Whether you want to add a new kitchen skill to your wheelhouse or want to introduce more diverse dishes into your diet, rolling the perfect sushi is a great way to get the family together to make something you will be proud to eat. You can fill your sushi with anything your heart desires; you can even try some new combinations for that extra ‘wow’ factor. Use these 6 tips to get the perfect sushi roll, every time you make it.
- Season It
One of the important components of sushi is rice, that has the right consistency. This means that you will have to prepare it with some rice vinegar. You can choose to use pre-seasoned rice vinegar to cut down on your prep time, but many people choose to season it themselves. It adds a layer of control in how your sushi ill taste. Season your rice with just plain table salt just before you remove it from the heat. Nothing else is required, and this will let the filling flavours shine through.
- It Does Not Have to be Raw
For several people, the idea of sushi conjures up images of raw fish. However, the filling for your sushi can be anything you like. It can be preserved in a different way, like a smoked salmon or pickled vegetables, or fully cooked a la shrimp tempura. The only thing that decides what makes your sushi is your taste and that of those you are going to feed. Dipping sauces also vary wildly, from the standard soy sauce to cooked sauces featuring differing levels of heat and a variety of ingredients.
- You Will Not Need Fancy Equipment
While many tools will make rolling sushi easier, like a sushi machine or specialty rice, the truth is that it makes it a lot easier. You will need the ingredients, from rice to sheets of nori to your desired filling. After that, though, the only special piece of equipment that you need is a rolling bamboo mat, but in a pinch, a tea towel will also work.
- Wet Your Hands Down
When you are rolling a roll of sushi, you want everything to remain pliable, so it is recommended that you keep your hands and all surfaces that it is in contact with moist. One thing that you’ll notice when you’re working with the special sushi rice is that it tends to stick to everything, including your hands. Keeping a barrier of water between the rice and your skin helps it to slide off easily and not stick so much.
- Too Much Filling Is Not a Good Thing
The reason you chose your filling ingredients is that you like to eat them. You may think that there’s no such thing as too much of a good thing, but with sushi there is. One of the main reasons why a sushi roll falls apart, or is bursting at the seams is that it is overstuffed with the filling ingredients. Remember to layer the rice over the nori thicker than usually, and leave a good margin to seal up the roll when you are done rolling it.
- Keep Going
No one is expecting your first ever sushi roll to look as professional as the ones at restaurants, but if this is a skill that you want to get better at, it is important not to give up on it. Use your introductory sushi rolls as a learning curve. You can figure out the right flavour combinations as well as how to roll them well.