Maintaining organization during sushi making expedites the process and having a variety of bowls available is one of the best ways to keep order. Non-reactive plastic, ceramic, or glass bowls in sizes that fit easily into your refrigerator work best as some sushi ingredients need to be prepared and stored before use.
Colander (Fine Mesh) A critical step in the rice making process is allowing the rice to drain. To properly complete that task, a fine mesh colander or strainer is needed. If using a metal mesh strainer, be careful not to press grains against the metal. Washed rice is delicate and individual grains can easily break against the metal.
Cooking Torch While not essential, a cooking torch adds an extra dimension of drama to finishing off certain sushi rolls or nigiri. Cooking torches range greatly in price and power. Like many chefs, I purchase my “cooking” torches at the local hardware store rather than specialty kitchen stores. The flames on the hardware torch are full and steady. Also, the price is quite reasonable.
Cutting Boards Having several cutting boards available makes the sushi making process easy. Designate 3 cutting boards, either wooden or plastic, or inexpensive chopping mats as sushi only. This will eliminate cross contamination from common kitchen use from ingredients such as poultry. Use one of the sushi cutting boards for cutting seafood, another for rolling sushi rolls and the other for marinating Sushi Rice. Marinating the Sushi Rice on a flat surface is a little messy but produces much better results than marinating in a standard bowl.
Fish Scaler When dealing with whole fish and even some fillets with skin left intact, it may be necessary to remove scales. A proper fish scaler is best for this job as the teeth of the scaler grab and lift away scales of all sizes at just the right angle. Alternately, have your market or fishmonger remove the scales for you.
Grater For recipes used throughout this book, a fine micro style grater is preferable to a box grater.
Knives The purchase of beautiful Japanese sushi knives is not essential to the sushi making process. A very sharp chef ’s knife with a blade of at least 10 inches (25 cm) will suffice.
To keep the blade of your knife super sharp, use the following practical and inexpensive method for sharpening: Look at the bottom of one of your coffee mugs. If it has a rough circle (often white) that feels like unfinished ceramic, then you can use it for sharpening. If it doesn’t, use the bottom of any ceramic plate or bowl with a rough, unfinished texture.
To sharpen, place the blade of your knife flat against the mug or other ceramic surface (the unfinished circle) as close to the base of the knife as possible. Glide the entire blade across the mug then flip the knife over and repeat on the other side. Do this a few times making sure that both sides are stroked the same number of times. Run your knife under water and wipe it clean to remove debris before use.
Please note that this method is not for use on carbon steel knives! Carbon steel is a high maintenance metal that requires constant attention and a whetstone for sharpening. If using carbon steel blades, refer to your knife manufacturer for sharpening details.
Lint Free Kitchen Towels Tea towels or flour sack towels make great sushi towels. Have several handy when preparing sushi. These lint free towels prevent bits of cloth fibers from finding their way onto your hands and your sushi.
Mandoline To make super thin, consistent slices of food I recommend using a mandoline.
Oyster Knife Shucking and preparing oysters on the half shell requires the use of an oyster knife. Just remember that even though it is not sharp, it can still cause damage. As with any knife, stay alert and be cautious when using it.
Paddle To marinate the Sushi Rice, you’ll want to use a plastic or wooden paddle. Most rice cookers include a plastic paddle with purchase and many packs of bamboo rolling mats include a wooden paddle. If neither of these is available, use a long handled wooden spoon. Be sure to soak any wooden utensil in water for at least 10 minutes before using to marinate Sushi Rice. Never use a metal utensil to marinate the rice.
Rice Cooker You’ll find that there is no recipe included in this book for cooking Sushi Rice stove top. Stovetop Sushi Rice is more of an intuitive feeling than an exact recipe. For best results, always use a rice cooker. It is convenient, requires only the push of a button and produces the most consistent results. Please note that rice cookers list a cup capacity. This cup capacity refers to the number of cups the rice cooker can accommodate after the rice is cooked. Never add more than ⅔ the amount of rice listed as the cooker’s full capacity.
Shredder A special plastic device made by Benriner makes excellent garnishes for sushi and sashimi. After a vegetable is placed onto the device, a crank handle is turned to cut the vegetable into thin, long shreds. You can purchase this shredder on-line or at Asian markets. Beyond sushi purposes, it provides an excellent presentation for salad vegetables and makes the coolest shoestring potatoes.
Buying, Cleaning and Cutting Fish for Sushi
Next to the proper preparation of Sushi Rice, selecting and purchasing the right seafood varieties is an essential part of the sushi making process. This doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Great seafood can be purchased from a number of sources. Eager to meet the needs of an ever-increasing number of novice sushi makers, specialty grocers often have shipments of fresh, sushi quality seafood. This can be quite convenient for beginners or those strapped for time as most of the cleaning work is done for you.
When considering which seafood items to purchase, always take into consideration the origin and method in which the seafood has been caught. Even though nearly any species in the ocean can be caught and shipped to your door via the convenience of overnight global shipping services, the spirit of the seafood used for sushi should still remain with a local conscious. Consideration should also be given to what impact this may have on the oceans. It is never in fashion to use seafood acquired through bad farming practices or at the expense of the ocean.
For most of the recipes throughout the book, it is suggested that you purchase fillets or parts of seafood versus the whole fish. When purchasing seafood, consider the following:
Smell Seafood should have a fresh, ocean smell. If you are turned off by the smell of any seafood, it is best avoided.
Taste It never hurts to ask for a sample of what you’re about to purchase. Many seafood counters will happily provide you with a sliver to test. On your tongue, fresh seafood should have a pleasant, non-grainy texture. And, of course, the flavor should be good.
Appearance The portion of a fish fillet most desired for sushi use is the thicker part from the head side. The tail-side pieces are too sinewy and offer very little for cutting. Fillets should be whole and firm. Pieces that are smashed, spilt, or look like they may have otherwise been damaged are best avoided. The color of the fish should be vibrant and the overall appearance should not be dry.
Frozen Seafood The idea of frozen
