Just made my first home Sushi!
Discussion
When I left my last job, my esteemed colleagues, knowing I'm a major fan of Japanese cuisine, clubbed together to get me a hamper full of organic Japanese stuff, plus, as the centrepiece, a 23cm Global Sashimi knife. No way on earth I could ever justify spending 75 quid on a single knife myself, so an absolutely inspired choice by them. 
Now, I left 6 months ago, but as the general consensus was that it was probably best not to go out on the lash for my leaving do carrying what amounted to something not far off a small sword, it all got left in my boss' car, and I've only just managed to meet up with him to reclaim it!
What a result!!!
After a quick trundle over to a Japanese food shop between Kingston and New Malden, dinner, for the princely sum of £15 between the two of us, consisted of salt & chilli Edameme beans and as much sushi and sashimi as we could eat. Turns out that making sushi rice is very straightforward, and the fish was absolutely superb. Lots of salmon and fatty tuna, plus something called Butterfish which I'd never seen before, but will be making a point of getting again, as it is absolutely gorgeous!
If you like sushi, it's well worth making your own!
Now, I left 6 months ago, but as the general consensus was that it was probably best not to go out on the lash for my leaving do carrying what amounted to something not far off a small sword, it all got left in my boss' car, and I've only just managed to meet up with him to reclaim it!
What a result!!!
After a quick trundle over to a Japanese food shop between Kingston and New Malden, dinner, for the princely sum of £15 between the two of us, consisted of salt & chilli Edameme beans and as much sushi and sashimi as we could eat. Turns out that making sushi rice is very straightforward, and the fish was absolutely superb.
Lots of salmon and fatty tuna, plus something called Butterfish which I'd never seen before, but will be making a point of getting again, as it is absolutely gorgeous!If you like sushi, it's well worth making your own!
Sorry to jump in a pointless post, but i have never tried sushi, yet always loved the look of it.
as a sushi virgin, what is best to try first?
id hate to go to a restaurant in case myself or my mrs didnt like it at all, then apart from being a waste, it would look bad as if we had problems with the establishment
as a sushi virgin, what is best to try first?
id hate to go to a restaurant in case myself or my mrs didnt like it at all, then apart from being a waste, it would look bad as if we had problems with the establishment
T_Pot said:
Sorry to jump in a pointless post, but i have never tried sushi, yet always loved the look of it.
as a sushi virgin, what is best to try first?
id hate to go to a restaurant in case myself or my mrs didnt like it at all, then apart from being a waste, it would look bad as if we had problems with the establishment
If you're open-minded enough to think that you might like to try raw fish, then you'll probably like it! Most of the people I've met who don't like Sushi haven't actually tried it! as a sushi virgin, what is best to try first?
id hate to go to a restaurant in case myself or my mrs didnt like it at all, then apart from being a waste, it would look bad as if we had problems with the establishment
Bear in mind as well that Sushi isn't the only thing that a Japanese restaurant will serve, so the worst case scenario is that you don't like your starter, then enjoy your main course.
It's difficult to say what to try without knowing your tastes, but in terms of progression, you have the California-type rolls which are the round ones with rice and various fillings - fish, cucumber, avocado etc - wrapped in a thin sheet if seaweed to hold it together. Next is that Nigiri Sushi, which is essentially the fish sat on top of rice - less distractions in my mind. Finally, if you decide you really like the fish, then Sashimi is just that. Slices of fish to be dipped in soy sauce. Bloody gorgeous!
A couple of points to be aware of...
Wasabi (the green stuff which is a type of horseradish) is bloody hot! You generally mix some in with soy sauce in one of the little bowls. Whatever you do, avoid the urge to pick sum up with your chopsticks and eat it undiluted!
The pickled ginger served with it is a palate cleanser that you eat between different types of fish, not something to be layered on top of individual pieces of Sushi.
The long white shredded radish stuff is quite possibly the most bland garnish served anywhere in the world. It makes Iceberg lettuce seem like a taste sensation!
