Advertisement I turned Jenn on to sushi six months ago. After making her try a few rolls in a Chinese buffet line, it turned out she liked it as much as I did.
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And, once we learned we didn’t have to put the the green stuff on, that is, the wasabi, it was even better.
Over time, we have become big fans of the American-influenced sushi roll spin-offs such as the California roll, the Philadelphia roll and, most recently, the Alaska roll.
In recent weeks, Jenn and I have reached the pinnacle of our sushi eating obsession: We have learned how to make it.
Our sushi instructor, Arlene Vrlec, said, “The finished product is elegant, so people think making it must be more complicated than it is.”
Well, let’s not get carried away. The sushi rolls Jenn and I made weren’t exactly elegant. But, we learned the steps, and with practice, I’m sure we’ll be making sushi rolls like no other.
Here are some steps you can follow to make a sushi roll, courtesy of Arlene Vrlec.
What you need
Bamboo mat: This is a small mat with many bamboo sticks tied together. It works fabulously for even an amateur sushi roller.
Nori: This is what you wrap the sushi with, and there are various kinds. Buy the flat, dried seaweed that looks like sheets of green, rough paper. You can find it at most local grocery stores.
Tezu: A simple mixture that prevents the rice from sticking to your hands and knife. Just mix water and and some rice vinegar into a small bowl.
Sushi rice: Yes, this is a specific kind of short-grain rice that gets sticky when it cooks. Don’t even try to make sushi with Minute Rice!
Sugar: 2 tablespoons
Salt: 1 teaspoon
Ingredients to consider
Dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and cut into matchstick pieces
Carrots, peeled, blanched and cut into thin strips
Cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into strips
Avocado
Scallions, cut into long, thin strips
Asparagus, cooked until tender-crisp
Mashed yams sprinkled with soy sauce
Cooked spinach with toasted sesame seeds
Cilantro, minced
Shrimp, cooked and minced
Smoked salmon, cut into strips
Jicama, peeled and cut into matchstick pieces
Red or green bell peppers, cut into thin strips
Tofu, cut into slices, marinated and broiled. Then cut into thin strips.
Tempeh, cut into thin strips
Daikon or regular radishes, cut into matchstick pieces
Pea pods, blanched and cut diagonally into thin strips
Soba noodles, cooked in bundles and rinsed with cold water
Lime, lemon or orange peel, chopped
How to make sushi rice
1. Rinse the rice. In a pot, add 1 cup rice and 1 cup water (you can use more, but use a 1:1 ratio). Bring rice and water to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Don’t peek! Turn off heat and allow rice to steam for 20 minutes.
2. While the rice is being steamed, prepare a mixture of sushi vinegar using 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Heat these ingredients in a small saucepan until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
3. When the rice is cooked, place it in a large bowl and mix in the sushi vinegar. Avoid using metal because it changes the flavor of the rice.
4. Once it is mixed well, fan the rice with a manual fan or an electric fan until it is cooled to room temperature. This is not a step to skip. If you don’t fan, the rice’s hull won’t remain intact and the kernels will break when you use it.
How to make sushi rolls
1. Cut the nori in half (this step is optional — for bigger pieces, use the whole nori sheet). Lay the nori lengthwise on the bamboo mat with the shiny side down.
2. Wet your hands with tezu. Grab a handful of rice, and cover and press the nori with a thin layer of rice, leaving about 1/4 inch open at one end.
3. Spread wasabi along the rice. For those who don’t like wasabi, go ahead and skip this step. Add inside ingredients to the end closest to you.
4. Begin rolling the nori over the rice and fillings, using the bamboo mat. Squeeze and compress along the entire roll.
5. Wet the knife with tezu, and cut the roll into sections.
Our advice
Don’t use too much rice.
Don’t forget to wet your fingers or the knife with tezu or the rice will stick all over.
Think about the combination of flavors you are putting on the inside and what color combinations they make for aesthetic appeal.
The preparation is the most time-consuming part. If you are only making rolls for a few people, keep the filling ingredients to a minimum to avoid waste and save time.
If you still need help
Scroll to the botoom of this story for a video demonstration of sushi-making.
Arlene Vrlec, a registered dietitian who has a passion for cooking, will come to your home and teach cooking classes — even how to roll sushi. For information, call her at (608) 397-7113. Vrlec also teaches cooking classes at the People’s Food Co-op in La Crosse.
