Click here to find out what inspired Sarah to try mastering the art of cooking at home.
One of my top takeout favourites for sure, I’ve always dismissed the idea of making sushi myself as too much work. So when GuyNS posted the very first comment on my last test suggesting I try sushi, I knew immediately I'd found my next challenge.
In an effort to be more organized than last week, I planned my sushi menu for Sunday night dinner. This meant I had Saturday to hit the St.Lawrence fishmonger and farmers' market, then Sunday all I would need to do is cook (well roll) and relax. You know what they say about the best laid plans...
Since I opted to go to a specialist, getting the fish was easy ("Sushi grade salmon and shrimp, please" and I was done). Avocado and cucumber, also not a problem. Nori (seaweed wraps), Japonica (sushi rice) and sriracha (Vietnamese chile sauce) however were a bit tricker, so Sunday I planned a trip to Toronto's T & T Supermarket (an Asian food wonderland and now my new go-to stop and shop). All ingredients, check! Including dipping bowls for soy sauce, bamboo mats for rolling, limes and mint for mojitos and a sticky rice ball for T. since he was such a good boy at the store.
Let the sushi making begin! Here are some of the lessons I learned:
Lesson #1: Sushi rice takes a lot more effort than the Uncle Ben's variety. Turns out the rice requires multiple washings and at least a 20 minute soak before you can even start to cook it. Don't underestimate this when planning dinner. (Thankfully I had mojitos and edamame beans to tied us over.)
Lesson #2: Thin is key when slicing all veggies and fish. I learned just how much so when I started the rolling stage.
Lesson #3: Your hands (and kitchen) are going to get dirty during the making of this meal. Sticky rice gets everywhere!
Lesson #4: Do not stir Sriracha Mayonnaise near your face (though I don't know why you would). Yet some how T. managed to learn this lesson the hard way and he got it in his eyes, so I'm including this for safety sake.
Lesson #5: Don't try to be a hero. Beginners should use a full nori sheet start no matter what the recipe says. You will overfill a half sheet so save yourself the disappointment.
Lesson #6: One recipe makes a lot of sushi. No need to double it for variety. Instead buy a half the amount of shrimp and then get salmon or another fish as well. We learned this the hard way, too. Luckily the sushi was delicious so we didn't mind eating it again the next day (for lunch AND dinner).
Lesson #7: Good tools are important. Bamboo mats for wrapping are a must, and plastic wrap really helps to minimize sticking. A sharp straight blade knife is essential. We didn't have one and our roll presentation suffered greatly as a result. One of my co-workers also told me (unfortunately after the fact) that in her family wearing a bandanna like the pros is also a must. While I can't vouche for the official necessity of this, I can tell you I wish I had worn one.
Lesson #8: Sushi isn't hard to make but it does take time and practice to figure out how to get those rolls right. While I would highly recommend this for entertaining (if you make it ahead of time), I would definitely try a dry run before counting on it to impress your guests. If my attempt was any example, your first try might not look the prettiest.
Overall I would declare my sushi making a success and it is definitely a meal I will be making again. I know many of my friends already anticipating an invitation to the Rogers Sushi Bar soon. And for those of you inspired to try making sushi yourself, here's the recipe for Inside-Out Roll with Shrimp and Avocado that I used from the The Flavours of Asia by Mai Pham. Be sure to let me know how it goes!
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If Julia Child taught us anything about food, it's that everything tastes better with butter, and that a little "cognac never hurt anything." Whether it was her enormous presence on her televised cooking show, her passion for French cuisine or the charming warble of her voice, Child had that "it" factor that inspired audiences to get their gastronomy on and cook with flair. "She was one of those people whose character was sort of as huge as what she was trying to say," Meryl Streep says.... Read the more at www.tribute.ca. |