# Question about Sushi



## Buffwannabe

Hey guys, i have several questions about sushi:

#1)  Instead of using white rice, could i use brown rice or wild rice?  Has anyone tried using that?
#2)  I dont understand how i am suppose to purchase and store fresh raw tuna and salmon.  How long can it last in the fridge?  
#3)  When i ate tuna and salmon sushi in sushi restaraunts, the texture of the fish was very um...jello like.  It didnt really have that stinky fishy smell.  How do i get that texture and get rid of that smell?
#4)  When making sushi rice, i know you are suppose to use vinegar, but what else?  Is their a specific type of vinegar?
#5)  If anyone has any links on how to make sushi that would be great!

Thanks guys!


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## amber

There are quite a few people on here who know alot about sushi, I am not one of them, so I can only answer some of your questions.  I dont think brown or wild rice would be sticky enough to hold the sushi rolls together.  As far as purchasing your fish, it should be sushi grade, meaning extremely fresh and use it right away, I wouldnt keep it more than a day if you want it as fresh as possible.  Iron chef can probably help you alot with your questions.


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## ironchef

See below...



			
				Buffwannabe said:
			
		

> Hey guys, i have several questions about sushi:
> 
> #1) Instead of using white rice, could i use brown rice or wild rice? Has anyone tried using that? *You can, but like Amber said, it won't be as sticky. You'll have to add some sort of binder or develop the starch to use it. Brown rice will be ok because it has some level of starch but wild rice doesn't.*
> #2) I dont understand how i am suppose to purchase and store fresh raw tuna and salmon. How long can it last in the fridge? *Well, you ask the fishmonger which is the freshest he has available and you store it tightly wrapped/covered in a sub 40 degree C fridge. If handled and stored properly, it will keep for a few days. The fish should bounce back when you press down on it. As a general rule, don't buy fish that have already been portioned out into styrofoam containers and wrapped. Try to buy the unpacked fish that they will cut and weigh for you. Generally, chained supermarkets will carry the lower grades so go to a specialty seafood vendor if you have one available.*
> #3) When i ate tuna and salmon sushi in sushi restaraunts, the texture of the fish was very um...jello like. It didnt really have that stinky fishy smell. How do i get that texture and get rid of that smell? *By purchasing fresh fish, good quality fish.*
> #4) When making sushi rice, i know you are suppose to use vinegar, but what else? Is their a specific type of vinegar? *You use rice vinegar. Here's a recipe by Ming Tsai which is pretty good and easy to follow:*
> 
> http://www.foodtv.com/food/cda/recipe_print/0,1946,FOOD_9936_9941_PRINT-RECIPE-FULL-PAGE,00.html
> 
> #5) If anyone has any links on how to make sushi that would be great!
> 
> *This website is a good starting point:*
> 
> http://www.sushifaq.com/
> 
> Thanks guys!


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## BreezyCooking

Ironchef has good points, except as far as the fish is concerned.

If you plan to try & make your own sushi using raw fish, you can't just go to your local fishmarket & buy fish, unless you live in an area that regularly supplies SUSHI-QUALITY fish. It's not just a matter of freshness or how cold you maintain fish meant for sushi, but also a matter of parasites.

Fish sold as sushi quality is not only super fresh, but has been closely inspected for parasites. And in many cases, the fish is frozen at temps that will kill such parasites if they exist. Purchasing fish that is just "fresh" does NOT ensure that such fish is parasite free. This is really important when consuming raw fish.

When purchasing fish you plan to use in sushi, TELL the fishmonger that that's what you plan to do with it. They may very well discourage you from your purchase - which is a GOOD thing.

If you are really into making your own fresh raw seafood sushi, there are several on-line purveyors who guarantee the freshness of their product for raw consumption in homemade sushi. Just do a websearch for sushi ingredients. I'd purchase from them long long before I'd buy from any local purveyor here in Virginia.


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## ironchef

An excerpt from this article. Also, most places (at least on the West Coast) already get the fish inspected and/or subjected to freezing temperatures to kill any parasites remaining. This is usually taken care of prior to sale. Just ask the fishmonger if you are not sure. 

FISH PARASITES
by Paul Carnes, M.D.​ 
*FISH PARASITES THAT INFECT HUMANS *
*AND FISH CONSUMPTION RELATED ILLNESSES*​ 
...Parasitic infections are most problematic when fish and shellfish are consumed in the raw state. This is not to say that eating either as "sashimi" isn't safe. *If you do consume raw fish/shellfish make sure it's not a freshwater species.* Believe it or not parasitic infections from freshwater fish/shellfish are very problematic in some parts of the world (e.g. Southeast Asia.)​ 
There are over 50 helminthic infections from fish/shellfish (i.e. parasites that parasitizes the human gut) that can infect humans. How do we avoid becoming a "victim". Well for most the answer is just cook your fish (however other problems may still occur-see below). However for others, especially those who love sashimi (like me!) there are a couple of precautions you can take. I will discuss these a little bit later. *Luckily most parasitic infections from ocean fish are rare. Pelagic fishes, such as tuna probably have the least amount of parasitic load. This is mainly due to their wide roaming migrations. This is because tuna, who are near the top of the food chain, may consume prey that have parasites, but are not in an area long enough to ingest many prey that might have a high parasitic load. What this does is decrease the likelihood of becoming infected.*​


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## BreezyCooking

Not living on the West coast, I can't comment on how the seafood there is handled.  What I can say is that you can't count on walking up to your local seafood counter & assume that you can eat anything purchased there raw & automatically assume you won't get sick.

And to be perfectly honest, unless I had an honest "relationship" with a reliable seafood purveyor (which is fairly impossible where I live in Virginia), I still wouldn't believe what they told me about the freshness of the fish.  Unless I was purchasing what was authoritatively told me was "sushi quality" fish, I either wouldn't use it as such, or, if I knew the fish was extremely fresh but wasn't sure about possible parasites, I would freeze it for several days at zero degree temps before use.

Oh - & I would NEVER use any raw freshwater fish for sushi.  That's a given.  You're really taking your health in your hands to try it, & even diehard Japanese sushi fans will tell you that.


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## ironchef

This is a more scientific version if anyone is interested. In a nutshell, their studies have found that the parasites present in fish are no more dangerous and just as common as the parasites found in fruits and vegetables, and other every day foods:

http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/onlinepubs/g03015.pdf


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## Claire

We had a sushi party here in the midwest (where there is no such thing as fresh ocean fish), and had a blast.  Sorry, it has to be short grain white rice.  You DO NOT need raw fish.  YOU DO NEEDshort grain white rice.  You can actually make sushi with scrambled egg or boiled shrimp.  Crab and shrimp in sushi is usually cooked.  But I cannot imagine using brown or wild rice.  I haven't lived in Japan, but I did in Hawaii, and had a neighborhood sushi bar where we ate on a regular basis, and everywhere we lived we seek out sushi bars.  White short grain rice (I think here in the US calrose rice is often used).


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## Buffwannabe

*thanks everyone*

thanks everyone for all your help and advice.  all of it was extremely helpful to me.  The reason why i asked if brown rice is because i am trying to make things a bit more nutritious and having more fiber content.  Their might be sticky brown short grain rice somwhere, but i just have to see.  I didnt realize tuna would have parasites, i just have to go to my local fish speciality store and ask them about their tuna.  I am so excited about sushi.  i want to eat tuna and salmons sushi everyday but i guess u can only store it for 2 days.  i wonder how sushi restaurants store their fish :-/


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## BreezyCooking

I have read - but have no first-hand verification - that many sushi restaurants that are not within bounds of seafood purveyors who would deliver every couple of days keep their sushi fish in subzero freezers & thaw each day the amount they feel they'll use.  Since most of these restaurants also offer various cooked seafood dishes, it wouldn't surprise me if what doesn't get used for sushi one day, ends up in the next day's pot - lol!!

