Sushi: First Try

This was my first attempt at making Sushi. Watch the video HERE

I used too much rice but over all, it still tasted great. My later attempts included raw tuna which looked beautiful and tasted great. It can be seen in the picture but the roll I'm making here in this video only contains cucumber, cream cheese, imitation crab, and mayonnaise mixed with a little wasabi. This is all wrapped together in the Sushi Nori.

I followed the directions for making sushi rice off of the About.com website but adjusted the measurements to match one reviewers notes: 1 T rice vinegar, 1/2 T sugar, and 1/2 t salt per cup of sushi rice. I used a roasted garlic rice vinegar and heated it until just warm in the microwave. I mixed in the sugar and salt and set it aside to cool while my rice cooked.

I prepared my rice using a rice cooker. I rinsed and drained 3 cups of sushi rice (I used Calrose) and added it to 3 3/8 cups of water per my rice cookers instructions. After it finished cooking, I dumped it into a 9x13 glass casserole dish to cool. Instructions say to constantly fan the rice while folding in the vinegar mixture. I decided my trusty electric fan would do a more reliable job than my wimpy little arms ever could so I set it up and angled it to blow over the rice mixture as I mixed. It worked beautifully.

I set my prepared sushi rice aside to cool and got to work gathering my other ingredients. I used cucumber that I peeled and sliced into spears, cream cheese that I cut into long spears, mayonnaise mixed with wasabi, and imitation crab meat. I wrapped my sushi rolling mat in plastic wrap and opened my nori.

To create the roll, place the nori shiny side down on the rolling mat. Wet your hands to keep the rice from sticking and press a thin layer onto the nori sheet leaving about an inch exposed along the top edge.

Spread some of the wasabi mayonnaise in a line and top with your ingredients in a row along the edge opposite of your rice-free inch. Use the mat to roll the edge over the row of filling. Press firmly as you continue to roll.

Once you reach the exposed edge of the nori, wet your fingers again and moisten the nori so that it will stick to the rest of the roll and seal it.

Slice your roll in the center and then out towards the end in bite sized pieces. It helps to wipe and wet the knife between cuts.

Enjoy, and as always, I look forward to seeing your attempts!