Simple ways to make sushi

Welcome to making sushi with Anne 101, six gun stylee.

First off you will need to make sure you buy/have the following:
QUALITY:
-Bamboo Mat
-Sushi Rice
-Sushi Mix (alternatively you can make it with Japanese Mirin, Japanese Rice Vinegar and sugar)
-Sushi Nori (seaweed)
-Fresh Fillings, for this roll I used Crabstick(I tempura fried it), Wasabi Mayo, Avocado, Philedephia Cream Cheese and I topped with friend panko (Japanese Bread Crumb)

All items I found at my local grocer, Tesco, you may have to visit and asian market.

Rice:
1. rinse your rice! I used a sieve to rinse mine until the water ran clear. Do not rinse it with hot water, this will start a cooking process, you want to rinse with cold water.
2. place rice in rice cooker (or in pan) cover with water. An easy way to figure out how much water to use is sticking the tip of your finger on the rice, the water should come up to your first joint, approx. 1 cm above the rice.
3. cook rice. My rice cook says when it's done and keeps it warm. If you are cooking on a stove top, cook on low heat with a lid, DO NOT stir or lift lid. You want all the steam to cook the rice, you will ALWAYS have rice stuck on the pan but a good soak takes care of that.
4. cool rice. This is very important. It stops the rice from cooking any further and turning to much. I spread mine over a large glass cake pan.
5. add sushi mix. I used Clearwater's Organic Sushi Mix today, usually I make it with (for 2 cups of rice) 4 tablespoons Japanese Rice Vinegar, 2 tablespoons Japanese Mirin, 2 teaspoons white caster sugar. The premade mix was wonderful! Pour this over the rice and keep fluffing to cool, alternatively you can prepare the rest of your sushi by letting it cool slowly to room temp.

Now you are ready to rock and roll!

Make sure you have your ingredients cut and ready, if you use wasabi mayo - mix that ahead of time etc.

Place your nori shiney side down onto the mat. Wet your hands and spread the sushi rice over the nori, leave about 2 cms at the bottom and 3 or 4 at the top. This rice is super sticky, the water helps it from sicking to your finger tips.

Add your main filling first, mine was tempura crabstick.

Next add the rest of the fillings, make sure most of the soft fillings are in the middle, and the harder fillings (like the avocado) are at the top end so that you use that border to tuck your sushi in.

Wet the nori that is closest to you, gently pull the mat up wards using your fingers to tuck fillings to the middle and roll it up just past the rice, wet the nori furthest away from you and the press the rest of the roll firmly onto it.

Use the mat to press the sushi into a squarish shape.

At this point I like to refridgerate my sushi for about 10 or 15 minutes. This makes it easier to cut as it's a little bit stiffer. But the sushi with a very sharp wet knife. Cut it in half then 4 ways making 6 even pieces and two ends. Rewet your knife with every cut.

So, I've made my menus and am open for business, check out my site Sushi Fridays. This is my favourite roll:

It is the one I had for lunch, it's a Philly Crab Roll with Panko and creamy sauce and tangy sauce (special recipe). I was sooooo full after I finished.

Let me know what you think.

If you have ant questions about sushi feel free to ask, and check out Sushi Fridays for any ideas.

ox