Preparing Delicious Home-Made Sushi in Your Gainesville Apartment

All you need to create delicious sushi in your apartment home are a few simple ingredients and this list of easy-to-follow steps. Although master sushi chefs may train for several years, you can make simple but tasty sushi right in your Bellamay Grand apartment by remembering these tips:

• Always start with the rice. Sushi chefs often spend years studying rice, but for this crash course, just make sure that you buy the correct variety: Japanese short grain sushi rice. If you buy the wrong type of rice, then the sushi will not achieve the desired stickiness and fall apart.

• Measure out how much you’ll need. To make 10 rolls (enough for about four people) you’ll need 2 cups of raw rice. Before you cook your rice, rinse it three to four times in a fine mesh sieve to ensure that it doesn’t become too sticky and congeal.

• Season your sushi! After cooking your rice in a rice cooker or pot for approximately 15 minutes, season it with Shari-zu, a blend of 4 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 8 teaspoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt (assuming 2 cups of rice). After mixing the Shari-zu, blend it slowly into your rice until the rice has cooled down, remembering not to mash down too hard and destroy the grains.

• Now it’s time to fill your sushi. Cut your chosen fish and vegetables into pencil-thin strips, remembering to keep the proportions controlled so that your rolls are not bursting at the seams. Lay down your rice and ingredients on a sheet of nori (seaweed), remembering to keep the rice on an even level and at exactly the width of the sheet. Place the nori (with the ingredients on it) on a sushi mat that will help facilitate the rolling process later.

• Create an even mix of warm water and rice vinegar called te-zu. Dipping your hands into this mixture will keep the rice from sticking to your hands as you roll.

• It’s time to roll the sushi! For this final step, rinse your hands with the te-zu and make sure there is about an inch of space between your ingredients and the edge of the nori. Starting from that bottom edge, pick up the sushi mat and roll it gently upward, stopping at the point where the mat would get rolled into the nori. Once the sushi is rolled, dab some water on the exposed edge to so that it seals itself, and give it one last gentle press before removing the mat. Once you get the hang of rolling your sushi, you’ll be good to go.

Now all you have to do is cut the sushi roll into several bite-sized pieces, and you’ll be all set to savor your delicious sushi with a few guests at your Gainesville apartment. Enjoy!