BRANDON HOLLOWAY HOW TO MAKE SUSHI (MAKI AND NIGIRI)

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In this, I will be making a total of 3 cups Sushi Rice to make: Maki (rolls): California, Rainbow, Unagi (Eel) Nigiri (raw fish over rice): Sake (Salmon), Tuna (Tekka), Unagi (Eel), Yellowtail (Hamachi) FIRST THING BEFORE ALL, WASH YOUR HANDS!!! WHAT WE’RE MAKING!

RICE! First, you will need some rice and a measuring cup. Quick note, make sure you use Calrose Rice. It's a Japanese rice that is stickier and a shorter grain.

RICE PREP! I make 3 cups rice, with 3 ¼ cups of water, since I use a rice cooker. If you use a pot, use 1:1.

RICE WASH! You’ll need big sifter to hold the rice, and a steady stream of water over it. Move the rice around with your hands, shake the sifter. Do this for at least 2 minutes. Wash the rice until this water is clear coming out of the sifter. Once the rice is washed, let it drain. Shake all the water you can from the sifter, and push the rice up against the sides. This helps it drain faster. Let this drain for about 30 minutes.

SUSHI-VINEGAR! Vinegar-Sugar-Salt mixture simply referred to as Sushi-Vinegar. You’ll need: 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup Rice Vinegar – found in any Japanese market and most grocery stores. Put in a small pot and place it on the stove. After it’s done, put in a small bowl to cool. Set this aside.

FISH PREP! For this how-to you’ll need (pictured): Nori-Seaweed, Sesame Seeds, Eel Sauce, Soy Sauce, Wasabi powder, Pickled Ginger, Cucumber, Avocado (Haas), Tobiko (Flying Fish Roe), Hamachi, Salmon, Crab, Unagi, Tuna.

FISH PREP 2: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO Start by defrosting your fish. They should all be in sealed, plastic. You can do this by placing them in a bowl of cold water. Keep them fully submerged by placing another with water on top. Note: that using warm water to thaw fish will start the cooking process. This is not advised.

RICE COOK! By now the rice will be dry. You want all the water to have drained away. Place the rice in the Rice Cooker or a pot. Add water to fully submerge the rice. Note: If you are not using a rice cooker you will need to bring the water to a boil. Once it’s boiling you let it simmer for about 10 minutes, then let the rice steam for another 10 minutes.

WASABIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! While waiting on the rice, this is a good time to make the Wasabi. The powder stuff I use is 50% real wasabi, and it needs time to develop good flavor. First, two teaspoons powder. Add two teaspoons water (Use 1:1 water/powder ratio) Once it’s done, set it aside

MAD KNIFE SKILLS! Now, start preparing the ingredients for your rolls. Begin with a CLEAN cutting board. You’ll need, the cucumber. Cut it lengthwise so they lay flat on the cutting board. Cut them into long strips Then you’ll need the ginger. Just chop some up and throw it in a small dish. The ginger is really a personal preference.

WHAT TIME IS IT? FISH:30. Next up, some tobiko (Flying Fish Roe). It doesn’t add much to the roll, and can be expensive. It makes for a nice presentation Next you’ll want your Nori or Seaweed. Fold them, and pull them apart into two pieces. One piece per roll. Set aside. The cucumber, ginger, tobiko need to go in the fridge. Check your rice, it should be ready by now.

RICE FINAL PREP! Get a cookie sheet, cover it with aluminum foil. This will make for a nice cleanup and the purpose of this is to let the rice cool off quickly. Next get a Large Glass or Wooden bowl. You’ll also want to use a wooden spoon. Get your Sushi-Vinegar mix. In your bowl pour half the Sushi-Vinegar in with the rice. You’re going to want to fold the rice. Don’t crush it. The Vinegar will go to the bottom of the bowl so you’re going to want to keep mixing the rice, displacing the rice at the center constantly. I like turning the bowl, and folding the rice away from me at the same time. Pour in the other half of the vinegar and continue. You will probably be mixing this for about 2-3 minutes, you want that vinegar distributed evenly. The rice should be very shiny by now.

RICE FINAL PREP PHOTOS!

