Sweet & Sour Tofu

In a continuing effort to make more vegetarian dishes, I'm trying to incorporate more tofu into our diet. Adam just loves tofu. I'm not sure why... I mean it is very versatile and the texture is ok, but I don't see why it is so great. That's ok though- I am happy to prepare and eat it even I have no passion for it!

So not to continue on the "Negative Nellie" trend, but I have up until now avoided any sweet and sour recipes for the sole reason that I'm not a huge fan of bell peppers when they are so forward in a recipe. For example, never will I make stuffed bell peppers or get a pizza with mostly pepper topping. So the idea of sweet and sour anything with those big chunks of pepper just lightly sauteed really had no appeal. But, in the spirit of trying something again with an open mind and palette, I went for it.

I have to say, it was really good and the peppers were not "too much" for me. The flavors all mixed beautifully and I dare say it was a lot like the take-out version, but much healthier! Go tofu!


Sweet and Sour Tofu
Based from AllRecipes.com

• 1 Package Extra Firm Tofu
  
• 1 Onion, chopped
  
• 1 Clove of Garlic, minced
  
• 1 Bell Pepper, chopped
  
• 1 Carrot, sliced
  
• 1 8 oz. Can of Chunk Pineapple
  
• 1/4 C. Cider Vinegar
  
• 1/4 C. White Wine
  
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. Ketchup
  
• 2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
  
• 1 tsp. Sesame Oil
  
• 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
  
• 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch plus 1-2 Tbsp. Water
  
• Pinch Red Pepper Flakes

1. Press the tofu between 2 towels or thick layers of papertowels to drain. Once the tofu has been drained, slice it into large 1.5" chunks.
   
2. In a large saute pan, heat some olive oil over medium-high heat and add in the tofu. Cook the tofu until it is browned on all sides.
   
3. Add in the onion, garlic, pepper and carrots and saute until the onions start to become translucent.
   
4. Add in the pineapple with juice, all the liquids & brown sugar and stir to mix. Let it simmer gently for a minute or two.
   
5. Mix the cornstarch in the small amount of water and then add into the pan. Stir in the red pepper flakes and any salt and pepper you may want. Let it simmer so that the sauce thickens up.
   
6. Serve hot over rice or noodles.

Fried Tofu with Peanut Sauce

There's a fun game I like to play... it's called catch up! The premise of the game is you go back through your food pictures and see that you have great recipes from, um, July that you haven't posted yet and then you spend a Sunday evening finally putting them up for the "world" to enjoy!

It's a lot of fun. The best is trying to remember what the heck you changed from a recipe- d'oh!!!

This meal was really good, and I do legitimately remember that these 2.5 months later. But really, how can you go wrong with a peanut sauce, right?! I'm trying to incorporate more vegetarian meals and tofu is a great way to do it. It is cheaper and I really need to eat more greens! Now we'll just see if I can blog about these lovely recipes sooner so I can recreate them again!


Fried Tofu with Peanut Sauce
Loosely based from Food Network

• 1 Package Extra Firm Tofu
  
• 1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
  
• 2 tsp. Sesame Oil
  
• 2 tsp. Cooking Sherry
  
• 1/2 can Coconut Milk
  
• 1/2 C. Smooth Peanut Butter
  
• 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
  
• 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
  
• 1 tsp. Curry Powder
  
• 1 Tbsp. Lime Juice
  
• 1 tsp. Sesame Oil
  
• 2 tsp. Soy Sauce
  
• Dash Cayenne and/ or Chili Powder

1. Remove the tofu from its container and drain it by gently but firmly pressing the block between a few layers of paper towels. Does that make sense- gently but firmly? I mean that it is easy to break up the tofu if you are too rough, but you do need to apply some pressure to get moisture out.
   
