# Sushi attempt: Part 1.



## Mike Davis (Apr 13, 2012)

Ok...so i decided to finally bite it and make my own sushi. I figured i would start with frozen crab sticks, before i waste some good fish. Making rice(first time ever making rice of any kind) is easy, as is everything else...But how do you get the rice to not be so sticky? It was so sticky, the rolls were hard to cut. Anyway i made a few sauces by experiment. First one was:Sake, Mirin, sesame seed oil, Srirachi, soy, wasabi and rice wine vinegar. Second was just soy, mirin and wasabi.






I need to figure out a few new sauces. 
I also tried the crazy usuba cut on the cucumber...That is tough lol.
So...how horrible did i do?


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## Mucho Bocho (Apr 13, 2012)

Mike, One thing I will mention is that Soy sauce comes in many many different qualities. Like most things in life there are a range of varieties. Go to Whole Foods and pick up this brand of Soy called Shoyu

Product Description
&#8226; Unpasteurized - Fresh & Alive!
&#8226; Made with mountain spring water
&#8226; Naturally low in sodium
&#8226; Naturally aged over two summers in 150-yr-old cedar kegs
&#8226; No added alcohol or preservatives
&#8226; Certified Organic
&#8226; Certified Kosher by Kof-K

The Only Soy Sauce that's Fresh and Alive!

The spring water used to make Ohsawa® Organic Nama® Shoyu comes from a small Japanese mountain village called Kamiizumisui ("God Spring"). Dr. Masaru Emoto, Director of the Hado Institute in Tokyo and author of Hidden Messages in Water, has water crystal photographs from this spring that reflect its beneficial effects. Optimal well-being literally comes from good vibrations. When we take in good vibrations, they correct distorted frequencies within our cells, assisting our health and healing. Kamiizumisui water has been filtered through Chichibu paleozoic granite strata slowly for 1,400 years. It is scientifically proven to be "rare water, full of life-energizing force," with twice the surfactant potency and 18% more enzyme activity than ordinary water. Its pH is very close to that of the human body.

Enjoy Ohsawa® Organic Nama® Shoyu's full-bodied flavor and exquisitely delicate bouquet, whether you're using it at the table or in cooking.

Organic, Macrobiotic, Vegan, Raw, Kosher

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019LA78E/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

OMG you will be blown away. I'm so addicted that I bring my own soy in with me when visiting my sushi chef. OK Sometimes I bring my knife too, please don't hold that against me


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## Mike Davis (Apr 13, 2012)

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I hold nothing against you  I have taken a few knives to my local sushi bar...Including the one in the picture lol

Thanks for the advice


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## Deckhand (Apr 13, 2012)

Looks like a good first attempt. I am sure people will chime in with good advice. This might help in regards to the rice being too sticky. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/01/perfect-sushi-rice/


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## Pensacola Tiger (Apr 13, 2012)

Mike, sushi rice, AFAIK, should be sticky. Try wetting the knife before and between cuts to minimize the rice sticking to the blade.


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## mhlee (Apr 13, 2012)

It is supposed to be sticky. Sushi rice is also usually coated with a vinegar mixture. 

If you don't want to go through the trouble of making your own vinegar mixture, you can buy seasoned rice wine vinegar which is similar to the mixture used for sushi. In fact, most seasoned rice wine vinegars have recipes for sushi rice on the bottle.


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## ThEoRy (Apr 13, 2012)

The rice looks a bit heavy handed. Go thinner next time. That's prolly why it was difficult to cut. Also, rinse the rice in a bowl and polish in your hands then strain it and repeat until the water runs clear, about 3-4 times. For the shari, boil rice wine vinegar sugar and salt until fully incorporated. It should taste sweet, tart and a little salty. Then chill the mixture. When the rice is done, in a wooden bowl with a wooden spoon or paddle, pour some cold shari over the rice and fold it over and over towards yourself while spinning the bowl away from yourself until glossy and sticky. This also helps stop the cooking process of the rice and is sometimes done in front of a fan.

