[XxATOLxX]

So tonight I went to a sushi bar and almost died. That was some of the best sushi I've tasted to this day.

I wanna start making my own. Does anyone have a guide on how I do this? I went to the asian market and bought bamboo rollers, sushi rice, wasabi, etc.. I'm also trying to source some fish locally. Smith's has some Ahi Tuna but I'd like a larger variety of fish. Any idea where I should look?

 

[1911]

Quote:

Originally Posted by XxATOLxX So tonight I went to a sushi bar and almost died. That was some of the best sushi I've tasted to this day. I wanna start making my own. Does anyone have a guide on how I do this? I went to the asian market and bought bamboo rollers, sushi rice, wasabi, etc.. I'm also trying to source some fish locally. Smith's has some Ahi Tuna but I'd like a larger variety of fish. Any idea where I should look?

dude,
there is no point..you will never be able to replicate the deliciousness of high quality sushi at home. however please keep us posted as if you do it you will be my hero

 

[jjcha]

I agree that there is no way to replicate high quality sushi at home. Actually, I am also of the opinion that there is no good high quality sushi in the United States. There was one place I've been to here in NYC which is comparable with some of the lower-end top tier places in Tokyo, but I've given up on truly good sushi here. But what can I say, I was an overpaid yuppie sushi snob living in Tokyo for 3 years. Kinda hard to please.

Having said that though, I think one can make absolutely fantastic and rewarding sushi at home. For me, it's more about getting the rice right. Flavorful without being pure mirin/vinegar. Yes, you'll never be a true sushi artisan at home, but that doesn't mean you can't make something very rewarding and fulfilling. Then on top of that, yes, get some decent fish on top, and you can do something worth eating at home.

Just remember tho - if you do start to make good rice, don't do what most so-called sushi restaurants do here. Don't masque good sushi with gobs of sauce or overwhelm the flavor of fried items in rolls or cream cheese and the like. Let the rice and fish speak for itself. And good rice and fish need peace and quiet in order to express who they are.

Best,

-Jason

 

[Gaughtfried]

Good starting fish include Salmon, Tuna and Cod. One important thing to remember is to never, EVER make sushi with raw crustecheons (crab,lobster, shrimp, etc).

The main reason behind this lies with the fact that they are usually bottom dwellers that feed on the leftovers of the sea; they can make you very sick.

I always look for relatively fresh fish, but being that you are rather far inland, it'd be impossible to get high quality fish without looking around. Most of the fish probably where frozen on their way there and that does impact flavour abit. When making sushi rolls,use a sharp blade. Try to wet it with cold water. Rolls are easier to cut into halves, then quarters, then eighths.

Other then that, remember to wash your hands before handling the ingredients and always taste your sushi rice before you use it with the fish. Typically, the rice makes up half the flavour of the sushi so it's important that it's done right.

 

[XxATOLxX]

After a little bit of research, I found a company that ships Sashimi grade fish overnight from San Diego. (http://catalinaop.com for those who are interested). I ordered 2lbs of Toro and 2 packs of Izumidai. I can tell that ordering from this place is going to be a wallet killer (possibly worse than Head-Fi

). (I just bought a Grado-SR60 worth of fish

)

Anyways, tomorrow I'm going to practice making some rolls and preparing rice until the real fish gets here.

 

[dj_mocok]

And no blowfish for noobs please.

 

[john_jcb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjcha I agree that there is no way to replicate high quality sushi at home. Actually, I am also of the opinion that there is no good high quality sushi in the United States. ....................... Best, -Jason

If you ever get a chance to visit Washington state and want what I think is the best sushi I have ever had (including Japan and Okinowa) take a trip to the coast and go on a salmon fishing trip on the boat that makes sushi with the salmon you just caught. It is only salmon but it sure is good.

