Sushi Otaku

Archive for February, 2006

I love going out to a great sushi-ya and sitting down to a nice, appealing meal. Served properly, sushi is art as well as sustenance, and often each piece can take conversation in an interesting direction, even without the aid of sake. sushi offers insight into the skills of the itamae, and the individual who chose the particular fish for the restaurant. It also speaks wonders about the importance of ritual and presentation in eastern cultures.

So why does every market seem to sell sushi these days? Basically, it’s a fad. I don’t mean that in the pejorative sense, I’m actually happy it has caught on so well, but it really does smell of one. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve grabbed a salmon maki from Whole Foods for lunch, or a California roll on the way home to snack on before dinner (Shhhhhh! Don’t tell my wife). But if you think about it, the prevalence of sushi is a good thing. Regard about how it came to be.

Way, way back in history, sushi was a pre-prepared (and preserved) food. It was essentially raw fish that had been enclosed in rice and left under a rock in an anaerobic environment to “ferment.” After a predetermined period of time had elapsed, the fish was eaten (and I imagine was quite pungent) and the rice thrown away. Centuries later, vinegar was added to the rice (to enhance the preservative qualities) and eventually the rice was eaten as well when the “ferment” had finished. Eventually, the seasoned rice became the “bed” of nigiri-zushi and fresh raw fish was placed on top and the resulting product was sold from stalls for folks on the go. Not that long ago, it became restaurant food. *

Sushi is the ultimate fast food. The artisans who create each piece can whip out a roll in no time at all. It seems disrespectful to say that they can slap a piece of fish on a bed of rice before you can blink, But it’s true. And often it looks and tastes great. And what’s better, it is actually good for you. Give my body a choice of stopping by McDonald’s on the way home or snacking on a spicy tuna roll and I think you know which it would prefer. Sure, the roll is a bit more expensive than a burger, but we’re still only talking a few dollars so I don’t buy that argument. Sushi as a quick meal or snack is good for you; it’s as simple as that, unlike many other options. Sushi can be not so much “fast food” as “quick food.”

So what is sushi? To me, it can be quick snack or robust dining experience. Like anything, it has evolved, and evolved well. For me, the spread of sushi into more public outlets allows me the “quick fix” that I often crave. I still enjoy going out for a more elegant experience and to appreciate the presentation and skill of the itamae (and conversation with him/her if I’m sitting at the sushi bar). I see no reason why sushi can’t have it both ways, especially if you think that it was more casual fare for most of its history. With sushi, you can pack the mystique of the dish into a take-out container and still know you are eating something unique. As “fast food” it is not dumbed-down. Sushi stands up to the label and dashes it. So when I need a quick bite I’ll have my fish raw, please, and leave the fish and chips for someone else.

Warren
The Sushi Guy.

* This is a brutally condensed version of the history of sushi and should be seen as such. It’s history is much more convoluted and interesting than this brief writing can convey.

Life is hard. Making sushi is harder. The other evening I decided it would be fun to make some maki for dinner, something I used to do a lot, actually, when I was younger. But it’s been a really long time since I had the time and wherewithal to do it at home and it’s no bicycle ride.

I figured I would make it easy since it had been a while and I last made it before I had children. ‘Lets start with a few California rolls’ I said to my wife who readily agreed because everyone in my family has a severe avocado addiction.

This is what we did:
Buy your seafood. Then, start with the rice. You want to rinse sushi rice before cooking to get rid of excess starch, otherwise your sticky rice (as my son calls it) will be a solid mass and impossible to work with. Rinse the rice until the water runs relatively clear and then cook. When the rice is cooked, season with a mixture of rice wine vinegar and sugar and carefully fold the rice to evenly distribute the seasoning liquid. It sounds odd, but that’s what you do, believe me, it works. Let the rice cool to room temperature and you are ready to go.

Cut up the avocado, cucumber, and surimi (that fake crab leg stuff that is used in these rolls) and got all the fixins’ together. Get out your nori (seaweed wrapper for the roll) and place it shiny side down. I cut off about 1/3rd of the sheet to help me size the roll properly, but that’s up to you. Spread some of the rice mixture evenly over the nori, leaving a bit of nori showing on the edges. Lay the goodies in a row along the closest part of the sheet and slowly roll the sheet away from you. It is easiest if you have a bamboo rolling mat to help guide the rolling and shape the roll after it is rolled up. Roll. And viola! Cutting the rolls also requires finesse. Use a large, very sharp knife, and keep some water handy to keep the knife edge moist or the starch adhering to the knife will make cutting your roll a living hell. Cut in half, place the two halves side by side and cut them into thirds and you will have a nice maki.

Yeah, right. It sounds easy, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not. It’s really not. My first roll was 4 inches in diameter. Bizarre. Way too much rice, but it had been a while… Keep the rice layer relatively thin, that’s what you have to remember. By the third roll they started looking normal, but it was a groove that I really had to work on to get back into. I did and we played around with other fillings. Salmon is my son’s favorite. My daughter just likes the rice and had way too much fun with it. But it was a good evening with some nice cold sake, edamame, and mochi with red bean ice cream filling. Some of the best stuff on the planet. It’s fun to make sushi at home, and really not hard at all. It’s just hard to make it look nice

Warren
The Sushi Guy.