Dynamite sauce:
Mayo
Sriracha
Toasted Sesame Oil (very little)
Hon Dashi
Kosher Salt 
White Pepper

Enjoy


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## echerub (Apr 13, 2012)

Keep your hands damp - not dripping wet, but damp - and that will really help you when handling the rice, and then try not to take forever to form the nigiri nugget or spread the rice out for the roll


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## SameGuy (Apr 13, 2012)

Ooh, thanks for the sauce recipe.

I mentioned elsewhere I picked up a sharkskin oroshigane this week, so now I have to order some wasabia from the west coast.

http://www.sushivids.com/ hasn't been updated in a while, but I found it very useful, learning by observing the techniques (as I do by observing yours).


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## Mike Davis (Apr 13, 2012)

Thanks guys! I did add the shari to the rice as it was cooling. I tried the wetting the knife thing, and it still was sticking...almost tearing it. Thanks Theory for the dynamite sauce recipe  Love that stuff. How long is the rice supposed to cool before using? I think i let it sit about 25 minutes after i was done folding it. Maybe i will try to polish it better next time, i did it 3 times, but it was still a touch milky.


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## The hekler (Apr 13, 2012)

I gave up trying inside out rolls... Always made a mess with no benefit. Keeping the hands and knife wet with cold water helps with the sticking. My first try I did salmon skin and cucumber, wanted to stay away from the raw fish as I hadn't found a decent supplier yet and hey I can get it for free at the super market. Looks like you did better than I did.


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## geezr (Apr 14, 2012)

Mike - Really cool :coolsign: hope you continue :thumbsup:
last time I tried to make a musubi for a party I was laughed-at and assigned to paste the nori :lol2:


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## EdipisReks (Apr 14, 2012)

a lot better than my first attempt!


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## slowtyper (Apr 14, 2012)

Really try to avoid mashing or stirring the rice. Even when emptying the rice cooker, its easy to dig it all out, but that agitates the rice too much and makes it too sticky. You do NOT want it too sticky. 

What I do is cut the sides away from the rice cooker, then turn it upside down (always burns my hands) and dump it out into a wooden or plastic tub. Then slowly add the seasoning and "cut" the sauce into the rice. I don't really like folding the rice, what I do is once the rice is evenly spread out, I fan furiously with a piece of cardboard or something until the surface is cool. Then use the paddle to scoop one section and flip it upside down until the entire batch is flipped upside down. Fan furiously until cool. Flip, fan. Flip, fan. occasionally use the "cutting" motion to ensure the rice is evenly mixed and also to break up any clumps of rice. Make sure all clumps are gone. 

To make it easier to apply rice, try using a latex glove. Just put a thin coat of oil on them and it is much easier to handle the rice. 

Also, use less rice.


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## slowtyper (Apr 14, 2012)

Also its hard to tell, but it looks like the first bottle is kikkoman rice vinegar? If so, I'd try another brand of rice vinegar, I really do'nt like kikkoman rice vinegar. Its usually quite a bit cheaper than the other brands available but I find it a bit too strong. This is personal taste though, some may prefer that.


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## Mike Davis (Apr 15, 2012)

I will try that for sure. I am attempting this again for dinner tonight/tomorrow? I have gloves, and will try the flipping trick. I fanned it a bit, but i do not think enough. I have a small table top fan(6 inch i think) i will try that also...seems like it was a bit moist last time. I do use the kikkoman stuff, as it is what i could get locally. Thanks again to everyone for the help, i really appreciate it
Mike


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## Pachowder (Apr 15, 2012)

What rice vinegar do you suggest? There are often classes at a Viking cooking school and sur la table near me...I will break down one day and tak one if I could find a good place to buy sushi grade fish. Any suggestions on that from anyone? I am in the western Philly burbs...sorry to hijack mike


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## Mike Davis (Apr 15, 2012)

Hey, no problem  I get to learn from this also  I am curious also. I am limited to what i can get around here unless i drive 45 minutes away, not that big of a deal, except i work a very odd second/third shift and have the kids with me all day lol.