RICE FINAL PREP! (CONT) Now, once you’re done mixing, pour the rice on the foiled cookie sheet. Spread the rice for an even layer and let the rice cool on the foil. Taste it if you like. It should be sweet and have a mild vinegar taste to it, and be very sticky. Just set the rice aside in a cool/dry place. The fish should be defrosted by now.

FISH PREP, ARE YOU SICK OF THIS YET? Time to wash your hands and cutting board again. Open up each package of fish, and rinse the fish under cold water. Dry it with a paper towel and place it on your cutting board. The fish should be moist and soft. Cut the fish into thin slices. This will all be used for nigiri, but you just want to slice the fish for now. You can make them nigiri size later. Place the fish on a plate with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge.

I’VE GOT CRABS! I prefer to use real crab but imitation crab meat is okay. Cut the crab into thin slices and place it on a plate and store in the fridge. The rice should be at room temperature by now. You can go ahead and put all the rice in a smaller bowl.

THE CONSOLIDATION! OKAY! The rice is done, all the ingredients are prepared. Looks like we’re ready to roll! Get all ingredients previously prepared out: fish, rice, crab, avocado, cucumber, nori, ginger, wasabi, cutting board, knife, bamboo mat and plastic wrap. Get your bamboo mat, and wrap it in plastic wrap. Start with a half sheet of nori or seaweed.

THE CONSOLIDATION! (CONT.) You’ll want to make sure your hands are moist for this part. Run them under water to cool them down. The rice doesn’t stick as much to cool moist hands as opposed to hot sweaty hands. Place a thin layer of rice on top of the nori. Then, sprinkle some sesame seeds on top of the rice Take a sheet of plastic wrap and place it on top of the rice. Flip this over, so the rice is facing down and the nori is facing up.

THE CONSOLIDATION! (CONT) Now place your roll ingredients on the nori. I start with some wasabi, ginger if you like. Throw down some crab, some cucumber.

DOMO AVOCADO, MR. ROBOTO! Now cut your avocado open. Just cut it in half and grab a teaspoon and scoop out the meat. Now take this beast and place it back on your bamboo mat keeping the plastic wrap under the roll. You’ll be rolling it inside the wrap to keep it secure. Now add more rice above your roll. This makes sure the roll wont fall apart, and also makes it more solid.

MAKI ROLL! Now the tricky part, rolling the maki. If done correctly, you should have your maki wrapped in the plastic wrap which was underneath it. This gets easier with practice. Now use the mat to shape the roll into a square shape..

I’LL CUT YOU! Get a moist cloth before cutting to wipe your blade after every slice. This removes any sticky rice leaving a fresh clean slice. Cut to get 8 pieces

IT SLICES, IT DICES! Unwrap the plastic, place the roll on a plate and add some tobiko for extra jazz, flavor and appeal. Enjoy! You’ve now completed your first California roll!

A PLATE OF AWESOME! For a simple modification; take your 2nd roll and place the raw fish on top of the roll to make a rainbow roll. Now on this plate you have: 1 California Maki – Crab, Avocado and cucumber 1 Rainbow Roll – California inside. Raw Salmon, Hamachi and Tuna outside.

NIGIRI, ALMOST LIKE THE COUNTRY! Next up: Some Nigiri. First make all the rice pieces by shaping in the palm of your hand. Grab the rice in your hand and use your left index finger to push down. Shape and place them on a plate. Add a little dash of wasabi on each rice ball.

FISH-SABI! Now just place your raw fish on top of the rice/wasabi.

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEF! Now this brings me to the Unagi, my favorite! This is saved until last because it is best served hot/warm. I buy the pre-packed already cooked Unagi. It already has the BBQ Eel sauce on it. Take it out of its package and place onto some paper towels. Remember this is already defrosted so only microwave it for 1 minute. Cut into sections…

ALMOST THERE! Use some of the Unagi to make Nigiri, and some to make an Unagi Roll. You start off the same as you did the California, except you only place Avacado and Unagi inside the roll. Roll, cut and place on a plate just like the other rolls.

WHEW! Congratulations you’re finished! Take a look at your work.

ENJOY! All Images © Brandon Holloway. Used with permission.