How To Make Sushi

Want to learn how to make sushi? Sushi originated in southeast Asia in the 4th century B.C. as a way of preserving fish with salted rice. In the 8th century A.D., sushi arrived in Japan, where instead of using the salted rice to preserve the fish, they ate the fish and rice together. Gradually, the dish evolved into the form popular today: fish, vegetables and other ingredients wrapped in vinegared rice and seaweed. Preparing your own sushi can be tricky at first, but allows you to have a lot of fun getting creative with your fillings.

What you'll need to make sushi:

• 2 c. sushi rice (short-grain white rice)
• 2 c. water
• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 6 sheets sushi nori
• fillings of your choice
• wasabi (optional)
• soy sauce
• pickled ginger
• extra rice vinegar
• saucepan
• large glass baking dish
• wooden spatula
• rolling mat
• plastic wrapsmall dish
• sharp knife

How to make sushi:

1. Rinse the sushi rice in cool water. Drain, then repeat twice more or until the water is no longer cloudy.
2. Combine the sushi rice and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, lower the heat and simmer for fifteen minutes, then remove from heat and let sit for ten minutes.
   
3. Transfer the cooked rice to a large glass baking dish or other flat dish. Add the sugar, rice vinegar and salt. Fold the ingredients gently with the wooden spatula to avoid crushing the individual rice grains, continuing until everything is well mixed and the rice is cool.
   
4. Lay a sheet of nori (toasted seaweed) shiny side down on the sushi rolling mat. To avoid getting rice on your mat, cover it with plastic wrap first.
5. Pour a small amount of rice vinegar into a shallow dish. Use the vinegar to moisten your fingertips when they get sticky.
   
6. Spread one cup of sushi rice (about one sixth of the rice) evenly over the nori. Leave a space of about an inch on the top.
   
7. Place your desired fillings in a line across the middle of the rice. Limit yourself to two (possibly three) options, or your sushi will become overstuffed and difficult to roll. If you like your sushi spicy, spread a thin line of wasabi (Japanese horseradish) across the rice before you add the topics.
   
8. Using the sushi mat, fold the bottom half of the nori up and over the fillings. Continue rolling, squeezing as you go to ensure that the rice is packed together, until the sushi is a tightly rolled cylinder. Be careful not to squeeze too hard, however, or you could push out the filling or break the roll.
9. Cut the sushi into 1.5-inch pieces. Use a sharp knife and wet it with a little rice vinegar between each cut, or the sushi could squish and tear instead of cutting neatly.
10. Serve the sushi with soy sauce and pickled ginger.

Tips:

• Popular American sushi rolls include the California roll (crab, cucumber and avocado) and the Philly roll (cream cheese, scallions and smoked salmon). More traditional sushi fillings include tamago (egg), eel and raw tuna. When you make sushi, try these fillings, or use your own combinations of fish, meat and vegetables for a unique and delicious sushi roll. Just make sure that any raw fish you eat is fresh and comes from a safe, trusted source.