Greg and I were first introduced to sushi shortly after moving to Florida, twelve years ago. I am a little pickier than he is, but we are both huge fans.
Sushi is basically a food preparation that originated in Japan. It consists of cooked vinegared rice combined with ingredients such as raw or cooked seafood and vegetables. It is often served with pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce.
We have a couple of favorite sushi restaurants that we still visit when we are in Florida. However, since moving back to Georgia, we have not been able to find a spot that we enjoy. So, I have found an incredible, no fuss, substitute to make at home. It’s the sushi bowl. Set up a sushi bar and have your guests customize their sushi bowl exactly the way they like it.
There are endless possibilities for your sushi bar. A few of my favorites are steamed shrimp, imitation crab meat, cucumbers, carrots, and avocados. However, you can even offer grilled sirloin and raw seafood if you prefer. I urge you to follow the recommended guidelines for eating raw fish if you decide to use raw seafood products.
- 2 c. sushi rice
- 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- ½ tsp. salt
- Suggestions for toppings:
- Sliced avocado,
- Carrot stirps
- Cucumber, seeds removed and sliced into strips
- Steamed shrimp
- Sushi grade tuna
- Smoked salmon
- Chopped scallions
- Nori, thinly sliced
- Tobiko
- Pickled ginger
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Soy Sauce
- Wasabi
- Spicy Mayonnaise (recipe follows)
- To prepare rice, rinse under cold water until water runs clear. Drain.
- Cook rice according to package directions.
- Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan heat 3 tbsp. rice wine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Simmer, stirring often until sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
- When rice has finished cooking, remove the rice from the pot and into a wooden or plastic bowl, using a wooden spoon. Do not use metal and do not scrape the bottom of the pot.
- Add rice vinegar mixture to the rice right away. Mix gently with wooden spoon and set aside to allow rice to reach room temperature. Do not put rice in the refrigerator to cool of faster.
- Spoon rice into medium sized serving bowls. Add toppings of your choice and serve with chop sticks.
- 5 tbsp. mayonnaise
- 1 tsp. Siracha
- Mix together with a whisk, until smooth.