If you try it at home, make sure you get a good quality soy sauce, as this makes quite a difference, but above all, DON'T DO IT WITH ANY OLD RAW FISH! Apparently it does need to be properly prepared to ensure that nasty bacteria aren't present. A decent fishmonger can probably sort you out, but don't bother trying it with supermarket fish.
If you're going to try it in a restaurant, just explain to them that you've never tried it before, would like to, but are a little nervous about it, and ask them what they would recommend.
ralphk said:
its not actually raw thought is it? the fish? isnt it all in lemon juice and stuff? the protiens are still de-natured, so strictly its cooked?
or am i talking b
ks
I believe you're mistaken.or am i talking b
ks If you look at something like Ceviche, which is indeed raw fish "cooked" in lemon juice, then the fish tastes and feels very difference to the fish used for Sushi or Sashimi.
Sashimi fish will, however, have been very deeply frozen, as this kills parasites without cooking the fish.
You can get lucky at supermarkets for fish dependant on where you live. Ask if they know when it was caught or when it came in, no more than 4 days from catch, preferably under 2. If the fish smells at all then its a no go. Look for oily (read shiny) and fatty tuna as thats good. Salmon has a bit more flexibility but make sure you buy boneless! 
I sometimes pop through to Hull, and on good days you can get fish that was caught a matter of hours before!!
Sushi rice is indeed easy to make, but my wife told me that Japanese house wives normally 'wash' the rice 4 or 5 times until the water running through it is clear before cooking it.
Sushi is probably one of a very few select meals that actually makes you feel healthy as you eat it, top stuff!
If the restaurant you're going to serves chirashi sushi, that is an excellent intro as it is a full plate of food and there isnt as much emphasis on the raw fish aspect. Then after that start with tuna/salmon nigiri (on rice) sushi and then be more adventurous. The best I had whilst in Japan was coy carp sushi, bit of an expensive taste to have though!
Cheers
Tom
I sometimes pop through to Hull, and on good days you can get fish that was caught a matter of hours before!!
Sushi rice is indeed easy to make, but my wife told me that Japanese house wives normally 'wash' the rice 4 or 5 times until the water running through it is clear before cooking it.
Sushi is probably one of a very few select meals that actually makes you feel healthy as you eat it, top stuff!
If the restaurant you're going to serves chirashi sushi, that is an excellent intro as it is a full plate of food and there isnt as much emphasis on the raw fish aspect. Then after that start with tuna/salmon nigiri (on rice) sushi and then be more adventurous. The best I had whilst in Japan was coy carp sushi, bit of an expensive taste to have though!
Cheers
Tom
quattroTom said:
You can get lucky at supermarkets for fish dependant on where you live. Ask if they know when it was caught or when it came in, no more than 4 days from catch, preferably under 2. If the fish smells at all then its a no go. Look for oily (read shiny) and fatty tuna as thats good. Salmon has a bit more flexibility but make sure you buy boneless!
Take note though that you actually want something that has been previously frozen, rather than "fresh", so that the parasites that all fish carry have been killed off.Went for sushi in Chinatown (yes I realise the irony) last night in London, proper sushi, not a Yo! place.
Fapping gorgeous. Sashimi to start with then a Bento box for me with scallops - that's a good way to try a variety of japanese foods at a reasonable price.
Can't remember the name of the place, I'm sure someone here knows it - begins with K and is on the street behind the Empire cinema in Leicester Square.
Fapping gorgeous. Sashimi to start with then a Bento box for me with scallops - that's a good way to try a variety of japanese foods at a reasonable price.
Can't remember the name of the place, I'm sure someone here knows it - begins with K and is on the street behind the Empire cinema in Leicester Square.
For those of you who don't have access to a local Japanese supermarket, most large tescos now stock all the 'basics' for making sushi. ie, the bamboo rolling mat, seaweed sheets, the various vinegars & stuff for the rice, sushi rice, wasabi etc etc. It's pretty good stuff too, aside from the wasabi which isn't all that great compared to what you get in a proper sushi bar.
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