the water is clear.
• Place the rice and 2 cups of water into a medium saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and heat in the microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer the rice into a large wooden or glass mixing bowl and add the vinegar mixture. Fold thoroughly to combine and coat each grain of rice with the mixture. Allow to cool to room temperature before using to make sushi or sashimi.