Nigirizushi

[jobberone]

I love sushi. I eat it several times a week. I used to buy it but now we make it. We occasionally make rolls and vary ingredients but mostly we use Atlantic salmon with vinegar rice.

I've used several different types of rice vinegar and we've even tried making our own using base rice vinegar. What's your favorite rice vinegar?

We use a Japanese short grained rice which comes from California. We've tried Thailand and Chinese grains aren't there isn't a great deal of difference but the Kokuho rose seems to work best.

We like wild caught Atlantic salmon but the farm raised fish from Kroger and Sams has consistently been good. Has anyone gotten fresh caught wild fish from say Alaska or elsewhere that has been really good? How do you cut yours? We try to cut it when its a little cold and firmer than when warm but I've learned how to cut it without tearing either way. My wife cuts it in vertical slices. I cut it tangentially. I think I get broader pieces which I can cut thinner.

We either make it when the rice is warm from just cooking or wet it a little and warm it in the microwave for left overs. It's actually better if leftover rice is steamed but I don't normally take the time to do that.

So any other sushi people out there?

 

[tomson75]

Huge fan of tuna rolls...haven't broadened out too much, but some. I think my taste for sushi stems for my love of wasabi...just that and some soy sauce, and I'm in heaven. I'd like to learn to make it...we have a really good Asian market down the street that sells pretty much anything we'd need.

Tuna is so damn expensive though, and it's a little harder to find good tuna than good salmon.

 

[a_minimalist]

I love sushi. I eat it several times a week. I used to buy it but now we make it. We occasionally make rolls and vary ingredients but mostly we use Atlantic salmon with vinegar rice.

I've used several different types of rice vinegar and we've even tried making our own using base rice vinegar. What's your favorite rice vinegar?

We use a Japanese short grained rice which comes from California. We've tried Thailand and Chinese grains aren't there isn't a great deal of difference but the Kokuho rose seems to work best.

We like wild caught Atlantic salmon but the farm raised fish from Kroger and Sams has consistently been good. Has anyone gotten fresh caught wild fish from say Alaska or elsewhere that has been really good? How do you cut yours? We try to cut it when its a little cold and firmer than when warm but I've learned how to cut it without tearing either way. My wife cuts it in vertical slices. I cut it tangentially. I think I get broader pieces which I can cut thinner.

We either make it when the rice is warm from just cooking or wet it a little and warm it in the microwave for left overs. It's actually better if leftover rice is steamed but I don't normally take the time to do that.

So any other sushi people out there?

Slightly off topic but watch "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" for a little inspiration before you make your own sushi next time.

 

[jobberone]

Huge fan of tuna rolls...haven't broadened out too much, but some. I think my taste for sushi stems for my love of wasabi...just that and some soy sauce, and I'm in heaven. I'd like to learn to make it...we have a really good Asian market down the street that sells pretty much anything we'd need.

Tuna is so damn expensive though, and it's a little harder to find good tuna than good salmon.

Kroger has decent tuna steaks perfect size for two people eating sushi but you can't count on them always having them. It really isn't sushi grade but its ok. We do that occasionally just to vary but the Atlantic salmon is better even the farm raised.

BTW, Sams sells theirs already skinned which is a time saver and cuts down on sharpening. You have to buy a big piece but we've discovered that you can freeze it in small bags with salt water completely covering it. It tastes fresh if used within a short time.

I've tried Fresh Market's sockeye which is wild caught. It's good even though many say its not good for sushi. But it's not different tasting than the farm raised Atlantic salmon.

Does anyone know where to get decent squid, eel, whatever?

 

[MoClaiborne24]

Man, I love sushi. I've never tried to make it for myself. How difficult is it?

 

[jobberone]

Not hard. Rice vinegar, short grained rice, and some fish or whatever. Use warm rice and put in bowl. Use a flexible small spatula to mash it together after putting the rice vinegar in. It should have enough rice vinegar to cover it well without making it overly wet. I take a bowl of water nearby to wet my hands and use my hands to make the rice. It's sticky so the water helps. Or you can wet a spatula or spoon and shape the rise using the palm of your opposite hand to hold it. Put fish over it, make some sauce with sweet soy sauce and wasabi and a little asian vinegar and eat.

 

[Tabascocat]

I am not a fan of raw fish except tuna, but I have a recipe for Gravlax (cured salmon) that is outstanding. It takes almost two days to cure.

 

[Wimbo]

We always take wasabi and soy sauce on the boat with us when fishing off-shore. If we catch tuna or mahi-mahi, we eat sushimi about 30 minutes later... just enough time to clean the fish & let some of the meat sit on ice for 10-15 minutes. There is no fresher sushi on the planet.

 

[MapleLeaf]

I love sushi. I eat it several times a week. I used to buy it but now we make it. We occasionally make rolls and vary ingredients but mostly we use Atlantic salmon with vinegar rice.

I've used several different types of rice vinegar and we've even tried making our own using base rice vinegar. What's your favorite rice vinegar?

We use a Japanese short grained rice which comes from California. We've tried Thailand and Chinese grains aren't there isn't a great deal of difference but the Kokuho rose seems to work best.

We like wild caught Atlantic salmon but the farm raised fish from Kroger and Sams has consistently been good. Has anyone gotten fresh caught wild fish from say Alaska or elsewhere that has been really good? How do you cut yours? We try to cut it when its a little cold and firmer than when warm but I've learned how to cut it without tearing either way. My wife cuts it in vertical slices. I cut it tangentially. I think I get broader pieces which I can cut thinner.

We either make it when the rice is warm from just cooking or wet it a little and warm it in the microwave for left overs. It's actually better if leftover rice is steamed but I don't normally take the time to do that.