Also - if you do a websearch on sushi, there are a number of seafood companies that specialize in supplying sushi-quality seafood in all the varieties you'd find in a restaurant.  Most, if not all of it is in vacuum-sealed plastic pacs - whether fresh or frozen.

Once I manage to master making respectable California rolls - lol - I'll probably order some seafood from one of these sushi companies.  I just don't feel comfortable purchasing fish for raw consumption anywhere around where I live.


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## Buffwannabe

ok i got a question on sushi

when i orderd plain tuna sushi (not spicy tuna) they put like this orange mayonase looking sauce in between the sushi and rice. What is that sauce?


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## kitchenelf

This sauce is usually the spicy sauce - mayonnaise, chili garlic paste, chili oil (though I never seem to have any so I don't use it), and dark sesame oil.  Now, there are some serious hotter sauces they use - but this one can be made weak or hotter depending on how you like it.



BUT, this should have a bit of spice to it!  Maybe it was a weaker version?

Going back to your original question I have made sushi with brown rice.  While it did not stick as well it was still really good - I also made a dipping sauce using a peanut sauce and soy sauce.  It was really good.  For the vegetarians you can use grilled tempeh as your "fish".

If you need further instructions with the spicy sauce mentioned above let me know.

Or was the orange just masago?  Did the orange have a texture?  ...cruncy little grains?


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## Buffwannabe

No it just kinda tasted like mayonase, it didnt taste spicy at all.
but it tasted great.  im glad the brown rice worked out.  However since brown rice is less sticky and not as soft as white rice, if u let it sit iin water longer will it be just as soft?


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## ironchef

Usually, the only thing that would color the mayo orange and NOT be spicy would be a type of roe like KElf said. If it wasn't masago than it probably was tobiko. It could be that with all of the other textures going on you didn't detect it. Did the mayo have any tiny orange specks in it? I can't think of anything else used in a sushi restaurant that would color the mayo orange.


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## Gretchen

Another way of enjoying "sushi" is the "country style"--I'm not going to get the spelling right probably but it is chirasco. The rice and fish are put in a bowl. Can be topped with nori strips. Still delicious.


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## Buffwannabe

ok guys im gonna go search for fresh tuna and salmon and buy me a sushi kit


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## Andy M.

You'll enjoy it.  It's fun to make and easy too.

There are lots of options, you don't have to use raw fish.  You can use vegetables, crabmeat, etc.


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## Buffwannabe

i know but i want to use mostly salmon and tuna.  Ok so i was thinking...i want to make sushi every day. im trying to eat 5 meals a day of good quality protien and complex carbs.  I figured tuna/salmon and brown rice fit perfectly.
i need about 30 grams of protien each meal. soo...how many pounds of tuna and salmon should i get?


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## kitchenelf

Buffwannabe said:
			
		

> No it just kinda tasted like mayonase, it didnt taste spicy at all.
> but it tasted great.  im glad the brown rice worked out.  However since brown rice is less sticky and not as soft as white rice, if u let it sit iin water longer will it be just as soft?



The orange probably came from a roe - either masago or tobiko.  

About the brown rice - I don't think it will become stickier - just ickier   Seriously, you may need to add a bit more water, that might help.  Let it cook longer versus "sit in water longer" - unless that's what you meant.  That phrase just makes me think of soggy.  

I had to squeeze and press the dickens out of it on the nori, but it worked ok.  You have to have a VERY sharp knife so the rice won't want to fall off.

Gretchen - I have done the bowl before - I thought I was just being lazy, now I know it has a name!


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## Buffwannabe

thanks for letting me know kitchenelf. i greatly appreciate since i dont know sh*t about sushi.

what do you recommend on my previous post:
*know but i want to use mostly salmon and tuna. Ok so i was thinking...i want to make sushi every day. im trying to eat 5 meals a day of good quality protien and complex carbs. I figured tuna/salmon and brown rice fit perfectly.
i need about 30 grams of protien each meal. soo...how many pounds of tuna and salmon should i get?*


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## Seven S

Gretchen said:
			
		

> Another way of enjoying "sushi" is the "country style"--I'm not going to get the spelling right probably but it is chirasco. The rice and fish are put in a bowl. Can be topped with nori strips. Still delicious.



its "chirashi" sushi


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## Andy M.

Buffwannabe said:
			
		

> i know but i want to use mostly salmon and tuna. Ok so i was thinking...i want to make sushi every day. im trying to eat 5 meals a day of good quality protien and complex carbs. I figured tuna/salmon and brown rice fit perfectly.
> i need about 30 grams of protien each meal. soo...how many pounds of tuna and salmon should i get?


 

Three ounces of cooked brown rice has about 2 grams of protein
An ounce of raw tuna has 6.6 grams of protein
An ounce of tuna has 5.6 grams of protein

I'm not sure how much of each ingredient you use to make a sushi roll.


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## Buffwannabe

What about frozen tuna? there is an asian market that carries frozen tuna and all u have to do is just thaw it and they said it should taste close to fresh tuna


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## Andy M.

Frozen tuna will work if you can be sure of the quality.


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## jennyema

Tuna is often frozen right on the fishing boat anyway.


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## Jules402

I don't trust fresh fish I buy to be sushi quality so have used a very mild smoked salmon before when making sushi and this works pretty well. I also use omelette (very thin and chopped up into fine strips), avocado, thin long slices of cucumber and the same of carrot. Sometimes I add a bit of cream cheese with the salmon and that is quite nice too.

I make maki, california rolls and inside out rolls. Of course it's not authentic but it always comes out pretty tasty and a lot cheaper than paying £2.20 for two pieces of maki 

The hardest part for me was making the rice, well not so much hard but it takes a while and you need to mix it with the vinegar mixture and fan it. The actual rolling is very easy, just try to roll tightly and using clingfilm on the mat helps a great deal with not getting the sticky rice everywhere!


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## Nicholas Mosher

I order my sushi-grade fish and products from Catalina Offshore Products.

Living on the east-coast, I can get killer tuna up here.  When purchasing from Whole Foods market, they have their own dock and the fish is only a day or two out of the water.  I have them cut me fresh slices off the loin, and then I trim the "bloodline" out when I get home.

Unfortunately, my local supermarkets have terrible seafood with the exception of one independant non-chain place that sends a truck out to the docks 3 times a week.  The only seafood I buy from the supermarkets is frozen shrimp, dry-packed scallops, and live lobster.

If the fish smells "fishy", isn't firm and elastic to the touch, or doesn't "glow" with freshness... don't buy it.  Nevermind sushi, I won't buy fish to _fully cook_ if it doesn't meet these standards.  If the market smells "fishy" I won't buy anything there either.  Most sal****er fish meeting these conditions should be safe to eat.  It's fish that live parts of it's life in freshwater (like salmon) that you have to be extra-careful about.  Most sal****er parasites are visible to the naked eye.

Chili-mayo is one of my favorite western sushi sauces.  I can put away spicy tuna rolls like no one else...   Most bars use Masago instead of Tobikko, as it's about 1/4th the price.  Unfortunately you don't get those little pops of flavor like you do with good tobikko.  I make my own mayo for this, as the western mayos have too much vinegar for my taste when combined with the vinegar in the chili sauce.  Then I mix in some Sriracha chili/garlic sauce, toasted sesame oil, finely sliced scallion, and tobikko.  Tobikko does freeze well, and it's something I stock in my freezer along with vac-pacs of BBQ'd unagi.

Uber-fresh Hamachi is my favorite fish for sushi, but I haven't had luck with this fish even by mail-order.

Honest truth, sushi takes a lot of time and attention to make (good sushi that is, anyone can throw together a pollock california roll).  You have to plan ahead for the raw ingredients (for freshness), and there is a lot of mise en place for generating a 5-6 items like I normally order.  I usually just suck it up and dish out my $20+tip once a week to satisfy my cravings unless I'm having people over who specifically request sushi.  Then I start the process.  The exception would be tuna based dishes which is easy for me to source locally.  Chirashi "scattered" sushi is something I sometimes do every once in a while.  Bowl of good-quality properly cooked & seasoned rice, some slices of tuna, sweetened rolled omlet, pile of tobikko.  Then I sprinkle some crushed toasted nori and sesame seeds on top.