2. While the tofu drains, mix together the soy sauce, oil, and sherry from the start of the ingredient list.
   
3. Slice the tofu into large chunks. In a large skillet on medium-high heat, warm up a splash of oil. Place the tofu pieces in the pan and let them sit so that they brown. It takes some time- I want to say a good 10 minutes. Once lightly browned, gently flip the pieces to brown the opposite side.
   
4. I think at this point, I poured the sherry mix in the pan to season the tofu. But there is also a chance I either used it as a marinade as the recipe calls for, or I may have omitted that whole portion. (Sorry, the peanut sauce really was the star, so I didn't bother to remember these details!)
   
5. While the tofu cooks, mix the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat. The peanut butter will melt and the sauce will thin out.
   
6. Serve the tofu over while rice or Asian noodles and pour the peanut butter goodness generously over the top!

Fresh Thai Shrimp Spring Rolls

I am once again playing catch-up on my little blog! This dish was made- I'm sad to say- on June 29th. It's not that these dishes aren't good or that I'm not into telling you, lovely readers, about them. It's just, well, I'm busy and I get sleepy after making dinner, which is usually around 8 PM.

Ok, no more excuses- on to the food!

So these spring rolls are so filling and light and perfect for a summer evening. The ingredients are focused on good simple flavors and can be modified to your taste. I've made them vegetarian style or with chicken before as well with equally good results. The two challenges? First, finding the weird rice paper wrapper things. I always have to go to my local asian market to find them. Second issue is then using the wrappers. They are finicky- kind of slimy, kind of flimsy, kind of, well weird. But truly, they make the meal and hold the fillings quite well once you get the hang of it.

Whip up a nice spicy peanut dipping sauce and you're good to go!


Shrimp Spring Rolls

• 5-10 Raw Shrimp
  
• 1 Garlic Clove, minced
  
• 1-2 Tbsp. Lime Juice
  
• Rice Paper Wrappers
  
• 1 Carrot, peeled and sliced in thin ribbons
  
• 1 C. Lettuce, sliced in ribbons
  
• 2 Green Onions, sliced in long ribbons
  
• Wide Rice Noodles, cooked, drained and cooled
  
• Mint Leaves

1. Remove any tails and shells from shrimp, and cut lengthwise/ butterfly if desired. I like to cut it down the length so that it leaves smaller pieces for the rolls.
   
2. In a small saute pan, heat some olive oil over medium heat. Cook the garlic until softened.
   
3. Add in the cut shrimp and lime juice. I always try to flatten the shrimp and attempt to keep them from curling. Cook through until pink.
   
4. Remove from pan and allow to cool. When cool, cut into small bite-sized pieces.
   
5. In a cookie sheet or other shallow large container, prepare the "water bath" for the stiff wrappers. This means filling with warm water until about 1/2 inch deep. The container must be large enough to fit the wrapper circle in so that it can be submerged.
   
6. With the wrapper submergerd, gently rub the surface until the wrapper softens and becomes pliable and rollable. Be sure to rub all the surfaces so that the edges get soft too. No one wants crunchy edges!
   
7. On a clean surface, spread the wrapper. In the center, being sure not to overfill as I usually do, layer the shrimp, carrots, lettuce, green onions, rice noodles, and mint leaves. Other fillings could be basil, cabbage, soy bean threads, or ginger.
   
8. Gently wrap up the edge, tucking in the ends for a tight roll.
   
9. Cut on the diagonal to showcase the lovely fillings. Serve with warm peanut sauce.

Rice Paper Wrappers

Peanut Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 C. Peanut Butter
  
• 3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
  
• 1 tsp. Ginger Powder
  
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
  
• 1/4-1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
  
• Water to taste for thinning

1. In a small saucepan, heat the peanut butter over low heat, melting.
   
2. Stir in the soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, and pepper flakes. Mix until smooth.
   
3. Add in water as desired to thin the sauce.
   
4. Serve warm.

Chinese Take-Out Style Orange Chicken

YUM!!!!!!!

