In this- the Season of get-togethers, parties, and communal meals... I thought I'd share one of my favorite appetizer recipes. This is a quick-ish, basic (non-raw) sushi, that's easy to make, and fun to share. Jeff thought they looked fancy, but when I was a kid- this was the sushi you took to school for class parties, or had at pot-lucks, church events, and BBQ's. It was always around, always a kid-favorite, and fun- but definitely not fancy. Basically it's the potato salad of sushi.
You'll need: Bamboo rolling mat, short-grain sushi rice, package of nori, 2 cans of tuna, 1 carrot, 1 egg, sugar, salt, rice vinegar, (optional:) colored shrimp powder, sesame seeds.
1. Make a good batch of sushi rice (please don't replace this with another type of rice- it ruins the sushi).
Need a good recipe for perfect sushi rice? I like this one (scroll down on the page).
2. Shave your carrot with a vegetable peeler. The longer the peels, the better.
3. Scramble your egg and pour it into a hot non-stick pan- the goal is a very thin, crepe-like end result. It only takes about 20-30 seconds, so watch carefully. Remove from heat, let cool, and slice in strips.
4. Drain and empty your tuna into a bowl, add about 2 TBS. sugar, and 2 TBS. rice vinegar. Mix well. Set aside.
5. Place your nori rough side up on the bamboo mat, add rice evenly to the bottom 2/3 of the nori, place one strip of egg, one length of carrot, a generous line of tuna, and a teeny line of shrimp powder all the way down the center- horizontally.
6. Roll carefully, quickly, and firmly (but not too hard). It may take a few tries- but you'll get it. Then simply
SLICE + SERVE!
If you have sesame seeds, add a tiny pinch to the top of each slice, right in the center. I like to wrap extra rolls, unsliced, in wax paper and slice those as needed just before they're served. This is a great party appetizer, or snack, but they're best eaten fresh and at room temperature. ENJOY! ♥
*UPDATE: I forgot to mention this, but it's important... keep a bowl of water nearby to dip your fingers in before and after handling the rice. It's soooo sticky- the rice will help keep things neat and tidy. But make sure the water doesn't drip on your nori- things will go downhill fast. Also, at the very end of the rolling process, use your finger to lightly pat a little water just on the very end. It acts as a seal to keep your sushi roll tightly closed. :)
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