From one sushi fan to another. Maybe Barry should go to the California Sushi Academy in Venice Beach. Here's one of their yummy recipes.
CUCUMBER NORI ROLLS / Makes 12 cucumber rolls.
SUSHI ZU Bring to boil 4 tbl rice vinegar, tbl sugar, 1/4 tea sea salt. Cool offheat.
RICE Rice volume increases 2-2 1/2 times as it cooks. Short grain rice needs to be washed b/c of starch on the surface of each grain. Without washing, starch makes the texture and taste less palatable. Wash 2 cups sushi rice w/ care, in big bowl, washing gently w/ cold running water 10 min. Drain in colander, dry 20-30 min. Bring washed rice, 3 c water to boil. Reduce heat, cover, cook 15 min til all water is absorbed. Turn off heat, set 10 min. Place in lge bowl, pour over Sushi Zu.
CUCUMBER 3 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and sliced into long thin matchsticks.
SUSHI Place 1/2 sheet seaweed (nori) lengthwise, shiny side down on bamboo roller (or use sheet of saran). Place approximately 3 oz sushi rice formed into a bar in center of seaweed, going lengthwise, spread rice evenly, covering entire nori except for about 1/2" at top edge. Spread wasabi thinly in center atop rice, lengthwise from one and to the other. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of rice. Then place couple strips of cucumber in center to fill the length of the roll.
Bring seaweed and rice toward you to edge of bamboo roller and holding the edge of the bamboo roller with one hand and, holding the cucumbers in place with the other hand, lift up the edge of the mat closest to you.
Begin rolling mat away from you, rolling over the cucumber and connecting rice to rice. Then stop to make sure you still have a 1/2" strip of just nori left over at
top (will seal roll). Lift edge of bamboo roller slightly and roll another 1/2" away from you connecting seaweed to seaweed and sealing the roll.
Gently squeeze both sides while pressing gently down on top w/ both index fingers. Cut roll in half, then turn one piece around so they are parallel to one another, line them up, then cut both pieces twice, to make 6 pieces. Cut rest rolls and serve.
I took a sushi course out here and it was some of the best money I ever spent. I make the best sushi now...for a fraction of the expensive price!
I took a sushi course out here and it was some of the best money I ever spent. I make the best sushi now...for a fraction of the expensive price!