Sushi Rice

Posted by gmirage1 on Apr 5, 2011 in Japanese, Rice | 4 comments

Sushi rice recipe I’ve followed over the years.

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups water
3 cups Japanese rice
1/3 cup rice wine
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt

Japanese rice tends to be sticky compared to other rice grains that’s why its ideal to use it so they don’t fall apart.

1. Pour rice into rice cooker. Wash it as you would wash normal rice. Pour 3 1/4 cups water and cook.

2. In a pan, combine rice wine, sugar and salt. Put pan on low heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Cool the mixture.

3. When rice is cooked, put it on a large plate and pour the vinegar mixture over and mix evenly and carefully with a wooden spoon.
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Serve rice with your favorite cold cuts, fish or as sushi, maki roll or musubi…

Ikura sushi

Posted by gmirage1 on Jan 13, 2011 in food friday, Japanese, Rice, sushi | 20 comments

Salmon roe (ikura) for sushi is prepared by soaking them in soy sauce and Japanese rice wine (sake). The process helps in removing the strong fishy flavor and makes the texture of the roe smoother and lighter. Each individual roe remains swollen, lightens up in color, and the texture becomes more enjoyable to the palate.

If you think that the taste of the roe is too overpowering, just add quail eggs and cucumber slices to neutralize the flavor.

Since the salmon roe are immersed in soy sauce, one does not need to add more later on.  A little wasabi enhances the sweet flavors from the richness of the roe.

This type of sushi is a bit easier to prepare than the others since you make the shape like a battle ship not the usual round form.

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INGREDIENTS

1 cup prepared sushi rice
1 sheet nori
3/4 teaspoon wasabi paste, or to taste
4 ounces prepared salmon roe

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare 8 finger sushi by dipping your right hand into a bowl of vinegared water and then tap your fingers on a damp towel to remove excess water, and take up about 2 tablespoons sushi rice. Form the rice into 8 small oval bite-sized portions, measuring about 2 inches long by 1 inch wide.

2. Cut nori into 8 strips, each 1 inch X 7 inches. I cut mine too big

3. Wrap a 1 inch strip of nori around the sides of each finger sushi, shiny side out (sticking it closed with a grain of rice, if necessary), creating a tiny collar all around the rice.

4. Dab a little wasabi paste on top of the rice inside the nori collar. Delicately spoon about 1 tablespoon of the salmon roe into each nori collar. Serve immediately while the nori is crisp. (Lifted from FabulousFoods.com)

“An egg is always an adventure; the next one may be different.”
Oscar Wilde

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Unagi no Kabayaki

Posted by gmirage1 on Nov 10, 2010 in Fish, food friday, Japanese | 13 comments

(Unagi no Kabayaki – Barbecued Eel)

Two weeks ago I got lost in the city for 3 consecutive days…I don’t clearly recall where I was headed the first time lol…The 3rd time was when I was going to the University (19th district) and while inside the University to inquire about translation studies.  The second time was when I was looking for a certain Japanese foodshop (1st district) to buy sizzling plates.

I have been in that shop only once, found it by accident then and I promised myself that I’d definitely be back…I did after 2 years and going about lost in the streets for an hour. Also, I wasn’t able to buy the sizzling plates since they were out of stock…I came home with some of the usual Japanese loot I need like mayonnaise, beni-shouga, wakame, nori, miso paste and tonkatsu sauce. Some rarity that can’t be bought in the Asian store near our place would be Kamaboko slices, Pocky chocosticks, frozen Unagi  no kabayaki and a cute hello kitty bentou box. The little girl was surely happy when I gave it to her along with a pair of hoshi.

Well, I immediately thawed the eel so we can have it for dinner. I only need to cook rice and make some kabayaki sauce. For the recipe I followed this one here . The sauce is just like that of teriyaki only with less sugar. Given the circumstances, I would love to grill glazed eel  too but as I’ve always complained, where we are is far from where the fishes are so I’d just be thankful to that Japanese shop. I would go back as often as I can even if I get lost in the way…

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