Good luck!

EDIT - I guess the forum-filter doesn't agree with s-a-l-t-w-a-t-e-r...


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## Buffwannabe

cool thanks everyone for your help and input!


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## Harborwitch

We love sushi - I'm not so wild about the nori - I guess something about living on the beach for a long time and smelling seaweed going yuck.????  But, if I put lots of wasabi or Japanese mayonnaise on it I'm cool.  We had a sushi party last spring - we did a lovely roll that was sushi rice on the inside with very thinly sliced cucumbers, halved cooked shrimp, and smoked salmon rolled on a diagonal outside the rice.  Amazing & beautiful.  Now I would add tobiko or some wasabi caviar (whitefish roe).  Yum.


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## Buffwannabe

*sushi caloric intake*

As my screename implies, im trying to get buff and muscular but my caloric intake is REALLY REALLY low (are there any nutritionists out there?!  )

Here are my stats:

Age: 25
Height: 5 feet 8 inches
Wieght: 145 pounds
Body Fat: 14%
Daily Caloric Maintenance: 2500
Current Caloric Intake: 1500

Ok So i am trying to eat clean healthy calories, that means i am trying to eat  foods with complex carbs, high fiber, high protien, high monounsaturated fats.

for 2500 calories needs to be split into 50% carbs 35% protien and 15% fat. 

carbs = 1250 calories 
protien= 875 calories 
fat = 375 calories 

i need to eat 5  meals a day. 

so for each meal i need: 

carbs: 1250/5 = 250 calories 
protien: 875/5 = 175 calories 
fat: 375/5 =  75 calores 

converting to grams = 

carbs: 250calories/4 calories per 1 gram of carb = 63 grams 
protien: 175calories/4calories per 1 gram of prot = 44 grams 
fat: 75calories/9calories per 1 gram of fat = 8 grams of fat 

I want to eat sushi every day, and I am enquiring about the *COST *and *AMOUNT* of ingrediants needed to satisfy the daily 2500 requirements.

*So How much does Tuna and Salmon cost, and how much would I need to buy to make it last for a week? ( I will do my grocery shopping every week)*

Also I will NOT use white sushi rice, I will use BROWN rice. And I will also add avacado to sushi

Here are the nutrition facts of Brown Rice, Tuna, and Salmon, and Avacado (from fitday.com)

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Assuming that 16oz = 1 pound

Salmon : Protien: 83 grams of protien + 20 grams of fat
Tuna: Protien: 105 grams of protien + 5 grams of fat
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1 cup of brown rice = 46 grams of carbs + 5 grams of protien
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1 california avacado = 13 grams of carbs + 27 grams of fat + 3 grams of protien
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I hope you guys can make sense of this lol  

Thanks for all your input


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## Nicholas Mosher

Ick... brown rice with sushi... 

You're on your own with this one!  White and Brown rice are actually the same thing.  One just has a some fiber, minerals, and a trace amount of fat.  Most of the world lives on white rice just fine.  I assume you will take a vitamin supplement on your path to he-man (takes care of minerals), there is plenty of Omega-3 fat in the fish you will eat, so just eat something else that has a decent amount of fiber.

Sushi grade tuna that has been trimmed of it's bloodline and poor bands fetches about $20/lb.  So for 1540g/wk at 105g of protein per pound, you're looking at about $300/wk for fish.  Figure in good sushi rice and all your other mise-en-place and you're probably looking at $400/wk or $1600/mo just for you.  Thats if you can get good quality fish all week.  If you need to buy overnight via dry-ice you'll probably spend $1750/mo or so.

Sushi with top-quality fish ain't cheap... thats why most people don't eat it 21 times a week (I don't think I'd wnat to anyways... there are too many wonderful things I'd miss out on!).


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## ironchef

Buff, you're going to have to increase your caloric intake per day if you want to gain muscle mass. At your current intake, assuming you're lifting say, 4-6 times a week,  you'll build muscle mass with what you have but you won't really gain a lot of additional muscle mass. But it also depends on how heavy you want to be. What's your goal in terms of weight because in order to MAINTAIN your weight, you basically need to burn more calories than you intake. Most people burn way more that 1500 calories per day (hence to 2000-2500 recommended daily intake) so while you may gain a few pounds as your body fat % decreases, you won't gain substantial weight from muscle either.


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## Andy M.

You neeed to go to a gym and talk to an expert on weightlifting and the nutritional requirements that best support yout goals.


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## Nicholas Mosher

Yeah, I'd agree.


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## Buffwannabe

I already have done that, and i know that the advice i have gotten from everyone is: EAT EAT EAT EAT EAT EAT EAT EAT! 

Ok fine i have to eat, but i want to eat CLEAN.  Thats why i am choosing sushi, but according to Nicholas it is VERY expensive. $300 a week? no thanks, thats how much i pay for my car every month.  Man to get good clean food you sure have to pay a lot, but for crap foods its right at ur fingertip at an affordable price.  Sucks. : - (


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## GB

Please explain what you mean by clean food? There are plenty of healthy options that are not expensive.


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## kitchenelf

You shouldn't eat any ONE thing ALL the time!  While sushi is "clean" you still need other things.  You need a balance of some fruits and vegetables.  

Blueberries
Almonds
darker greens and vegetables
FIBER!

I don't think sushi would be $300 per week or anywhere close - if you ate out yes, it would be much more expensive, but not to make at home.

Have you looked into any of Mediterranean/Sonoma diets?  I'm just saying for the recipes and variety.  You'll get some suggestions/guidelines if you don't like exactly what you see.

Have you looked into the foods/recipes from Bill Phillips?  Body For Life has some great recipes - the recipe book is definatley worth the money.  Not EVERYTHING is wonderful but most of it is.  I'll point you to the ones that are if you decide to get it.  Here is the page showing the different topics for recipes.

I have a stovetop smoker.  That will give you variety in flavors.  You can smoke a chicken breast, tuna, salmon, veggies.  Any and all of these can then be made into another meal by making them into a wrap using a whole wheat tortilla and a low fat spread.  

Yes, healthy eating is more expensive.  There's no getting around that.  But seriously, you need variety and I don't think it would be good to eat nothing but raw fish ALL the time!  There are good carbs out there too.  

I understand your thought process but it would get old VERY fast with no variety.  Go to a chain bookstore and sit and look at several books.  Bill Phillips, even Phil McGraw's cookbook is good, Sonoma Diet, Mediterranean Diet, just hit the healthy eating cookbook area.  

Let me know what you think.

There's all sorts of "clean" recipes out there - I have some great ones.  PM me if you want them.


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## kitchenelf

GB said:
			
		

> Please explain what you mean by clean food? There are plenty of healthy options that are not expensive.



I think he just means healthy, good for you, not bad for you, low fat, good mix of protein/carbs - I have a friend that uses that word all the time so I have an idea what he means.


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## Nicholas Mosher

When you go to the grocery store just stick to the outside "wall" aisles.  Fresh fruits/vegetables, fresh fish, fresh meat, fresh dairy, good bakery breads, and then grab a pack of gum instead of candy at the check out.  The only venturing I do "into" the store is for some shredded wheat, pasta, and the occassional bag of Kettle Chips.  Perishable items are stocked as close to the outside as they can get so that they are easy to replace.  Perishable usually means good for you.  Anything with a half-life rather than an expiration date probably isn't the best for the digestive track...  

To be honest, I'm actually amazed at all the processed foods supposed "health-nuts" eat.  I especially get a kick out of the pretend tofu-meats that are loaded with junk.  But it's not meat! 

Or "Organic" boxed Mac & Cheese...