Oh, sorry, I was just a little excited about this recipe! I love Chinese take out food. I know it's rarely an authentic recipe from China, nor is it usually healthy, but I love it. So to be able to recreate that flavor in my kitchen- while knowing what I'm putting into the meal- it fantastic!

Now I'm gonna tell you, this isn't exactly health food. I mean, there is a half cup of brown sugar in it! But I know there isn't a ton of salt, fat, or MSG, so I'm ok with it.

Adam also agreed this was delicious. We served it over white rice with some steamed broccoli- yummmmm! This could totally be modified to be a pineapple/ pepper recipe too by subbing in pineapple juice and chunks and sauteing up pieces of green pepper. But I don't like that dish, so I'll stick to the orange chicken with a dash of sesame seeds on top and a garnish of sliced oranges!


Chinese Take-Out Style Orange Chicken
Modified mostly from A Baker's Dozen

• 1.5 Lbs. Stir-Fry Cut Chicken (or breasts cut into very thin, long strips)
  
• 3 Tbsp. Flour
  
• Salt & Pepper
  
• 1/4 tsp. Orange Zest
  
• 2-4 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
  
• 1 Large Garlic Clove, minced
  
• 2 Green Onion Stalks, chopped
  
• Juice from 3/4 Orange
  
• 2-3 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar
  
• 2-3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
  
• 1 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
  
• 1/4 tsp. Grated Fresh Ginger
  
• 1/8 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
  
• 1/2 C. Brown Sugar (This is a nice amount. I halved the original amount, and if you want, you could bring it down to 1/3, maybe even 1/4.)
  
• 1/2-1 C. plus 1/3 C. Water
  
• 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch
  
• Sesame Seeds

1. In a large ziplock bag, mix together flour, salt, pepper, and orange zest. Add in chicken and shake to coat all the meat.
   
2. In a large saute pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-low heat. When it is hot, add in as much chicken as will comfortably fit and brown on all sides. I had to cook the chicken in 2 batches.
   
3. When the chicken is cooked, remove to a plate with a papertowel to drain. Keep warm. (I only did this with one batch as my sauce was ready when the second batch was finished.)
   
4. While the chicken pan is heating and the chicken is cooking, get a medium saucepan going over medium heat with a dash of olive/ veggie oil.
   
5. Saute the garlic and green onions for a minute or two until the garlic is soft, but not browned.
   
6. Add in the ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, OJ, and red pepper, 1/2 C. water. Stir and bring to a gentle boil.
   
7. Stir in the brown sugar until it melts. Continue letting the sauce simmer, thickening up.
   
8. Mix together the remaining 1/3 C. of water and the cornstarch. Stir into the sauce to make it a nice thick consistency.
   
9. Taste the sauce and add more water as you see fit to get the flavor and texture you desire. I put in enough water so that the consistency was thick enough to coat, but thin enough that it flows and that it wasn't overly sweet.
   
10. With the sauce and chicken both done, put the chicken back in the large saute pan over low heat. Pour in the sauce and stir to coat the chicken.
    
11. Plate the chicken and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Devour!

Pork Dumplings with Cheater's Asian Veggies

Adam mentions a couple weeks ago that we haven't had the pork dumplings I made once or twice a long time ago. Shoot, he was right- those were tasty and I had forgotten all about them!

So onto the weekly menu they went. I planned them for a midweek meal on a night I knew I'd have some time to put them together- they aren't the fastest meal to assemble after all.

Sadly, my memory of these was better than reality. The hubs thought they were tasty enough, but I thought they were just kind of bleh. The fact that they look like brains doesn't help either! We made a huge batch of these thing- around 4 or 5 dozen- and I froze half. I'm planning to pan fry the frozen ones and make a dipping sauce in hopes it will kick up the flavor.

There were two good parts of this dinner though... the first was a pretty side dish that I whipped up. Nothing fancy, but it looked really nice and I thought it was quite good. (Adam thought it was just ok.) The other highlight was that we both made the dumplings together, which not only made the preparation go twice as fast, we enjoyed spending the time together in the kitchen. With our small space and my dictator like style in the kitchen, we rarely get to make food together. Aw, cheesy happy moment!