So any other sushi people out there?

...lived in Japan for three years. Makes the authentic sushi rice. Has her own recipe for the seasoning of the rice.

She also fans her rice to get the right consistency. Our whole family enjoys it and we don't make nearly enough. Takes a lot of work. We like the Tuna, Salmon, Toro (Octopus), Scallop, BBQ Eel among others.

We also like the handrolls. Both my boys can eat 20-30 pieces each and neither of them weigh over 130 lbs. That's why we don't make it very often.

We spend all of our time trying make enough rolls to feed two teenage boys.

 

[Route 66]

Suuushiiiii....something magical happens when you mix that wasabi and soy.

From Sashimi to rolls, it's good stuff. I also like the peanut salad dressing on the side salad.

 

[jobberone]

I am not a fan of raw fish except tuna, but I have a recipe for Gravlax (cured salmon) that is outstanding. It takes almost two days to cure.

You should post how to.

 

[jobberone]

We always take wasabi and soy sauce on the boat with us when fishing off-shore. If we catch tuna or mahi-mahi, we eat sushimi about 30 minutes later... just enough time to clean the fish & let some of the meat sit on ice for 10-15 minutes. There is no fresher sushi on the planet.

I used to fish offshore a lot. We occasionally did that but my mates weren't really into it and just wanted to catch fish. Hard to get them to stop for awhile.

 

[jobberone]

...lived in Japan for three years. Makes the authentic sushi rice. Has her own recipe for the seasoning of the rice.

She also fans her rice to get the right consistency. Our whole family enjoys it and we don't make nearly enough. Takes a lot of work. We like the Tuna, Salmon, Toro (Octopus), Scallop, BBQ Eel among others.

We also like the handrolls. Both my boys can eat 20-30 pieces each and neither of them weigh over 130 lbs. That's why we don't make it very often.

We spend all of our time trying make enough rolls to feed two teenage boys.

Are you speaking of fermented rice as it was originally made?

And yeah my kids do the same. They'll eat it as long as you feed it do them. I have to occasionally get up and make more. We just don't do the rolls as much as it takes a little more work but I like to do that occasionally.

 

[arglebargle]

After reading this yummi thread, I want jobberone or davidyee to adopt me....

My favorite is eel, but tuna or salmon will not get any turned up nose here.

Sadly, when I was in Asia, I was unaware of sushi's delights. Did my fair share of work on Chinese and Thai food though.

 

[jobberone]

After reading this yummi thread, I want jobberone or davidyee to adopt me....

My favorite is eel, but tuna or salmon will not get any turned up nose here.

Sadly, when I was in Asia, I was unaware of sushi's delights. Did my fair share of work on Chinese and Thai food though.

Talk to David. I have too many kids already. One coming Wednesday but he loves to cook so I can't wait. That reminds me to go to the store tomorrow. He's a Chinese vegan so I get to learn new dishes.

 

[JIMMYBUFFETT]

Huge fan of tuna rolls...haven't broadened out too much, but some. I think my taste for sushi stems for my love of wasabi...just that and some soy sauce, and I'm in heaven. I'd like to learn to make it...we have a really good Asian market down the street that sells pretty much anything we'd need.

Tuna is so damn expensive though, and it's a little harder to find good tuna than good salmon.

That's about where I am. Huge wasabi and soy fan and I usually stick with the Nori rolls. Every once in a while I'll go the sashimi route, but I've got to have several beers in me first. I've made sashimi a few times off fresh catches of halibut, flounder, amberjack, snapper, and others, but have no real idea of what I'm doing. The only tip I got was to make one pulling cut and not to saw the fish.

 

[DallasCowpoke]

We like wild caught Atlantic salmon but the farm raised fish from Kroger and Sams has consistently been good. Has anyone gotten fresh caught wild fish from say Alaska or elsewhere that has been really good? How do you cut yours? We try to cut it when its a little cold and firmer than when warm but I've learned how to cut it without tearing either way. My wife cuts it in vertical slices. I cut it tangentially. I think I get broader pieces which I can cut thinner.

I enjoy sushi and kudos to you and your Mrs for learning and making your own. But if you're buying and eating fish you buy from your chain grocer raw, it's not a question of "if" you're going to get sick, it's a question of "when".

There is nothing, and I repeat NOTHING in a chain grocer's fish-case that is "fresh". It ALL is frozen when it comes in.

As for slicing. You're spot-on on having it cold as possible when doing so.

Here's a good video on slicing and the technique applies to several types of fish as well as meats.

Bon appétit.

 

[Tabascocat]

You should post how to.

Ok, I will do that tonight or tomorrow.

 

[MapleLeaf]

Are you speaking of fermented rice as it was originally made?

And yeah my kids do the same. They'll eat it as long as you feed it do them. I have to occasionally get up and make more. We just don't do the rolls as much as it takes a little more work but I like to do that occasionally.

...the rice. I'm just the poor sucker with the bamboo fan cooling down the rice as fast as I can cause the kids are staring at me like I have pork chops hanging from my ear lobes.

Our litmus test for good sushi rice is primarily taste and one other thing. Well formed grains that stick together. So when you form the rice with your hand and lay the fish on top the rice doesn't break up when you dip it into the soy sauce dish.

Some restaurants I have visited make the rice so poor it breaks up just as you are getting your chopsticks on the tasty morsel.

My tip is to be wary of Chinese or any other south asian group running a Sushi establishment. They tend to cheat the cooking process. If they speak Japanese that is a good sign.

My favourite sushi is Ikura. Man, my mouth is watering right now.