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## kitchenelf

Nicholas Mosher said:
			
		

> Or "Organic" boxed Mac & Cheese...









Don't burst my bubble!!!!! 

And that's a real picture of me - I've been eating that organic mac and cheese every day for 3 years!


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## Buffwannabe

Yes I know I have to eat a variety.  I also bought whole grain pasta, and i drink jamba juice everymorning (the drink contains tons of blueberries) but the point is that i have TO STOP EATING OUT, and learn how to make food for myself. Thats why im trying to estimate the cost of how I should eat sushi, and other things.  I have to spend around $20-40 for the INITIAL shushi equipment, then i have to spend another $20-50 on the ingrediants that wont last very long.  Part of getting more muscular is to PLAN or have a blue print of what your going to eat, when your going to eat, and how much u are going to spend on it thats why i am asking detailed questions


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## Seven S

Nicholas Mosher said:
			
		

> I especially get a kick out of the pretend tofu-meats that are loaded with junk.  But it's not meat!



the best is the tofu "hot dogs"!!  do they have tofu "spam" yet??


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## Seven S

Buffwannabe said:
			
		

> Yes I know I have to eat a variety.  I also bought whole grain pasta, and i drink jamba juice everymorning (the drink contains tons of blueberries) but the point is that i have TO STOP EATING OUT, and learn how to make food for myself. Thats why im trying to estimate the cost of how I should eat sushi, and other things.  I have to spend around $20-40 for the INITIAL shushi equipment, then i have to spend another $20-50 on the ingrediants that wont last very long.  Part of getting more muscular is to PLAN or have a blue print of what your going to eat, when your going to eat, and how much u are going to spend on it thats why i am asking detailed questions



your most expensive items will be your "proteins" - find non-meat inexpensive protein sources like legumes (blackbeans, chickpeas) to complement your meat proteins

also found this while reading another post:

"Eggs are one of today's best food buys. A dozen Large eggs weighs 1 ½ pounds so at 90¢ a dozen, eggs are only 60¢ per pound. Eggs supply high-quality protein and a variety of important vitamins and minerals at a very low price." (http://aeb.org/LearnMore/Faqs.htm#faq4)


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## Nicholas Mosher

Kitchenelf - Sorry.    If it makes you feel any better, I have an addiction to Hot Tamale Candies from Just Born...  
-----
Seven S - Yup, tofu dogs.  Or how about tofurkey?  

Have you ever heard Lewis Black's skit about Soy?  He starts yelling about Soy Milk, and how theres no such thing because Soy Beans don't have breasts.  He says it's "Soy Juice", but no one would ever buy anything labeled "Soy Juice"! 
-----
Good fish is expensive.  Not only that, but the yield is nowhere near 100% after it's trimmed & blocked.  Eat lots of tofu which will bring the costs down, and then just have fish once a day.  For breakfast/lunch you could have a good n'hearty miso soup chocked with tofu.  I'd get kinda bored with it after about a week though.


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## Buffwannabe

Is salmon as expensive as tuna? and for sushi do i need to buy smoked salmon or raw fresh salmon. i dont know the difference.


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## kitchenelf

Fresh tuna usually, around here, runs about $7.99 a pound (this is the sashimi grade) and the salmon runs $10.99 per pound to $13.99 per pound depending on farm-raised versus wild.  The wild salmon does have a distinct, for lack of a better term but it still fits the bill, gamey taste but still good.  I prefer farm-raised.

I like smoked salmon for bagels and cream cheese but not in my sushi, though plenty of people do like it.  I have to have that raw taste to be satisfied.  The smoked salmon is cured so technically it is cooked.

The best way for you to check prices is the same way I just did.  Find a grocery store online that lets you shop then check prices.  I don't know where you live so I can't help with a grocery store suggestion.

Every now and then sashimi grade salmon will be on sale for $2.99 per pound.  I still don't buy a lot of it and freeze though as the texture does change.  I have, however, asked if they had any still frozen and have bought that way, versus re-freezing.


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## mudbug

Actually, Sush is a really nice guy, and you shouldn't worry about that Deadly in front of his name. I think he is really a *****cat in nature and just needs to find the right redhead to get him purring.


----------



## kitchenelf

mudbug said:
			
		

> Actually, Sush is a really nice guy, and you shouldn't worry about that Deadly in front of his name. I think he is really a *****cat in nature and just needs to find the right redhead to get him purring.



lol - now we're really going to confuse Buff!!!!!!


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## Buffwannabe

I bought the book "sushi for wimps"  its a good book. lots of photos and illustrations.  I still have yet to buy fresh tuna or salmon! lol
Gonna keep lookin for a fresh sea food market near my area

(any recommendations? i live in dupage county, illinois)

Also how the **** can you see the actual parasites in salmon?


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## Nicholas Mosher

Most fresh-water parasites are microscopic.  Raw freshwater fish is typically frozen to kill them before serving at most sushi bars.

Most sal****er parasites are big, such as worms that burrow through the meat that are an inch long or more.  Usually the fish monger picks 'em out before putting them on ice in the case.  Every once in a while you'll find one though.

Remember to buy fresh cuts of fish - not the pre sliced stuff.
-----
Kitchenelf - Interesting on the fish prices.  My local supermarket has fresh yellowfin for around $10/lb, but it hasn't been trimmed/blocked and it's no where near fresh enough for my tastes.  I have a Whole Foods market that I normally get my fish from where it's only a day or two out of the water at most, $13-$14/lb - but it's still just cross-cut loin quarters.  So once I trim and block it I figure the actual piece used for sushi runs me around $18/lb.


----------



## Seven S

Nicholas Mosher said:
			
		

> sal****er parasites are big



Nick, are you cursing again??


----------



## kitchenelf

Buffwannabe said:
			
		

> I bought the book "sushi for wimps"  its a good book. lots of photos and illustrations.  I still have yet to buy fresh tuna or salmon! lol
> Gonna keep lookin for a fresh sea food market near my area
> 
> (any recommendations? i live in dupage county, illinois)
> 
> Also how the **** can you see the actual parasites in salmon?



Buff, now you want us to pick a place for you to shop?????   

Just ask the guy at the fish counter has the salmon or tuna ever been frozen.  He's going to say yes.  You are home free at that point.  Buy some, make your sushi, keep track of what you spent and how much it made.  

Now, if you ask us to feed you.................................... 

Nicholas - the sashimi grade tuna comes in these perfect chunks ready to use - so I guess really $7.99 isn't that bad, huh?


----------



## Nicholas Mosher

Man, I live in the Northeast where Tuna/Swordfish/Cod/Haddock fishing is pretty big, and I can't get fresh sushi-grade tuna that cheap ever!

They sell pre-frozen blocks of trimmed "sushi-grade" yellowfin for $6/lb or so, but I'd rather just eat rice than that junk! 

The only seafood I'll eat that was pre-frozen is shrimp.  Unbelieveably I was served "flash-frozen" hamachi at a local sushi bar.  When I'm paying $12 for six 1oz pieces of nigiri I expect uber-fresh.  If I want fish-stick grade, well, I wouldn't, but if I did - I'd get a McFish Sandwich!  I am not a picky person when I go out to eat, but I expect to be given fresh food - especially at a Sushi Bar!  I complained to the sushi chef who replaced it with a few pieces of toro - but they didn't knock anything off my bill.  So I scratched that place off my list.

Today I ate at the other sushi-bar near-by, which used to take 2nd seat - but has really kicked up their quality.  Unbelieveable fish there, and the best rice around.  I usually spend $20-$25/wk, so they give me a few free items too which is great.  Today he gave me five thin slices of _real_ toothfish sashimi free of charge!  Very clean, excellent texture, and interesting mild flavor.  I wouldn't pay what big New York Sushi Bars get for this, but it was a new food for me!

I still love good quality Hamachi... it's my fav.