Asian Pork Dumplings
Modified from AllRecipes.com

• 1 Lbs. Ground Pork
  
• 1 Package Wonton Wrappers, around 50-60 count
  
• 2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
  
• 1 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
  
• 1 Egg
  
• 1 Clove Garlic, minced
  
• 2 Green Onion Stalks, chopped
  
• 1 tsp. Grated Fresh Ginger
  
• 1 1/2 C. Red Cabbage, finely chopped

1. In a large bowl, blend all of the ingredients except the wonton wrappers to make the dumpling filling.
   
2. Heat a large pot of water on the stovetop to boiling. This will be the water you boil the dumplings in. I flavored my water with fresh ginger, soy sauce, a few chopped pieces of green onion, and a little sesame oil. Next time I'd use less or no ginger and I will boil for half the time, moving dumplings to a saute pan to finish off the cooking.
   
3. Place one wonton wrapper on a cutting board or other clean surface. Lightly wet the edges on one side.
   
4. Take a small spoonful of the filling mixture and place it in the middle of the wrapper. You'll learn quickly two facts: 1. Too much filling doesn't work and oozes out the sides, making a huge mess. 2. If your cabbage isn't chopped enough, large knife-like pieces will slice through your wrapper, wrecking everything.
   
5. Fold the wonton wrapper over onto itself, making a triangle shape with the filling in the middle.
   
6. Press down on the moist sides, trying to push out as much air from the middle as possible.
   
7. Pick up the dumpling and take the two opposite triangle points and fold them on top of each other and press down to connect. This leaves the top point remaining and the filling well sealed up inside.
   
8. Repeat for as many wontons as you can fill, or until you run out of wrappers like we did. As you finish the dumplings, put them aside. If you place them on a cookie sheet with plastic wrap, you can put the whole sheet into the freezer to freeze dumplings. Once hard, move unused dumplings to a ziplock bag for long term storage.
   
9. With the water boiling, gently place as many dumplings as you want in the hot liquid. Be careful not to splash hot water on yourself!
   
10. Cook the dumplings for about 5-10 minutes. They will inflate like puffer fish if there is air inside! The pork does not take long to cook. Again, next time I will mostly cook through and then drain and finish in a pan.
    
11. Serve either with a little broth or dry with a soy sauce based dipping sauce.

Cheater's Asian Veggie Side Dish

• Frozen Stir Fry Veggies (as much as desired)
  
• Sliced Red Cabbage
  
• Fresh Mushrooms
  
• Soy Sauce
  
• Sesame Oil
  
• Sesame Seeds

1. Heat the frozen veggies in the microwave like any vegetable from the freezer.
   
2. Plate hot veggies in the center of a dish.
   
3. Add some cabbage and fresh mushrooms.
   
4. Lightly drizzle with soy sauce and sesame oil. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
   
5. Eat while hot!

Grilled Salmon Salad - Asian Style

Left to my own devices, I would feed myself with Doritos, Pasta Roni side dishes, ice cream, and chicken nuggets. Don't get my wrong, I consider myself a foodie, but I'm perfectly content to eat processed crap.

Because I don't want to have to be removed from my house with a crane someday however, I don't eat that junk- at least not with any regularity. And in fact, I'm trying to maybe loose a little of the ol' junk my personal trunk- it is swimsuit season soon after all.

Generally speaking, I am no fan of salad. In the words of The Simpsons, "You don't make friends with salad!" However, this little creation was way delicious! First part of the equation- asian marinated salmon grilled. Second part- homemade pumpernickel croutons. Third element- fresh greens and a light asian dressing. What does it equal? Filling and tasty dinner we wolfed down!

Adam and I were both very surprised at just how perfect the pumpernickel bread went with asian fish- it was like they were made for each other! This one will be making a comeback this summer!


