How to make Sushi

We have started with our internal cooking classes, mainly for chefs but of course open to other interested Hosts here at Soneva Fushi. The first cooking course was Sushi, something we are very proud of as we have a Japanese Master Chef working for us in the Japanese Restaurant. Naoki has worked many years in Japan and worked as well for many Japanese Ambassadors, so he has an immense knowledge about Japanese Cuisine and of course Sushi

Today he shared his knowledge with us and I am more than happy to give it further to all of my avid readers. To explore new recipes, to chat to fellow chefs and cooks, that is what widens our horizons. Our main topic after the actual cooking was how different could we do Sushi, could we do sweet Sushi, Italian Sushi, Indian Sushi? Yes, we can do them and we all came up with some great ideas, especially for the Sweet Sushi.....but more about that later

When doing Sushi one has to follow some ground rules. The rice for example has to be a top quality rice. It has to be washed, a very important part of Sushi making.

First the rice should be rinsed twice very quickly, just to remove the dirt that sticks on the rice. Then the rice has to be washed up to 5 times, only a little water has to be in the rice. Not too much force has to be used as otherwise the rice kernels will break.

When the water is clear we go to the next step, the soaking. Sushi rice has to be soaked for about half an hour.in this time the rice will turn white which is a good sign. Then the water gets poured off again

To cook the rice one best takes a rice cooker. The same amount of water has to be used like the rice. No seasoning is required. It gets cooked till al dente, the rice needs to have a bit of a bite. The cooking takes about 38 minutes, after that leave the cooker closed for another 7 minutes before opening.

Then the rice gets mixed gently with the seasoning, everything needs to be done gently. The recipe for the seasoning is below.

Then when you make the Sushi, either Maki or Nigiri you have to be gentle again. If the rice is pressed too hard then the Sushi becomes a bit like a rubber, so it is really all about gentleness and love.....Sushi making is a great way to relax

Recipe
230 g Sushi rice
150 ml Sushi flavoring

Cook the sushi rice till soft, but a little bite left

Add the sushi flavoring (vinegar sauce) to it

Sushi Flavoring
550 ml Sushi vinegar (Cider Vinegar)
250 g Sugar
25 g Salt
30 ml Hon Mirin
30ml Nisake

Heat everything up, but do not boil