Sushi

If you’re wandering around the food court at your local mall in search of a lunch that won’t leave you feeling like you just swallowed mouthfuls of butter, sushi is the best way to go. It’s light, healthy, and most importantly, delicious. Is there anything better than buying sushi in the midst of a fast food court? Of course there is- making your own sushi at home! Sushi making is not for Japanese people only. Anyone can make sushi if he or she has the right equipment and ingredients.

Sushi has become a universal icon of Japanese cuisine. When we think of Japanese food, we instinctively think of sushi. It’s like sweet and sour chicken from China, butter chicken from India, or spaghetti Bolognese from Italy. The sushi in Japan is quite different from the sushi we see (and taste!) here in the United States, but this is expected, as Americans have very different taste buds to those of their Asian friends.

Making your own sushi is like arts and crafts (isn’t all cooking though?). You really can put anything your heart desires on the layer of seaweed and rice. When you cut the resulting sushi roll into pieces and face them up on a plate, well, it’s like when you finish that last layer of paint and step back to admire your masterpiece.


For even healthier sushi, try substituting the white rice with brown rice or even experimenting with black rice. Many vegan sushis have black rice for some reason, but I mean it’s not like white rice isn’t vegan or anything. Make sure to put lots of veggies in your sushi! This is where you can get the crunch, as well as vitamins and minerals. Bring out the bamboo, bring out the chopsticks, and of course, bring out the wasabi!

Ingredients

2/3 cup uncooked short-grain white rice
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 sheets nori seaweed sheets
Vegetable sticks (I used carrots, cucumber, and celery)
Avocado, cut into strips
Meat, cut into strips (I used grilled chicken)
Wasabi
Pickled ginger

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/3 cups water to a boil. Add rice, and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes (alternatively, prepare the rice in a rice cooker).
2. In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Blend the mixture into the rice.
3. Place one sheet nori on a bamboo sushi mat. Spread a thin layer of rice on the sheet of seaweed and press into a thin layer. Arrange your fillings in a line down the center of the rice. Lift one end of the mat, and gently roll it over the ingredients, pressing gently. Roll it forward to make a complete roll.
4. Cut each roll into 8 slices using a wet, sharp knife.
5. Repeat step 3 with the remaining ingredients. Serve with soy sauce, ginger, and wasabi (if you’re up for the spicy kick!).