Grilled Salmon Salad
Marinade
From Allrecipes.com

• 3 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
  
• 2 Tbsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
  
• 2 tsp. Sugar
  
• 1 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
  
• Dash Mustard Powder
  
• Dash Ground Ginger
  
• Dash Black Pepper

Salad

• 1 Lbs. Salmon, skin on
  
• 1-2 C. Raw Spinach
  
• 2 Carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces
  
• Pumpernickel Croutons

Dressing

• 1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
  
• 1 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
  
• 1 tsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
  
• Dash Ground Ginger

1. Prepare the marinade by mixing all ingredients and place the salmon in it for about an hour.
   
2. Prepare the croutons and allow to cool.
   
3. Heat a grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grate. Cook the marinated salmon on the grill, skin side touching the grate. Allow to cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the fish flakes on top.
   
4. Carefully flip the fish once to grill on the exposed flesh for about 30 seconds and then remove from grill.
   
5. Prepare the dressing by whisking together all the ingredients.
   
6. On a cutting board (back inside of course!), remove the fish from the skin and cut into nice bite sized pieces.
   
7. Mix together the elements of the salad in a nice bowl.
   
8. Plate the salad and then lightly drizzle just a little dressing over everything. It does not take much to just add a nice depth and moisten the spinach. Enjoy!

Thai Seafood Noodles

This is a recipe I came up with a couple of years ago and actually wrote down. I don't know that I've made it again before this week, but and that's too bad- it's quite tasty.

I should have made it spicier and I way over cooked the rice pasta. It was more like formed rice paste, not pasta. Tasty, but not the right texture. I would write more about this recipe, but honestly I'm kind of tired and it kind of speaks for itself. If you like the ingredients, and like Thai flavored foods, you'll probably like this!


Thai Seafood Noodles

• 2 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
  
• 2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
  
• 2 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar
  
• 2 Tbsp. Honey
  
• 1 tsp. Lobster Bouillon (This is a paste that comes in a small jar.)
  
• 1/2+ tsp. Ground Ginger
  
• 1/2 tsp. Dried Basil
  
• 1/8+ tsp. Chili Flakes
  
• 1/2 tsp. Chili Powder
  
• 1 Small Onion, chopped
  
• 1 Garlic Clove, chopped
  
• Juice of Half a Lime
  
• 1 C. Water
  
• 1 Can Sliced Mushrooms, drained OR 1/2 C. Fresh Sliced Mushrooms
  
• 1/2 C. Frozen Peas
  
• 1/2 - 3/4 Lbs. Raw Medium Shrimp
  
• 1 Can Crabmeat
  
• 1 Green Onion Stalk, sliced
  
• 1 Small Package Rice Noodles

1. In a large saute pan, mix together oil, soy sauce, vinegar, lobster bouillon, honey and spices. Heat over medium/ medium-high until bubbling. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
   
2. In another pot, get water boiling for the rice noodles. Do not start cooking the rice noodles too early, or you will end up with mush. Try to time cooking the noodles so the sauce and pasta will be ready at the same time.
   
3. Add the garlic and onion to the saute pan with sauce. Cook until tender.
   
4. Squeeze in the lime juice and stir. Slowly add in water to stretch the sauce and lessen the intense flavor. Continue simmering sauce, adding water as necessary.
   
5. Add in mushrooms and cook until soft and warm. Peas get added next and cooked until thawed.
   
6. Cook shrimp and crabmeat in the sauce.
   
7. When seafood is cooked through, serve mixture over drained rice noodles. Garnish with sliced green onions for color and added flavor.

Cashew Chicken

Unlike the rest of the recipes from my 2 week "hiatus" from posting, I was a good girl for this one and [drum roll please] actually wrote down the recipe as I made it! I know, it's a modern miracle.

