First thing's first

A sushi recipe.

I’ll get this out of the way now. Otherwise it’ll be on my mind each time I write, giving all other posts an unnecessary fishy undertone, which is hardly helpful.

Maki rolls (seaweed on the outside) are a good start for anyone who wants to master sushi making as they tend to be easier to roll. First you should decide what you want inside the rolls and cut the various ingredients into long lengths. I usually use fresh salmon, crab, tuna, pickled radish, pickled ginger, cucumber and avocado.

Then you’ll need sushi rice (short grain as that will be stickier), rice vinegar and sugar.

Wash the rice until the water runs clear as this will remove the starch and make it a lot more manageable. Use slightly more water than rice to cook (1 cup of rice = 1 ¼ cup of water.) Boil the water first then add then add the rice. Turn the heat down after a few minutes and let it simmer for 15 – or until the water is absorbed. Keep watching/stirring gently as it will stick!

Let it cool while you prepare the rice vinegar. You do this by dissolving some sugar into it. Three tablespoons of vinegar mixed with three of sugar is usually enough but add more or either if you think you need it. Add the rice vinegar to the cooled down rice and give it a little mix.

Next up is the rolling mat/seaweed sheets (nori)…

The nori goes shiny side down onto of the mat. Coat the nori with a thin (cm if that) layer of rice, leaving an inch clear at the far end of the sheet. About a third of the way down (from you) create a small groove across the rice. Add a tiny bit of wasabi across the groove if you like things hot. Place the first of your chosen ingredients along the groove using the loose items first and firmer ones last (so they are closer to you, as this makes it easier to roll)

Then roll…

Take care when you do this as the ingredients may spill over each other. The inch left at the end should come in useful if you need to stick the roll together more securely (use wasabi or pickled ginger water). If you want squares or other shapes do this when the roll is still inside the mat. Then open the mat and cut (with a sharp clean knife).

Oh, and try Kikkoman soy sauce on the sushi. It’s the best.