----------



## Seven S

Nicholas Mosher said:
			
		

> Today he gave me five thin slices of _real_ toothfish sashimi free of charge!  Very clean, excellent texture, and interesting mild flavor.  I wouldn't pay what big New York Sushi Bars get for this, but it was a new food for me!



Pardon my ignorance, but what exactly is "toothfish"?  Is it "Patagonian Toothfish" otherwise known as "Chilean Sea Bass"?


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## Nicholas Mosher

Yeah, but not the fake stuff.  It's caught in the uber-cold & deep waters around Antarctica (not always off the coast of Chile).  That small plate of sashimi probably would go for $75 in a city.  The chef told me it was "From Him". Eating there once or twice a week at $20-$25/pop, I probably spend close to a couple grand a year, so every once in a while he surprises me with stuff like this that isn't on the menu.

To be honest it wasn't earth-shattering, but it was good.  I always enjoy new things (well, usually I do... ).


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## GB

I am always looking for great sushi restaurants in MA. Which one (if you don't mind me asking) do you frequent most Nicholas Mosher?


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## Nicholas Mosher

I live at the northern tip of the Quabbin Resivoir in central Massachusetts in "The Lost Towns" (Athol).  However, I grew up 1/2hr west in Greenfield where I91 intersects Rte2.  Greenfield has two sushi bars (both integrated into hybrid chinese/japanese places).  "The China Gourmet" is the place that has really gone downhill.  "The New Fortune" has the sushi bar I've been going to for awhile now.  Excellent fresh fish there.  They don't always have items like Uni or Abalone, but what they do have is good, and they make great rice with a Hangari and Fan - not just a rice maker with everything dumped in for an easy one step but flawed process.  

20min south of Greenfield off I91 is Northampton which has some absolutely fantastic places for grub.  Cha Cha Cha's is the casual place I was talking about in another thread which features Mexican/Indian/Middle Eastern fusion cuisine.  Nothing fancy, kinda cafeteria style where you grab utensils from buckets, but the food is all $5 or $6 a plate, healthy portions, and _good!_  I like the Tandoori Chicken Salad and Fish Tacos with a side of Fresh Tortilla Chips and a few types of so-cal salsas using tropical fruits and Indian spices.  It's an earthy-crunchy college town loaded with great food, theaters, music, and parks.  I'd live there if my job wasn't up here in north-central mass and rent wasn't so cheap here in the Lost Towns.  You can get pretty much any type of food you want.  Only thing they're missing is some African cuisines (especially Ethiopian).  It's really depressing we don't have any out here (that I know of that is).  Boston has "The Red Sea", but thats about it that I know of.

One nice thing about having my Pilot's License is that I can pack a few people into a 172 and fly places to try out restaurants.  I'm hoping to get out to Albany and up to Montreal a few times later this year.  Nothing like bringing back blueberries from Maine either!


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## GB

Ah Northampton, I know it well. I spent many a drunken night there in my college days. I know Athol too, but don't think I have ever spent any time there. I always get a good chuckle out of the name though. If/when I am in those areas I will certainly check out The New Fortune. Sounds like a cool place!


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## Nicholas Mosher

Northampton is a great town (but the rent and taxes are up in the stratosphere there).  I have to drive west about 15min to get to work, so I might move 1/2hr west back to Greenfield later this year.  I'm heading back to school this spring to work on a business degree, and eventually I'll end up back at UMass after a year or so at a college in Greenfield.  I figure I'll have the same drive to work (just 15min east instead of 15min west), and it will also place me about 20min from Amherst/Northampton.

Greenfield is actually coming along quite well - I'm suprised.  They even have a couple Thai places now along with the usual pizza/chinese shops.  Being right on Rte2/I91, you can quickly get to the Green Mountains in Vermont, Brattleboro, and west out to the Berkshires.  Right now I kinda live 30-45min from anything that is remotely entertaining (which stinks).

Where did you go to school, UMass? Amherst College?


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## GB

I went to school at Franklin Pierce College in NH, but 100 out of 320 kids in my highschool ended up at UMass. My brother, wife,  and lots of other friends were there too. I think I spend more time at UMass than my own school actually.

I now live in North Grafton (about 15 minutes east of Worcester), but I do get out to the Western part of the state every once in a while still.


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## Nicholas Mosher

I know a few people who went to Franklin Pierce.

I went to UMass for a couple years for Mechanical Engineering, but got impatient and accepted a job at the company I was working for part-time (to pay for my tuition/books).  I'll be a grandpa starting back as a sophomore/junior at 24... 

I haven't hit the Worcester restaurant scene much.  Is there anything you would recommened?  It's about a 45min-1hr drive from where I live (depending on traffic), but I plan on making a few flights there this upcoming year (only 10min or so by air) and would love to try some of your local favorites!


----------



## GB

We actually do not get into Worcester for dinner all that much as we are usually in the Framingham/Natick area for dinner more often than not, but there are a couple of places I can think of off the top of my head that we really enjoy.

The first is a Middle Eastern restaurant called El Basha. They have two locations, both in Worcester. The food is fantastic. We have never had a bad experience there.

The other is The Sole Proprietor. We have only been there once, but had an amazing time. We celebrated this past Valentines day there, although we celebrated a week after everyone else. The place gets very busy and the qait can be quite a while, but the bar is great so we had a few interesting drinks and did not mind the wait one bit. The food was outstanding as was the service. I keep saying I need to get back there and get some oysters for lunch one of these days, but so far I have not been back.


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## Nicholas Mosher

El Basha looks good.  Lamb Ka-Bobs sound awful good right now...


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## Buffwannabe

I finally found a local fisherman in my area. He says he gets yellow fin tuna every friday fresh sushi grade. He is aware about the parasites, but he has been a fisherman for about 25 years and knows what the parasites look like. He only cuts the good parts of the tuna and salmon. He also recommended that after i purchase the tuna and salmon, that i put in the freezer (or the fridge?! i forget) for about 30 min. That further kills the bacteria. He is a really nice guy. The tuna is a bit expensive $21 a pound, but the salmon is about $14 a pound. However its not wild salmon, its some native alaskan salmon, i forgot which one. There is also this other fish place,..its called supreme lobster. I saw fresh tuna and salmon there. I asked him how fresh the tuna was, and he said it was pretty fresh. The tuna looked ok, but i am a bit hesitant purchasing over there. I dont get how when i see sushi chefs cut tuna, their tuna chunks/slices are so perfect in appearence and clean looking.

Here is the info of the places i mentioned:

The first place:
MCCOWANS SEAFOOD MARKET (the fisherman who told me to put tuna/salmon in freezer for 20-30min)
462 Park Boulevard
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
630-469-0776

The second place (with the ok looking tuna)
SUPREME LOBSTER
220 E North Ave
Villa Park, IL 60181
630-834-3474
www.supremelobster.com

Anyone in the illinois area?


----------



## Nicholas Mosher

I'd ask him to define "pretty fresh". 

Remember to smell the fish.  If it smells like "Fish" don't buy it.  If it smells like a crisp cool ocean-breeze it's usually good quality.  If it's packed in a foam tray and covered with plastic wrap skip it.  I always ask for a fresh cut off the loin.  If they are unwilling or don't have a whole loin to begin with I go somplace else.

Cooking takes practice, especially so called "simple" cooking like most of the Japanese cuisine.  The less ingredients there are, the more important ingredient freshness and technique become.  I must have spent three months and gone through 50lbs of rice 4 or 5 years ago trying to make a good batch of sushi.

I also stand corrected.  There _is_ a good use for pre-frozen tuna... new cooks to Japanese cuisine!  Eat rice for a week and use the money you save to buy a crapload of nasty frozen tuna loin.  Get a good book (or look up techniques on the net) and practice your slicing skills!  Be sure to feed the cats and dogs in your neighborhood with the nasty fish.


----------



## Buffwannabe

I did buy a book called "sushi for wimps"


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## Nicholas Mosher

Here are my three Japanese cuisine bibles...