And I'm glad I did- it was really good! I don't often make Chinese or Chinese-American food at home. I don't have a good reason for that, it just doesn't come to mind. But I saw a recipe on Joelen's blog for something called Bourbon Chicken and it made me think of one of my favorite Chinese take-out recipes, Cashew Chicken. I reviewed her recipe as well as a bunch online and took all that info and made up my own.



I served this with brown rice. I haven't had it before and it was so freaking good with this. I'm sure white rice or fried rice would be a good match, but the brown rice just had the perfect added-depth flavor that worked. Yum.


Cashew Chicken

• 1 Clove Garlic, minced
  
• 1 Onion, chopped
  
• 1 C. Chicken Broth
  
• 1 C. Fish Broth (I used lobster base.)
  
• 2 Tbsp. Sesame Oil
  
• 1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
  
• 1 Tbsp. Rice Vinegar
  
• 1 T. Apple Brandy (next time I won't bother)
  
• 2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
  
• 1/4 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
  
• 1/2 tsp. 5 Spice Powder
  
• 2 Chicken Breasts, cubed into bite sized pieces
  
• 1 Package Frozen Stir Fry Veggies
  
• 1/2+ C. Raw Cashews

1. In a large saute pan with lid, saute garlic and onion in sesame oil over medium heat.
   
2. When onion is tender, pour in liquids, spices, and brown sugar. Stir and let simmer over medium heat for a few minutes.
   
3. Add in chicken pieces, stir, and cover. Allow pan to simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
   
4. With the heat still on medium, add the frozen veggies. I added them while still frozen. I had to keep them covered, repeatedly stirred to coat with the warm sauce, and turn the heat up to get them to cook. You could save time by mostly thawing them before adding to the pan.
   
5. Once veggies are hot, add in the cashews and stir to coat with the sauce. Serve everything over brown, white, or fried plain rice.

Sesame Herb Crusted Tuna with Citrus Glaze

I took out the salmon from the freezer tonight only to find that was actually tuna- a very nice cut that I had forgotten all about! My salmon recipe I had in mind of course wouldn't work, but I thought this would be a fun opportunity to try my hand at crusting something.

Fresh tuna would have been better, but this was still pretty damn tasty! Next time I would make more of the mayonnaise spice mixture to coat both sides of the fish. The citrus sauce was really good- again, I would double it! The recipes below are the original portions.


Sesame Herb Crusted Tuna with Citrus Glaze
Tuna

• 1 Lb. Fresh Tuna, cut into single serving fillets
  
• 2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
  
• 1-3 tsp. Dried Spices - Rosemary, Thyme, Salt, Black Pepper, Oregano, Ginger, Red Pepper Flakes
  
• 1/4 c. Sesame Seeds, black and/ or white
  
• Olive Oil, for frying

1. Mix mayo and spices in a small bowl until well blended. Spread the mayo mixture onto one broad side of each fillet.
   
2. Press the herbed side of the fillet into the sesame seeds, coating the side.
   
3. In a large skillet, heat around 3 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat.
   
4. Place sesame side down into the skillet, frying until the fish is well cooked. Flip the fillets and cook on the opposite side until cooked to desired doneness. If your fish is sushi grade, you can leave the tuna raw in the middle. If you are unsure or do not like raw fish, cook until it is cooked through entirely.

Citrus Glaze

• 1/3 C. Orange Juice
  
• 1 Tbsp. Lime Juice
  
• 1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
  
• 1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
  
• Splash of White Wine
  
• 1/2 tsp. Ginger
  
• 1/2 C. Water

1. In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients except water over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
   
2. As sauce reduces, add in water to bring to desired quantity. You will not want to add so much water that the flavor is diluted, but 1/2 cup of water will increase the amount of sauce to enough to spread over multiple fillets of fish.

Sushi!

Hiiiiii yaaaaa- SU-SHI! That’s right boys and girls, it was sushi night- homemade sushi! Lots of folks are intimidated by making it. I can understand. 1) It’s raw fish. 2) It’s in weird complicated looking shapes. 3) It’s raw fish.

