Sushi is an art. Art emerging from tradition.

Japanese cuisine mainly concentrated on rice, which for many centuries has become the basis of nutrition for the Japanese. Modern sushi is very different from their original version of Naredzusi. Sushi, which was originally only a process for preserving and storing fish, over time has turned into the art of cooking, combining and serving simple and at the same time sophisticated dishes that go beyond the generally accepted view that sushi is raw fish. After all, the very name “Sushi” means dishes for the preparation of which Sushi Meshi or rice with rice vinegar is used.

Nowadays, sushi recipes use a wide range of different products that bring new flavors to the dish. However, the unique cooking technique, which was invented by a chef from Japan, is still considered the most advanced.

Cooking sushi-rice

Ingredients:

(4 servings)

Rice:

• 300 g Japanese rice
• 350 ml cold water

Sushi seasoning:

• 6 tbsp rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1.5 tsp salt

(Check here how to prepare sushi seasoning at home – Sushizu dressing for sushi)

or

• 3 tbsp sushi dressing from the shop (Sushi-Su)

Cooking method:

1. Pour rice with plenty of water. Rinse delicately with your hand, washing the starch out of the rice. Drain and refill. Repeat until the water is clear. Rice can be washed in the pot in which it will be cooked.
2. During washing, pour rice in water and let stand for 10 minutes until the rice swells and becomes white. Then rinse the rice again and drain the water as much as possible.
3. Pour the washed rice with cold water (350 ml), close tightly with a lid and put on maximum heat.
   As soon as the water boils, reduce the heat to a minimum and cook another 10-15 minutes, depending on the rice variety. Then turn off the fire and let stand for another 5 minutes with the lid still closed.

Important: It is best to use a pot with a glass transparent lid so as not to miss the boiling moment. During cooking, the lid must be closed all the time from the start of cooking – it must not be lifted until the end of cooking process.

Ready rice should be fragrant, with chubby sticky rice. Immediately after cooking, it is necessary to transfer it to a bowl or any other Non-metal utensil, and immediately, while still hot, add sushi seasoning. Mix well with a Non-metal spoon.

Important: When cooking rice, Do Not use metal utensils and spoons.

That is All! Rice is ready. It remains only to mix it with Sushizu and wait until it cools before preparing sushi from it.

Making Maki Sushi 

Stuffing for Maki Sushi

• Fish: raw or smoked, pickled or baked (salmon, tuna, herring, eel, etc.), Surimi crab sticks
• Vegetables: raw or pickled (cucumber, avocado, pickled Kanpio pumpkin, pickled Daikon (Takuan), radish, green onion)
• Japanese omelet Tamagoyaki, cottage cheese Philadelphia, etc, mayo
• Meat filling

Some tips

• Do not trample rice in maki. When folding poppies, press gently.
• Spread the wasabi with your finger on the rice surface.
• When preparing sushi, always moisten your hands and knife with the so-called Tezu – water with rice vinegar (30 ml of vinegar per 250 ml of water).