1.  Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art by Shizuo Tsuji
_The foundations.  Read it cover to cover!_

2.  Sushi: Taste and Technique by Kimiko Barber & Hiroki Takemura
_Sushi foundations with amazing photography._

3.  D.K.'s Sushi Chronicles from Hawaii by Dave Kodama
_Contemporary East/West Japanese Cuisine._

I still have to really work at properly fileting a whole large fish.  I order whole Haddock quite often for stock and filets (I use the heads and spine for stock).  It's dirt cheap ($3-$4/lb or so) and provides excellent practice.

Good Luck!


----------



## Nicholas Mosher

The big thing with Japanese food is ingredient quality.  Eat fresh whenever possible, or preserved via salt when not.  Once you develop some skills and don't limit yourself just to "Tuna or Salmon" it's incredibly easy to eat fresh every day.  Whenever I cook I almost always look for whats on sale and is fresh, and then plan my menu around that (as opposed to coming up with what I want to eat at home, and then paying an arm and a leg at the market).  I start with the grocer's flyer in my Friday paper.  It has sale items for the upcoming week.  My local market is on the way home from work, so I usually stop everyday and get fresh vegetables and meats.  This is a common practice for food-lovers of almost every cuisine on earth.  Once you get in the habit it actually takes no more time than spending a couple hours at the grocery store getting massive carts of food, hours repackaging/freezing stuff, thawing, etc.  Just eat whats fresh and on sale - usually seasonal items that the store gets too much of at dirt cheap prices.

For example, this week whole chickens were on sale for $0.59/lb.  I bought five 4lb birds for less than $12.  This week I'm trying out a bunch of chicken recipes and making some brown chicken stock.  You get the idea.


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## Seven S

Nicholas Mosher said:
			
		

> 2.  Sushi: Taste and Technique by Kimiko Barber & Hiroki Takemura



excellent book and a great value!!!  pictures are beautiful too.


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## Buffwannabe

So after u buy the salmon and tuna, you are suppose to WASH it right? with water?


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## jennyema

My mother is from Villa Park.

Just remember that your "local fisherman" is not catching these fish.  Tuna and Salmon don't swim in Lake Michigan so they will by definition either be days old (many days from boat to Villa Park) or previously frozen.

If they say "pretty fresh," RUN.  

Like NM says -- ALWAYS, ALWAYS smell the fish.  If you are going to eat it raw it should not smell the least bit "fishy."


----------



## Katie H

Like NM says -- ALWAYS, ALWAYS smell the fish. If you are going to eat it raw it should not smell the least bit "fishy."[/quote]


Actually, whether you are going to eat the fish raw or cook it, fish should _never_ smell "fishy."  If it does, it's on its way out.


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## Buffwannabe

OK i tried it with short grain brown rice and it totally sucked.
Also, how much of the sushi vinegar are u suppose to add to the rice?
And after you boil the rice, then u soak it in water to make it sticky and then u add the vinegar?


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## GB

I am not sure it would ever work with brown rice. When using white sushi rice you do not ever soak it. You rinse it first before cooking, to wash off some of the starch and then you cook it. No soaking, and especially not after cooking.


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## Nicholas Mosher

Good sushi rice is the most difficult thing to make.  It really does take practice to even approach what a good sushi bar dishes out.  Perfectly cooked throughout, just enough stickiness to stay together, perfect sugar and vinegar seasoning, a slightly chewy texture.  

Get good sushi rice.  Common American types would be californian calrose.

The rice must be washed to remove the powder which is usually a mixture of ground rice, grinding compound, and minerals if it's "enriched".  Usually requires 6-8 rinsings in my kitchen (takes about 15min).

Get a rice cooker.  Walmart has them with nonstick bowls for about $15.  That will save you a lot of grief when first starting out.  Otherwise you have to be careful not to stir and guess when all the water has been evaporated/absorbed along with heat settings and rest periods.

Different amounts of rice require different levels of water do to surface area and evaporation within the cooker.  The age of the rice also plays a role.  Old rice is drier, and requires more liquid.  It will take some experimentation to figure out the perfect ratio.

I let the rice sit in the pot/cooker with the water for 1/2hr.  This allows the rice a chance to "open up" or "flower".  It prevents the common hard center mushy exterior rice problem and reduces the amount of required water down to almost 1:1.  After cooking, I let the rice rest in the pot for 5-10min off the heat just to help reduce the temperature a bit which stabilizes the rice somewhat.

Next, it's tossed in a wooden bowl/tub with the vinegar/sugar mixture.  Be sure that it's unfinished wood, as you want to absorb any excess moisture.  This helps with that perfect texture.  Most sushi bars skip this step because it requires cleaning the Hangari every batch of rice.  You know a good sushi bar when you see the chef (or his helper) using a hangari with a table fan set up to cool the rice.  Good rice looks like glossy pearls, but the gloss is not moisture - it's a smooth exterior that has dried slightly.

I sometimes just make a few balls of this sushi and eat it plain with some miso soup and pickles.

For you, I'd recommend the following.

1. Ditch the brown rice idea.
2. Get a rice cooker.
3. Practice, practice, practice, practice, practice...


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## Gretchen

Here is an interesting take on sushi that might help with speed and ease.

*Sushi Pizza
 *

*1 cup sushi rice *
*1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar *
*2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted *
*Half avocado, thinly sliced *
*Half sheet roasted nori (pressed seaweed) *
*3/4 cup flaked imitation crabmeat (surimi) or thinly sliced smoked salmon *
*1/2 cup very thinly sliced English cucumber *
*2 tablespoon pickled ginger *
*2 tablespoons light mayonnaise *
*2 tablespoons milk *
*1 tablespoon wasabi powder *

*In saucepan, combine rice and 1 1/4 cups (300 mL) water; bring to boil. Cover and reduce heat to low; cook for 25 minutes or until rice is tender. With fork, stir in rice vinegar and sesame seeds. 

**Meanwhile, line 8-inch ( 1.2L ) round or 8-inch square cake pan with plastic wrap. With spatula, press rice firmly and evenly into pan. Let cool completely. Turn out onto flat serving plate. 

**Top with layer of avocado slices. Using scissors, cut nori into thin strips; sprinkle over avocado. 

**Arrange crabmeat, cucumber and ginger over top. 

**Stir together mayonnaise, milk and wasabi powder; drizzle over top. *

*Cut into wedges to serve. 

*


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## kitchenelf

Sushi rice is no different than any other rice to make - you just follow the directions.

For the vinegar/sugar mixture - For 2 cups of raw rice, use 1/4 cup of rice vinegar, 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar and about a teaspoon of salt. Heat gently, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt.  Set aside until rice is done.

Cook rice according to directions on the package - when done turn out into a large wooden or porcelain bowl (just not aluminum) and sprinkle the mixture over the rice, fold in the mixture and fan the rice to cool at the same time.  The best is a flatter, larger type container so you don't squish the rice, fold gently with a wooden rice paddle.

Gretchen - have you ever made Martha Stewart's Sushi Cake?  Dang it's good!  It's nice for parties because people can try it and everything is cooked.  Makes a nice presentation.  PM me if you want the recipe.


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## Gretchen

Yes, I want the recipe!!!! Can you post it here for everyone--I'm sure many would enjoy it.


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## kitchenelf

I sent it via PM - I don't want Martha after me!  If anyone else wants it just PM me.


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## Buffwannabe

Ok, i got a sushi kit from borders books and music with a dvd. it helped me out tremendously, in some of the techniques in making hoso-maki (thin sushi rolls). I have yet to find sushi rice. Im suprisded that it was not available in the asian super market that i went to. But I did purchase the nori sheets, and i found vinegar specifically for sushi. I also bought wasabi paste. They have pre-cut fresh salmon available also. 