I however, am undaunted. The first time we made those lovely rolls and rice beds, I was prepared for the consequences, because that’s the kind of fool I am! I’m happy to say though that we always have good luck- and full bellies- when we go for it. Tonight was no exception. We had chilled sake (it does not always have to be warm) and seaweed salad (from the store) with our spread. We were stuffed and satisfied!

It is not a fast process- it’s a labor of love for sure. Tonight I did this solo and it took me about 2.5 hours from start to finish to make 4 types of maki rolls and a bunch of nigiri (rice with fish on top.) You have to make the rice, prep the fish and fillings, and then get to rolling. Below I have the rice recipe from my “Easy Sushi” recipe book- the rice is the most important part of sushi making. You can then choose any fillings that suit your fancy- below are the basics and some of my favorite insides.


Basic Ingredients:

• Sushi Rice (recipe below)
  
• Nori Seaweed Wrappers (if making rolls)
  
• Wasabi Paste (optional)
  
• Pickled Ginger (optional)
  
• Rolling Mat- it just makes things easier for rolls

Fish:

• Tuna
  
• Yellowtail
  
• Sea Bass
  
• Salmon
  
• Mackerel
  
• Cod
  
• Marinated Eel (comes cooked)
  
• Cooked Shrimp
  
• Cooked Crab/ Imitation Crab Sticks

*You must find a reputable fish seller to purchase your raw fish. It must be “sushi grade.” If the person you are buying it from doesn’t know what you are talking about, walk away. Fish should not smell “fishy” if it is fresh. It should have vibrant color too.

Filling:

• Cucumber
  
• Carrot
  
• Green Onions
  
• Garlic Scape
  
• Avocado
  
• Daikon

Sushi Rice

• 2 C. Sushi Rice (Must be “sushi rice”- it’s different than long or short grain or risotto)
  
• 3 Tbsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
  
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. Sugar
  
• 2 tsp. Salt

1. Rinse the rice in cold water, drain and repeat, swishing the rice around with your hand, until the water stays mostly clear. Let the rice soak for 15-45 minutes and then drain.
   
2. In a heavy bottomed pot with the lid on, bring the rice to a boil in 2 1/2 C. water over high heat. This should take about 5 minutes. Do not remove lid.
   
3. Simmer the rice over low heat for about 10 minutes or until the water is gone. Do not remove lid. Remove rice from heat and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Don’t remove the lid still!
   
4. While rice does it’s thing, mix together the vinegar, sugar, and salt until the sugar dissolves.
   
5. After the rice sits, transfer it to a shallow dish. Pour the vinegar dressing over the rice and gently fold it through. If possible, fan the rice to cool it while you fold the dressing in.
   
6. The rice will be ready to use once it has cooled to about body temperature.

How to Make Sushi Rolls (Maki)
Have all your items ready to go. Be sure to have a bowl of clean water handy to rinse your hands. The rice is sticky and hard to work with when you’re covered in it!


Put down a sheet of seaweed on your rolling mat. Take a handful of rice and press it down onto the seaweed, spreading it thinly to all sides except the far edge. Leave a half inch or so of the nori empty on the far side.



Lay down a line of filling an inch or so in from the starting edge. Be sure not to overfill it- that is a common mistake of ours. Do feel free to put a thin layer of wasabi down under the filling.


Using the rolling mat, fold the nori and rice over on itself to start the roll. Continue rolling, folding the mat back so as to not roll it into the food.




When the roll is completed, give it a firm squeeze to seal up the nori.


Cut the roll with a sharp serrated knife into 4-8 pieces.


How to Make Nigiri
Moisten your hands and grab a small handful of rice. Gently yet firmly form it into a rectangular form about 1 inch by 0.5 inches.


Firmly place a solid small filet of fish onto the rice bed. If desired, cut a strip of seaweed and wrap it around the fish and rice like a belt!


Enjoy with soy sauce, pickled ginger, wasabi, seaweed salad, and sake wine.