Min's Roll

With Chef Min

Sushi uses rice seasoned with sweet rice-wine vinegar. This type of sushi dish is called a “maki roll,” a sushi roll wrapped in seaweed (nori). Raw fish is the most popular ingredient in sushi, but the main element of sushi is Japanese sticky rice. There are many kinds of sushi, some of which do not include raw fish. Cooked fish, shellfish, and various other ingredients can be combined in sushi.

Ingredients

1 sheet of nori seaweed (thin)¼ cup sticky rice (rice cooked with sweet-rice vineger)
sesame seeds to taste
2 sticks of kani (crab)
1 tablespoon tobiko (flying fish roe)
1 teaspoon green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon spicy mayo (house made, see recipe below)
½ cup crunchy tempura crumbs
2 pieces of raw tuna, sliced thin
2 pieces of raw yellow tail, sliced thin
2 pieces of raw salmon, sliced thin
½ tomato, sliced (optional)

Instructions

1. Layer sheet of nori (sheet of seaweed) with sticky rice.
2. Sprinkle rice with sesame seeds.
3. Combine in a small bowl the kani (crab), tobiko (fish roe), green onion and spicy mayo. Mix well.
4. Mix in the crunchy tempura crumbs to the mixture (Note: panko crumbs can be substituted – coarse versus fine is preferred)
5. Spread mixture onto the clean side of the seaweed roll and roll into a circle. Form more cleanly using a bamboo mat.
6. Layer sliced fish longer side across over the roll, alternating pieces.
7. Cover with plastic wrap, reform using the bamboo mat.
8. Slice roll with sharp knife, starting in center and then slicing each half at center, and then each remaining piece in the center.
9. Reform with bamboo mat, remove plastic wrap, and place fish side up onto long serving dish.
10. Spread line of spicy mayo over top in zig zag fashion, doing again with teriyaki sauce. (Optional: burn top with hand torch for three to five seconds.)
11. Separate pieces and line on plate.
12. Add dab of fish roe and green onion to top of each piece.
11. Garnish with bamboo leave and sliced flower made from ½ tomato.

Serving Notes:
Garnish top of roll with spicy mayo and teriyaki sauce to taste.
Serve with soy sauce, sliced ginger and wasabi mixture (Japanese horseradish)

Spicy Mayo Recipe:
Ingredients:
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons hot chili
1 tablespoon hot sesame oil
Instructions:
1. Blend all ingredients together into a smooth paste.
Recipe courtesy of Chef Min, Lattitude 43, 2009

Sushi Chef A sushi chef is known as “Itamae-San” (expert chef). Sushi is about culinary expertise and an Itamae-San continually strives to master his/her skill while performing for the delight of the patron and serving an array of bright colors, tastes and tingling sensations. Sushi is cold rice dressed with vinegar, formed into any of various shapes, and garnished especially with bits of raw seafood or vegetables. Sushi originated in Southeast Asia in the 4th century B.C. as a method for preserving fish.