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## macmiddlebrooks (Apr 15, 2012)

I just made sushi for the first time as well Mike, what a blast! I used a little too much rice as well in my rolls....still tasted pretty good. I'm going to try shrimp tempura rolls w/ dynamite sauce next, what are you going to try?


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## PhaetonFalling (Apr 16, 2012)

There is a right and wrong way that short grain rice is sticky (I assume that you're using short grain? If you're not, you're using the wrong type of rice). 

Some short grains will say that they are "washless"... this is nonsense. In processing and transportation the rice will invariably throw off particulates, that will cook more quickly than the rest of the rice and result in a sticky mess.

You MUST wash your rice. Usually at least 5 times, or until the water runs clear. To do this, put rice in a deep bowl. Add water. Agitate. Pour out the water.

You'll find that your rice will have the right stickiness, assuming that you also follow the cooking instructions (1.5 c water for each 1 c rice).

The rice vinegar mixture you put over the rice will give it a little bit of shine, and reduce the stickiness again, giving you a lightly sticky rice mixture which you can then shape.

The best way to keep the rice from sticking to your hands is to wear latex or nitrile gloves, and keep them slightly wet. You'll find that you have good results with this method.


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## PhaetonFalling (Apr 16, 2012)

Pachowder said:


> What rice vinegar do you suggest? There are often classes at a Viking cooking school and sur la table near me...I will break down one day and tak one if I could find a good place to buy sushi grade fish. Any suggestions on that from anyone? I am in the western Philly burbs...sorry to hijack mike



Try catalina offshore products. I've bought from them before, when I used to live in Indiana. It was a pretty good deal.


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## PhaetonFalling (Apr 16, 2012)

The hekler said:


> I gave up trying inside out rolls... Always made a mess with no benefit. Keeping the hands and knife wet with cold water helps with the sticking. My first try I did salmon skin and cucumber, wanted to stay away from the raw fish as I hadn't found a decent supplier yet and hey I can get it for free at the super market. Looks like you did better than I did.



Inside out rolls are a not nicer and cleaner if you take your sushi rolling mat and cover it in cling film. The film keeps the rice from sticking into the mat, and gives you a nice even form.

When you go to cut the roll, cover the roll in a bit of cling film, and then shape the roll with the mat one last time. Then cut the roll through the cling film. simply pull off the cling film, and you'll have a nicely cut inside out roll.


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## SameGuy (Apr 16, 2012)

That's how all the "sushi" counter ladies at all the supermarkets and buffet restaurants around here do it. FWIW, not a single one of these women I've spoken to are Japanese. Usually Chinese or Vietnamese, depending on the part of town. NTTAWWT


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## echerub (Apr 16, 2012)

Hmm. The sushi at supermarkets and buffets around here is pretty um... bad.


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## SameGuy (Apr 16, 2012)

Ahhhhyup.


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## mhlee (Apr 16, 2012)

Pachowder said:


> What rice vinegar do you suggest? There are often classes at a Viking cooking school and sur la table near me...I will break down one day and tak one if I could find a good place to buy sushi grade fish. Any suggestions on that from anyone? I am in the western Philly burbs...sorry to hijack mike



I would recommend Mitsukan/Mizkan of the generally available brands. 

http://www.mizkan.com/JapaneseCondiments/Retail/ProductsAndFlavors/

I found this market just searching through Google. It looks like it's east of Philly. 

http://www.maidookini.com/e/update/index.htm


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## eshua (Apr 16, 2012)

I'm just skimming the thread but did anyone mention not to cook sushi rice until it's soaked for 30 min? 

Rice is just as touchy as leavened bread or noodles. Different brands, new crops, weather, all have big effects on rice. I make 30 cup batches 5-12 times a day, and I'm always adjusting 1/4 cup water more or less.

Also when you cut the cooked rice...biggest revelation I had was this: First cut be VERY thorough and separate every grain...then the next 2 times you flip and check for problem areas but have almost no need to cut it. 

If you are unsure how wet you hands should be when forming rice...run them under cold water and then clap loudly once.


