Sushi For Dummies

Introduction 1

About This Book 1

Conventions Used in This Book 2

What You’re Not to Read 4

Foolish Assumptions 4

How This Book is Organized 5

Part I: Discovering the World of Sushi 5

Part II: Getting Ready, Getting Set 5

Part III: Rock-and-Rollin’ Sushi Recipes 5

Part IV: Enjoying Sushi Meals at Home and at the Sushi Bar 6

Part V: The Part of Tens 6

Icons Used in This Book 6

Where to Go from Here 7

Part I: Discovering the World of Sushi 9

Chapter 1: Embarking on the Sushi Adventure 11

Appreciating Sushi’s Past, Present, and Future 12

Enjoying Sushi at Home 14

Gathering fresh ingredients 14

Collecting a few tools 15

Mastering popular techniques 15

Making up a sushi menu 16

Enjoying each and every piece 17

Feeling at Home in a Sushi Bar 17

Chapter 2: Outfitting the Sushi Kitchen 19

Covering the Basics: Kitchen Equipment You Gotta Have 19

Acquiring the Right Stuff to Make Sushi Rice 21

Electric rice cooker 21

Shallow wooden sushi rice tub 21

Rice paddle 23

Flat fan 23

Lint-free kitchen towels 23

Knowing When to Mold ’Em: Tools for Shaping Sushi 24

Bamboo rolling mat 24

Sushi molds 25

Honoring Your Inner Samurai: Looking at Japanese Knives 26

Choosing a sushi knife 26

Using and caring for knives 28

Adding Other Handy Sushi Equipment 29

Finding the Equipment You Need 30

Chapter 3: Getting Familiar with Sushi Ingredients 31

Shopping for Sushi Ingredients 31

Stocking the Sushi Pantry 33

Dry ingredients 33

Bottled ingredients 37

Filling the Sushi Fridge 39

You gotta have these 40

You’re gonna want these 41

Sushi-loving fresh veggies 43

Puckeringly good pickled veggies 46

Delving into the Sushi Deep Freeze 48

Edamame (soybeans in their pods) 48

Sesame seeds 48

Chapter 4: Chilling Out with Fresh Seafood 49

Practicing Safe Seafood 50

Taking cleanliness to heart 50

Being aware of potential raw seafood risks 50

Making sure the seafood is fresh 51

Bringing seafood home 53

Reeling In Six Fabulous Fish for Sushi 55

Roe, Roe, Roe Your Sushi 56

Part II: Getting Ready, Getting Set 59

Chapter 5: Cooking and Seasoning Sensational Sushi Rice 61

Understanding the Object of the Game 61

Gathering the Equipment 62

Introducing the Star Player — Rice 62

Selecting the rice 63

Measuring the rice 64

Preparing the Rice for the Big Game 64

Rinsing the rice 64

Giving the rice a good, long soak 65

Preparing the Rice Vinegar Dressing 66

Kicking Off! Cooking the Rice 67

Adding sake and dashi konbu to the soaked rice 67

Turning up the heat 68

Finishing the Rice — It’s a Winner! 69

Turning out the rice 69

Pouring on the rice vinegar dressing 71

Fanning the rice until it’s cool 71

Keeping the rice moist 72

Chapter 6: Introducing Popular Sushi Types and Techniques 73

Getting Organized: Gathering the Essential Tools 73

Hitting the Ground Running with Hand-Shaped Sushi 74

Finger sushi 75

Battleship sushi 78

Sushi rice balls 80

Tumbling into Rolled Sushi 81

Sliced sushi rolls 82

Inside-out rolls 86

Hand rolls 88

Building Up to Pressed Sushi 90

Breezing into Scattered Sushi 92

Tokyo-style scattered sushi 92

Osaka-style scattered sushi 93

Stuffing Tofu Pouches with Sushi 93

Venturing On to Creative Sushi 95

Chapter 7: Slicing and Dicing the Sushi Way 97

Getting a Grip on Sushi Knives 97

Slicing with a sashimi knife 98

Cutting with a vegetable knife 98

