Mt. Adams
Fish House
940 Pavilion Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
(513) 421-3250
Preparation of Sushi
The preparation of sushi is very important in Japan. The proper selection of rice, ingredients and equipment will reflect in the appearance and taste of the sushi. Most ingredients can be found in supermarkets, grocery stores or Asian markets. The following are the most common ingredients used in sushi:
- Daikon Radish
- Dashi
- Gari
- Gourd Strips
- Mushrooms
- Nori Seaweed
- Oil
- Sake
- Sesame Seeds
- Seven Spice Pepper
- Soy Sauce
- Tofu (Bean Curd)
- Vinegar
- Wakame Seaweed
- Wasabi
Equipment, especially knives, is very important to the preparation of sushi. Most of the preparation is done by hand, which means very few devices are needed. Some of the equipment used to make sushi are as follows:
- Bamboo Rolling Mat
- Chopsticks
- Electric Rice Cooker
- Knives
- Rectangular Frying Pan
- Rice Paddle
- Skewers
Cooking and preparing the rice for sushi is a very simple but important process. The rice used in sushi is made only for this purpose. First, rice is washed by stirring it in a pot with your hand or with a rice paddle. The water is drained and then added to wash the rice again. This is done several times until the water remains clear when washing the rice. After the rice is cleaned, it should sit in the water for about 30 minutes. This prepares the rice for cooking. After 30 minutes, the rice is covered and cooked until it boils. Then the heat is reduced and the rice is simmered for 10 minutes. The rice is ready when you look under the lid and see "dimples" in the rice. At this point the rice should sit and finish steaming for 5 minutes. Then it is removed and placed inside a Hangiri - big wooden bowl. The rice is then tossed with a wooden paddle while adding a mixture of sugar, salt, and vinegar evenly around the rice. The rice should be fanned while mixing it. The rice is fanned until it cools and has a shiny look to it. It should not be sticky or wet when finished. The rice is then placed in a special container with a damp towel and covered until it is used to make sushi.