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## zitangy (May 12, 2012)

Mucho Bocho said:


> Mike, One thing I will mention is that Soy sauce comes in many many different qualities. Like most things in life there are a range of varieties. Go to Whole Foods and pick up this brand of Soy called Shoyu
> 
> Product Description
>  Unpasteurized - Fresh & Alive!
> ...




There's something to energy water. Can't disregard it totally..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAvzsjcBtx8


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## DHT580 (May 22, 2012)

Making your own seasoning is the best way to control the finished product. An easy recipe I used to use when I worked with sushi was 1 part rice vinegar, to two parts aji-mirin, reduced by half (or 1 part rice vinegar to 1 part 'mirin cooking sauce'). If you'd rather not go with that, then marukan seasoned rice wine vinegar (for sushi) is my choice for quick and easy.

Can you name the rice you're using? There's a bunch of american grown brands of short grain rice so if you can specify I might be able to help you out more. Typical brands include kokuho, tamaki, botan calrose, and nashiki to name a few.

Rinse the rice in a fine colander until the water runs clear; as many times as it takes. Cold water only. The rice is the most significant part of the sushi making process. Individuals spend years apprenticing under masters, rinsing and cooking the rice, before they even touch a knife. The best analogy I can think of is rice is almost like salt, in its importance of driving and supporting the delicate flavors of raw seafood. The best of the best of them use a solid pressue rice cooker. I personally use a lihom pressure/microwave cooker.

To cool the rice, you need a wide based container with shallow walls so heat can rapidly escape. A fan would be fantastic but not necessary if you're only making enough rice for yourself or a small family. Add the sauce and "cut" with a paddle; don't toss and smash. When you do, you crush and mush the grains together making starchy mashed rice which will end up being really sticky regardless of the presence of water and sauce. Think of it as each grain of rice having a glaze of seasoned vinegar around it; kind of like a potato has that glossy skin around it. When you mash that potato all the starch comes out. You mash it more and it gets overworked and stodgy.

Nori! The fun yet not-so-fun part. You can buy nori in full and half sheets, or full sheets that are segmented for multi-purpose use. For regular maki rolls, you use half sheets. With extremely gentle hands, make a "pillow" of rice, about 2-3 ounces in weight, and gently pat it across the top making a sort of bed. Then, using your fingers, pull the rice down to cover the rest of the nori, leaving about a 1/4 to a 1/2 an inch of space. This is a good video on the overall process, although I wish the camera went a little closer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K729GqTf2pk

Then, simply flip the sheet over and fill the roll-to-be with whatever you'd like! When you go to roll and close the maki roll, start with the side you left space. Roll it with your hands and close. With the seam side down, use a plastic wrapped bamboo sushi mat and gently apply pressure using your middle fingers and thumbs on each side, and your index fingers on top; you're going to simultaneously apply gently pressure on the sides of the roll as well as on top to secure the roll from opening, as well as the shape of the roll.

Now, you can pick up your knife and cut it! Dip the tip of your yanagiba, sujihiki, kiritsuke, or what ever, in water, pull up, and let the water bead drip down the edge point. That's all the water you need to cut the roll. Limit yourself to one, swift motion per cut; no sawing. Cut it into however many pieces you want; I like to go with eight. Assemble which ever way you'd like and you're done!

Personal best condiments for me are a very good bottle of soy sauce, and real wasabi root. No fuss


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## Mike Davis (Jan 16, 2013)

Sorry to resurrect a real old thread, but i am looking for more sauce recipes, any ideas folks? I am looking specifically for something i can drizzle over the rolls.


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## K-Fed (Jan 16, 2013)

I've never tried it but a roasted garlic aioli with a little soy mirin and toasted sesame oil might be good?


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## ThEoRy (Jan 16, 2013)

Wasabi mayo, miso mayo, yuzu mayo, ponzu, eel sauce. Yeah. I like mayo.


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## Zwiefel (Jan 16, 2013)

one thing I was surprised wasn't mentioned in this thread...I've read that putting a little mirin into the water you dip your knife/hands in helps with the sticking.

It's been many years since I tried sushi, but I never conquered the sticking problem either...of course, I also had a $8 stamped knife from kroger at the time 

Now I stick to sashimi!


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