Working with Fresh Fish 99

Slicing straight down 100

Slicing at an angle 101

Slicing transparently thin 103

Cutting sticks 103

Dicing 104

Working with Fresh Vegetables 104

Cutting ribbons 104

Cutting slivers 105

Cutting matchsticks 105

Cutting paper-thin slices 106

Dicing 106

Mincing 106

Taking advantage of a few shortcut tools 107

Part III: Rock-and-Rollin’ Sushi Recipes 109

Chapter 8: Creating Sushi Bar Favorites at Home 111

Adventuring into Raw Seafood 112

Savoring Cooked Seafood 117

Refreshing Your Sushi Palate with Japanese Cucumbers 126

Chapter 9: Quick-and-Easy Sushi: Finger-Snapping Fast Recipes 129

Assembling Simple Veggie Sushi 130

Reeling in Easy Seafood Sushi 134

Using cooked fish 134

Using raw fish 135

Stepping Up the Pace with Beef, Poultry, and Pork Sushi 146

Chapter 10: Do-Ahead Sushi: Sidestepping the Last-Minute Rush 151

Veggie Sushi 152

Puckeringly good do-ahead sushi 152

Stuffing tofu pouches ahead 155

Grilling colorful veggies for do-ahead sushi 159

Sweet Tuna and Sushi Rice 162

Chicken and Turkey Sushi 164

Ginger-Beef Roll 168

Chapter 11: Chi-Chi Sushi: Stepping Up to Glamorous Sushi 171

Sampling Stylish Gifts from the Sea 172

Appreciating Sophisticated Vegetable Sushi 180

Chapter 12: Extreme Sushi: Blowing Away the Boundaries 183

Loving Sushi on a Half Shell 184

Tasting Tropical Seafood Sushi 186

Unearthing Sushi from the Garden 188

Saluting Independence Day 190

Part IV: Enjoying Sushi Meals at Home and at the Sushi Bar 193

Chapter 13: Serving Sensational Sushi Sidekicks 195

Starting with an Appetizer 196

Serving Savory Soups 197

Chilling Out with Salads 202

Selecting Smashing Side Dishes 206

Putting a chill on veggies 206

Steaming-up shellfish 208

Diving into the Drinks 209

Discovering green tea 209

Sipping sake 210

Enjoying beer and wine 212

Indulging in Sweet Conclusions 213

Chapter 14: Hosting a Smashing Hand Roll Sushi Party 219

Getting Your Sushi Party in Order 219

Planning the menu 220

Making a grocery list 220

Shopping in shifts 222

Preparing a few items the day before 222

Completing preparations the morning of 223

Getting the Party Underway! 227

Chapter 15: Demystifying the Sushi Bar Experience 231

Getting the Best Seats in the House 232

Surveying Your Place Setting 233

Deciding on a Drink 233

Placing Your Order with the Chef 234

Enjoying Sushi One Piece at a Time 237

Finishing Up Your Sushi Meal 239

Part V: The Part of Tens 241

Chapter 16: Ten Tips for Creating First-Rate Sushi at Home 243

Adopting a Relaxed Attitude 243

Keeping Sticky Rice Out of the Bedroom 244

Moistening Your Hands 244

Resisting the Urge to Overstuff 244

Pressing Ever So Gently 245

Moistening Your Sharp Knives 245

Chilling Out with Raw Seafood 245

Tucking In Your Sushi Rice 246

The Cold Fish/Warm Rice Dilemma 246

Breaking the Rules in the Name of Leftovers 246

Chapter 17: Ten Tips for Minding Your Sushi Manners 247

Don’t Rub Chopsticks Together 247

Do Place Chopsticks Together 247

Don’t Look for a Spoon 248

Do Flip Chopsticks Over 248

Don’t Overload on Soy Sauce 248

Do Dip the Fish in Soy Sauce 249

Don’t Put Wasabi in Soy Sauce 249

Do Eat Sushi with Your Fingers 249

Don’t Forget to Use the Washcloth 249

Do Ask the Sushi Bar Wait Staff for Food and Drink 250

Appendix: Metric Conversion Guide 251

Index 255