 

[Ttvetjanu]

I've made some of the best suhi i've ever eaten at home, and i've been numerous times to japan, so i should know what great sushi tastes like. Watching the people at the suhi bars make the stuff does help a lot. I strongly recommend the egg sushi, where you have the make the yellow omelette yourself, i think it was called tamago. Difficult, but excellent. Tuna is always good. Another great one is making a rice-ball(sushi rice) and wrapping it around with salmon to make it seem as though it is a roll. In the space above the rice ball (which there should be) add caviar(red) and majo. Excellent.

Just remember not to put too much wasabi, which is a common misstake.

 

[Jazz1]

Those of you on the the coasts are lucky to have access to fresh fish/great sushi. I have to search high and low to get good sushi in the middle of the country.

If the mail order thing works out let us know. I took a Dim Sum course once, maybe I can give a California Roll a try

 

[hongda]

There's quite a bit of technique for cooking the rice. You want to season it right after it is cooked. It is important to also get the correct type of rice as well as cooling it properly.

If you are interested in making rolls at home, that is a lot easier. For sashimi though, as the others have said, it is difficult to get the quality that restaurants are able to get.

 

[feh1325]

according to "be safe! simple strategies for death-free living" by melissa heckscher:

tuna is the safest kinda of raw fish (unless you are pregnant)

fish can have parasitic worms, which can cause all sorts of stomach problems. usually, fish that live farther from the shore are less likely to pick up worms, who thrive in muddy, shallow water. tuna is a deep-water fish. but of course, all kinds of raw fish can make you sick, especially if its not served properly. make sure the fish has a firm texture and its color is bright and shiny, not slimy; anything less oculd be a sign of decay.

if you are pregnant, stay away from tuna, shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. these fish, raw or cooked, contain a high level of mercury. young children should also avoid these fish.

virutally all raw fish served in sushi bars are frozen long enough to make it safe to eat. also, to be really safe, eat wasabi and ginger because they are antiparasitic.

fresh fish should not smelly "fishy", but should have a subtle, sweet smell. fishy smelling fish usually means its decomposing.

 

[jlo mein]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaughtfried One important thing to remember is to never, EVER make sushi with raw crustecheons (crab,lobster, shrimp, etc). The main reason behind this lies with the fact that they are usually bottom dwellers that feed on the leftovers of the sea; they can make you very sick.

A high end sushi place locally serves Lobster sashimi. They slice up the tail meat, but also serve the rest of the loster whole as presentation. They tell you to only eat the tail portion though...

I always wondered how safe it would be as Lobster is obviously a bottom feeder.

 

[sapphiremodena]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jlo mein A high end sushi place locally serves Lobster sashimi. They slice up the tail meat, but also serve the rest of the loster whole as presentation. They tell you to only eat the tail portion though... I always wondered how safe it would be as Lobster is obviously a bottom feeder.

Is this Tojo's that does this?

 

[jlo mein]

Never eaten at Tojo's. I heard it is more of a tourist-y kind of place.

The place I'm speaking about in peticular is in Surrey. It's very new, only been open for a couple months. They have lots of tatami rooms, and a large open eating area. Their sashimi is always fresh and it's never sloppy. Sad part is it is Korean owned...but at least all the sushi chefs are Japanese.

 

[beerguy0]

There's a sushi place near me that offers sushi making lessons. You wind up with a pile of sushi so you better have someone (or several someones) to help you eat it all.

As mentioned, the rice is key. As far as fish, you might want to check with your local sushi places to see if they'll sell you fish. The place that offers lessons will sell you fish by the pound. Or go to your local fish market and ask for sushi grade fish.

Pretty much all fish has been frozen when it was caught at sea, so it's not quite as scary as some folks make it out to be. There is another place near us that serves odori-ebi, or sweet shrimp, which is served raw. Delicious!

A group of us meet here once a month for lunch. It's always chef's choice, but they've never steered us wrong yet. They have some amazingly good rolls, stuff you don't see elsewhere.

http://www.californiarollin.com/menus/menu.shtml