Ingredients

Sushi Rice

Rice for sushi has to be glutinous (sticky) and should be short or medium grain. Hands down we recommend our Kokuho Rose® rice. For a more healthy option, try Kokuho® Rose Brown. For instructions on how to cook sushi rice please click here.

Vinegar

You will need to use rice vinegar, which is easy to find at most grocery stores. If you absolutely must, you can substitute white vinegar for rice vinegar, but we do not recommend it.

Nori

Nori are thin, dried seaweed sheets. Seaweed is cheap, so buy a lot, as you’ll make mistakes at first.

Condiments

Soy Sauce

This is a staple already in most people’s fridges. Soy sauce is important for dipping your sushi. We recommend the brand Amano, which is available in three kinds: Soy Sauce, Tamari Soy Sauce, and Wheat Free Tamari. Tamari is the first pressing when making soy sauce — like asking for extra virgin olive oil — resulting in a superior taste. The Wheat Free Tamari is delicious and is suitable for gluton-free diets.

Wasabi

Known as “Japanese horseradish”, wasabi’s hotness is akin to hot mustard. Wasabi is an important condiment to complete your sushi. Sushi chefs usually put it in between the fish and the rice, and it can also be added to soy sauce for dipping. An imitation wasabi is available at most grocery stores sold in tubes of ready-to-use paste, made from horseradish and mustard powder and dyed green. Real wasabi is more expensive and harder to find.

Gari

Pickled ginger, or gari, is used to clean the pallet between bites of sushi. It can be found in many grocery stores.

Toppings and Fillings

Fish, for example salmon and tuna, is the main ingredient in most sushi. For culinary, sanitary, and aesthetic reasons, fish eaten raw must be fresher and of higher quality than fish that is cooked. The FDA recommends that fish be frozen before being consumed, as this will kill all parasites (but not all harmful microorganisms). Make sure when you buy your fish you ask for sushi or sashimi grade fish. Pre-cut fish is easiest. To start with, you can even make a simple tuna salad.

Vegetables are also popular in sushi, notably avocado, cucumbers, carrots, and asparagus. Leaf lettuce in a roll gives a nice ruffled appearance as it peeks out of the end pieces. Fruits can also be used in sushi. Other ingredients for sushi include omelette, fish eggs, sesame seeds, cooked shrimp, imitation crab, cream cheese, etc. Feel free to get creative with local ingredients that you have near at hand!

Tezu

The best way to keep rice from sticking to your hands is to use tezu, a mix of one-part water and one-part rice vinegar. Keep a small bowl of this near your sushi rolling area. Apply it to your hands sparingly, and you’ll be able to handle rice without it sticking. Also soak some into a rag, and use this rag to clean your knife after every few slices when cutting rolled sushi.

Necessary Equipment

• Tub or large dish to cool rice
• Spatula to turn and spread rice while cooling
• Fan to cool rice
• Bowls for ingredients
• Cutting board
• Sushi rolling mat
• Knives

Optional Equipment

• Sushi knives
• Geta (wooden sushi tray)
• Sushi serving dishes
• Condiment dishes
• Japanese omelet pan or square cast iron skillet