I got all those ingrediants, and i Just cooked some plain white rice ( I didnt care if it was not suhi rice)

Tasted the salmon raw (i couldnt beleive i was eating it raw ! lol)
Boiled the rice, let it cool down. Added the vinegar mixture.

Then I clumped some rice together, added a lil bit of wasabi paste, and put a strip of salmon on top and **** did it taste good! 

If i were to grade myself on sushi technique and ingrediants, this is what I would give myself:

Ingrediants: D
Technique: D-

Here is whats holding me back....
-Didnt buy sushi rice.
-I just boiled the rice, didnt care about boiling technique
-Didnt buy the rice cooker from walmart yet
-I have dull knives. I noticed that cutting technique is critical.
-Didnt buy kombu yet for adding to sushi

Here is what I need to do:
-Buy sushi rice
-Buy Rice cooker
-Buy kombu
-Buy sushi chef knives

Keep in mind that the reason why its so difficuilt for me to just go out their and buy the ingrediants, is because i am a full time grad student with limited income. So i buy a little bit at a time, and just experiment a little (making mistakes is part of the process)

Once i buy the things i need to do, i will keep u updated on how it went. However i am EXTREMELY dissapointed how brown rice just tasted awful. I will try cooking short grain brown rice in the rice cooker to see if it will come out better. Do i need to wash the brown rice in the same way I need to wash the white rice?

-I will also add other ingrediants such as avacados, japonese mayonase, cucumbers, and ikarua (fish roe)

-Oh and also, when i had the tuna roll from my previous post, the orange substance was indeed some sort of mayonase spicy sauce NOT some sort of roe.
Does anyone have the recipe on how to make that?


----------



## boufa06

Buffwannabe, do not despair.  Making sushi is not all that difficult if you have the required ingredients.  However, if you do not have a rice cooker, you could easily boil rice in a non-stick saucepan with equally good results.  The same for the bamboo mat which helps you to roll the sushi into a tight long cyclinder.  If you do not have it, you could use a piece of grease-proof paper longer than the nori (seaweed) sheet to guide you in rolling.

I have not experimented on short grain brown rice in my sushi making but I think that if you are to make good and proper sushi, you should get Nihishi (sp?) or Calrose short grain rice or any type of short grain rice as brown rice is not sticky enough for you to make into a roll.

To help you get started, here is my recipe for making sushi rolls:

1 cup (220gm) short-grained white rice
2 cups (500ml) water
2 tbsps rice vinegar
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tsp salt

Wash rice briefly and boil with water in a saucepan.  When ready, remove from stove and mix all ingredients thoroughly together.  Proceed with rolling when rice is still warm.

Note:  This quantity is good for 3-4 Nori (dried seaweed) sheets.  You could also roll them into conical shape.  Easy toppings include pickled ginger, picked baby cucumbers, canned tuna, smoked salmon, cheaper grade caviar, cooked octopus, shrimp & calamari.

Good luck!


----------



## kitchenelf

Since you are on a budget just keep one of your knives sharp.  Wipe it off with every couple slices of sushi.

The Asian market should have had some sort of short-grain rice.  Even at your grocery store there is not a box of sushi rice in the ethnic section?  It is both in the ethnic section AND with the other rices.  Sometimes it's in a bag, clear square container, or smaller box like a cereal box.  In the Asian Market it should just be listed as short grain rice or they may call it sticky rice.

Chives, cucumber, avocado are all good in the rolls along with thin strips of cream cheese (low fat is fine for this too).  One of my favorite rolls to make at home is salmon, a bit of cream cheese, chives, and fresh cilantro.

You do not rinse brown rice before cooking.


----------



## GB

Here are some places you can buy sushi rice online, but like Kitchenelf said, just look for short grain rice in your supermarket.

There is no need to buy a special knife and a rice cooker if you are on a budget. Just keep your knife sharp and make the rice according to the package instructions. Do not forget, rice has been made for thousands of years before rice makers or electricity even.


----------



## Nicholas Mosher

I use my regular 'ole 8" western Chef Knife for everything.  Just wet it with a  damp towel when slicing rolls.

The rice cooker makes things really easy and is fairly inexpensive (mine was $15 at walmart).  You can certainly cook on the stove top in a $5 pot, but if you plan to eat rice everyday as you say, I think the $15 rice maker is a worthwhile investment.  Mine is a Black & Decker with a non-stick bowl.  Every sushi-bar I've been to uses one as well.

Most often, I find that the one thing tripping people up from amazing sushi is their rice or their technique.  Afterall, sushi (zushi) means "vinegared rice".  I often eat just balls of sushi followed by some miso soup and pickles.  It's the little things that count.  Just trying to encourage you and remind you not to get frustrated if after 1/2 a dozen attempts you haven't "nailed" it.  Took me about 1/2 a hundred tries before I got it down.  Rice quality/age & technique are important.  Traditionally, Japanese sushi-chef apprentices spend _years_ learning to cook rice.  The Japanese cuisine is fairly simple, but attention to detail is paramount due to that simplicity which amplifies any mistakes.  It's not like say a pot of long grain river rice that you are going to smother with etouffee, or a gloppy bowl of mashed potatoes that can be hidden beneath rich gravy and hunks of meat and veggies.  The rice _is_ the star of the show and there is no gravy to cover it up (unless you smother it in chili-mayo or something).  It's comparative to aging, preparing, and cooking a good steak.  Took me more than a few tries to get that one right too!


----------



## Nicholas Mosher

Oh, I saw you were looking for a sauce recipe.

Here is what I use...

*Spicy Sauce*

1/4-C Mayonnaise (Kewpie Brand or Homemade preferred)
2-t Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
1/2-t Toasted 100% Sesame Oil
1-T Finely sliced Scallion tops (the green portion)
1-T Tobikko or Masago Fish Roe

Mix everything in a dish and let it set for a while for the flavors to blend.  You can play with all the ratios, but be careful about the sesame oil - it's _very_ strong.  Some recipes say use Miracle whip and Tabasco... try it and tell me how it tastes... 

I like to include the scallions beforehand and allow them to perfume the mayo.  Most sushi bars use the less expensive masago (about 1/4 the price of good tobikko).  For this sauce I'd say it's more than acceptable.

Simply mix some diced tuna scraps (excluding bloodline trimmings) with a little of the sauce (I also add some more tobikko/masago).  Try some greens like pea shoots layered with the tuna mix.  Cucumber is a bit "wet" for me in this roll.  Avocado is good, but kinda overpowered by the sauce and doesn't offer much texture like the pea shoots.  Make sure the nori is thoroughly crisp, and that your rice is 1st class.

Not a traditional Japanese preparation, but certainly one of my favorite western fusion recipes!  It also makes a great dressing for cucumber strips and bits of leftovers like crab/octopus/tuna/etc sprinkled with sesame seeds and crushed nori bits over a disc of good rice served as chirashi.  It's pretty much my standard use of trimmings from yellowfin blocks trimmed for nigiri/sashimi.  When I buy a block of yellowfin loin, I'll trim it up into steaks, pepper-coat them, and sear them quickly.  Then I cut the blocks into thin strips over a nice green salad witha balsamic vinaigrette.  The next day I'll have spicy chirashi with the scraps.


----------



## Nicholas Mosher

Here's a pair of Unagi Nigiri I made for my younger sister the last time she stopped by (she loves it).







The best sushi chefs can form the nigiri rice balls in their palm so almost all the grains are parallel to one another.  As you can see, I'm not of that ilk...

I usually just eat pieces of unagi over a bowl of sushi with a bit of sauce, but many people like it in nigiri form.  It is good, but I'm lazy so I just put it in a bowl when it's just me eating.


----------



## Buffwannabe

Nicholas that looks awesome! 

Ok i got the rice cooker from walmart which costed me$15
Now i got a question about cooking sushi rice. 
I got the short grain white rice, and i put the appropiate amounts of water, but after its done, it becomes INCREDIBLEY MUSHI.
Sushi rice is suppose to be soft, but NOT super soft.  The rice also appears over inflated with water.  What am i doing wrong?  Does that appearance go away if i put it in the fridge?


----------



## Nicholas Mosher

Check out some of my previous posts.  You need to rinse/soak/cook/cool properly.  I listed some tips in a few of my previous posts.

It's going to take a bit of practice and trial/error as well, but the rice cooker will remove some of the variables and make things a little easier.

Practice, Practice, Practice! 

Also, make sure your rice is a short grain sushi rice (like calrose) and not a short grain rice you would use for risotto like arborio.

Good luck, and have a great Thanksgiving.


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## ironchef

Buffwannabe said:
			
		

> Nicholas that looks awesome!
> 
> Ok i got the rice cooker from walmart which costed me$15
> Now i got a question about cooking sushi rice.
> I got the short grain white rice, and i put the appropiate amounts of water, but after its done, it becomes INCREDIBLEY MUSHI.
> Sushi rice is suppose to be soft, but NOT super soft. The rice also appears over inflated with water. What am i doing wrong? Does that appearance go away if i put it in the fridge?


 
You need to add less water. Also, the rice cooker you have probably sucks. I have one of those digital Panasonic rice cookers at home and yes, it does make a HUGE difference in the quality of the rice when compared to one of the cheaper brands.


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## Nicholas Mosher

I'd disagree that the cheaper rice cookers "suck".  I've tried out an expensive one at a friends house (almost $100) and found little difference between his rice maker and mine other than a bit more control and "gadget" options.  Personally I think it all comes down to how you prepare the rice before and after.  Washing, soaking, proper water ratio, resting, and cooling (along with using the proper type of rice of course).  Cheaper models don't cycle as nicely, but even with expensive models you need to figure out the proper ratio of rice/water for that particular unit.  Then variables like rice age/type, how long you soak the grains to let them "flower", etc., throw in more independants that you must account for in the water/rice ratio.

I'm not one to shy away from spending cash, but personally I've yet to see a rice cooker over $25 that justifies it's cost.  Except perhaps for the jumbo commerical units if you have a restaurant and need volume.  Just my personal opinion.


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## dragnlaw

*bump*

hey *tamsineclark,*  try watching a bunch of u-tube video's.  Watch a few of them to see subtle differences.  

It does take a bit of practice - first time I made sushi they were spectacular!  I was so proud.

But after that...   ...  complete and utter failure! 3 times and I haven't made any since.  non-sticky rice - too sticky rice - too much filling - wrong fillings - horrid rolling...   you name it and that was it!

ps.
N Mosher hasn't posted for quite some time and this particular thread is from 2006. 

But I'm glad you 'bumped' this thread as I've been getting the urge to try again.  Maybe it has been enough years that I won't mess up?...  again?


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

I successfully made good sushi first try.  I simply used parchment paper, and the same rolling technique used for making tamales.  I used short grain sushi rice, and my rice cooker for the rice, stirred in Mirin when the rice was cooked, to make it sticky, spread the rice onto the parchment paper, covered with thin slices of avocado, and pickled carrot for a California role, and with sushi grade ahi tuna, for a tuna roll.   I also made sushi laying the rice onto softened nori, and rolled it. I cut the sushi with a very sharp chef's knife, dipped in water.  I didn't really care for the flavor of the nori.  But I love a bit of flying fish roe on top, with pickled ginger slices, and wasabi paste on the side.

Fancy gadgets aren't needed.  Proper rice texture, and rolling techniques are absolutely required.

Here's a very goof video for making sushi - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QUpTeTVPJo

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## karadekoolaid

Get yourself a sushi kit, not some expensive gadget. The best sushi is made by hand. 
Sushi rice, Japanese rice wine vinegar and sushi-grade fish is what is needed. Then be persistent.
I´ve tried loads of things over the years which have been spectacular failures, but I kept on trying. The more failures, the sweeter the success when you finally nail it!


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## CharlieD

Wow, how do we get into these super old threads? 2006. It's been a while. Lots of people who posted then are gone.


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## GotGarlic

CharlieD said:


> Wow, how do we get into these super old threads? 2006. It's been a while. Lots of people who posted then are gone.


We've had a lot of new members join recently and they're wandering around the site [emoji38]


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## GotGarlic

tamsineclarke said:


> no response of this.


The original post was made in 2006, so it's unlikely that the person you're responding to will see this.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

This thread will be of interest to anyone who is interested in making sushi at home.  One more thing, any proteins used for sushi must be frozen to a certain temperature for a prescribed time to kill any parasites that might be in that protein.  So sushi grade ahi tuna from your supermarket is as good as the proteins found in restaurant sushi.  Your salmon, tuna, swordfish, whatever, will be just as good.

The key to cutting the rolls is a sharp knife, and the ability to cut straight up, and down.  This can be done with a chiseled edge knife, a standard bevel edge, a convex edge, etc.  Take a few practice cuts on celery, carrots, raw potatoes to get you skills honed.  Wet the knife between cuts.  you'll quickly learn to slice with your knife.

Part of the rice stickiness comes from adding the vinegar, and mirin to the rice.  
nori (seaweed) is often used to add flavor, and makes rolling the sushi easier.  It isn't required though.  Personally, I'm not crazy about the flavor of nori.  And not all sushi requires seafood.  It can include cooked seafood such as shredded crab, lobster, scallops, shrimp, smoked salmon, lox, etc.  You could even use pancetta if you wanted.

Don't be intimidated by sushi.  The pros want it to seem like you have to go to their place to get great sushi.  If everyone made it at home, they wouldn't make any money.  It's not all that difficult.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Bitser

Having made several kinds of ceviche and coctel del mariscos, with the raw fish or shellfish marinated in lime juice, I wonder if the technique might be applied to sushi, sashimi, etc.


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## WhateverYouWant

Interesting thought. As someone who doesn’t really care for raw fish (my preferred sushi is cooked crab, scallops, and shrimp), I think the acidity of ceviche might be a bit overwhelming. Give it a try and let us know!


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## Bitser

ScottinPollock said:


> I think the acidity of ceviche might be a bit overwhelming. Give it a try and let us know!




Might do.  I'd probably drain the lime juice.  Might be good with a slice of avocado.


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## karadekoolaid

Bitser said:


> Having made several kinds of ceviche and coctel del mariscos, with the raw fish or shellfish marinated in lime juice, I wonder if the technique might be applied to sushi, sashimi, etc.


I´m in the same boat; here in Caracas we often make ceviche, salpicón de mariscos, etc.
I think the extra acidity of the lime from making ceviche might be too overpowering for sushi. I´ve always thought of sushi as a subtle flavour.


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## CharlieD

tamsineclarke said:


> Well, I cut up a lot of tuna, dorado and yellowtail and since tomorrow is my birthday I have decided to buy myself a sushi knife (or two). I have been using an old, carbon-steel filet knife for years with decent success, Damascus knives even for cutting sushi rolls. Can anybody here give me any suggestions about sushi kinves? Thanks.





Do you have Restaurant Depot near you? They have really good knives for very decent price.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

This site gives a great recipe for making really good sushi rice.  It's just sticky enough to make great sushi rolls.

https://www.passionandpoppies.com/sushi-rice/

Don't forget the Tobiko - https://www.gourmetfoodstore.com/caviar/tobiko-caviar-flying-fish-roe-0767

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## CharlieD

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> This site gives a great recipe for making really good sushi rice.  It's just sticky enough to make great sushi rolls.
> 
> https://www.passionandpoppies.com/sushi-rice/
> 
> Don't forget the Tobiko - https://www.gourmetfoodstore.com/caviar/tobiko-caviar-flying-fish-roe-0767
> 
> Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North



I use rice cooker. What a life saver. 20 minutes rice is done and it is always perfect. I buy Jasmine rice from a small Asian store, the owner recommended that particular rice, no rinsing, no draining, "bam" done.


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