What is Inari?

Inari, or in it's full name inarizushi-no-moto, is seasoned fried tofu bean pouch. It is used in differnt kinds of Japanese dishes generaly refered to as "Inari Sushi". Inari usualy comes in a can, about 16 pouches per can. The pouch is filled with vingared sushi rice, and topped with different kinds of toppings such as sesame seeds, fish roe, avocado, raw fish, etc.

Where can I get me some Inari?

As in most sushi ingredients, you can find Inari in your local Asian food store or Japanese market. This product is also avaiable on our online store and through the link below.

What is Kombu?

Kombu (or Konbu), is a sort of dried kelp (which is a sort of sea-weed) used in many Japanese cuisines including sushi. Kombu is considered to be an important ingredient in creating Umami (savoriness). You probably already know that Umami is a loanword from Japanese meaning "good flavor" or "good taste".

How to use Kombu in sushi?

When preparing the sushi rice, just before you turn up the heat or start the rice cooker, throw in a small piece of Kombu. About 5 by 5 cm of Kombu should do for an average 3 cups rice batch. It is helpful at this point to make slits in one or more sides of the Kombu to help release its flavors.

Where can I get me some Kombu?

As in most sushi ingredients, you can find Kombu in your local Asian food store or Japanese market. This product is also avaiable on our online store and through the link below.

What is nori?

Nori (a.k.a. laver) is a paper like, edible, toasted seaweed used in most kinds of sushi. The nori is actually the part that holds the sushi together.

Nori is usually supplied in packs of 10s or 50s. It arrives in a moist free package, for it must stay dry at all time until used. For that reason it is recommended to get the 10 pack for home use.

How to use nori?

Nori is used in most kinds of sushi. It provides the roll with a unique seaweed flavor, holds many nutritious benefits and most importantly it plays a functional part by keeping the roll together.

A fresh nori should come dry, very dry. Once it interacts with the moist rice, it becomes sticky, hence when wrapping the rice it acts as a firm yet sticky "skin" for the sushi roll. For that reason, in order to make the most of the nori, it must be kept in a super-dry environment before used, or else, it will not stick well and the sushi roll will probably fall apart faster than you can say "Hara-kiri".

Where can I get nori?

In most asian stores and markets probably. There are many producers and suppliers at different costs and values. You should find out which types suits your taste and budget best. It is important to know that nori sheets are hard to store after opening, and usually the remains are thrown away. Therefor it is best to buy the smaller packs of 10 sheets, rather then the larger 50 or 100 sheets packs.

What is sushi Gari?

Sliced ginger

Gari are thin slices of pickled ginger. Commercial Gari is usually colored pink, and sometimes can be obtained in its original color – yellow, as the inside of ginger is.

Gari is served with every meal of sushi. It is usually consumed between different sushi dishes, or sushi piece in order to cleanse the palate, and not as an integral part of the sushi piece.

It is a common product to find in asian markets in various sizes. Not much of it needed for one meal of sushi, so the smaller packs/jars are usually the ones taken. Also, Gari can be prepared at home. Following this introduction, is a video guide on how to make gari at home, and suggestions where to buy Gari online.

How to Make  Pickled Ginger (gari) at home

Tired of getting you pickled ginger in a can? Had enough of the awful aftertaste of food preservatives?

It's probably time you learned how to make your own pickled ginger (AKA Gari).
As this video explained, pickling ginger is an easy task that any sushi fan should be able to perform himself, why can't you?

What is wasabi?

Wasabi roots (Source: EverJean GNU ).

Wasabi, also known as "Japanese horseradish", is a hot Japanese spice root and an important item on any sushi table. Some like to mix it with soy sauce bowl for future dipping, and some rather place it directly on the sushi just before they eat. For more information about the origin of wasabi, check out wasabi on wikipedia.

Wasabi products for sushi can be obtained in Asian food stores in the form of dried powder or ready to use paste, and used in very small doses (pea-sized or less). In order to fully enjoy your Wasabi – you should use the dried wasabi powder to produce your own fresh wasabi paste – the following guide will walk you through this simple process.

Making wasabi paste from wasabi powder

step 1

Since the wasabi powder needs to stay dry when kept in order to stay fresh – try carefully not to dent the can top when opening. This way, your wasabi can last for a long sushi making period.

Use a dry teaspoon (or pour gently right from the can as shown in the animation). 3-4 teaspoons should be enough for a sushi session depending on your personal wasabi consuming habits.

step 2

Add a small amount of cold water, about 1:1 ratio with the amount of wasabi powder you used and stir until a solid mixture is obtained. Now you need to gently balance the mixture with a bit more powder if you like your Wasabi thick, or water if you want it to be thinner.

step 3

Now that the wasabi paste is ready, you can form it into shapes – try to be original and surprise your sushi guests!

Why avocado?

Avocado is one of the most common fruits used in sushi. It is cholesterol free, and blends perfectly with the look and feel of the sushi roll. Because of its natural "fatty" taste and feel, the avocado is an ideal substitute for the raw fish commonly used in sushi.

The best kind of avocado to use in sushi is, in our opinion, is the Hass avocado. You can recognize a Hass avocado by its pebbly dark green skin.

For more information on different variation of avocado, visit: avocado.org

How to use Avocado in sushi

Hass Avocado.

1. Cut the avocado in half.
2. Peel the skin, and remove the seed.
3. For sushi filling: cut the avocado into 1-2cm thin slices.
4. For sushi topping:
   1. Use a peeler to peel very thin slices of avocado.
   2. Place the peels on top of an inside-out sushi roll.
   3. Use the bamboo mat to press the peels firmly to the roll.

   Enjoy..

Why sweet potato?

A sweet potato.

Sweet potato works extremely well in sushi. It does so especially when used as topping for an inside-out roll. Its color is naturally vivid and thuscontributes much to the aesthetic effort.

Sweet potato can also be used for sushi roll filling, with or without tempura – it works very well, especially for veggie rolls as the main filling.

Since it is a hard root vegetable, the sweet potato requires some preparation in order to be used in a sushi dish. Below you can find some suggestions how to do so.

Using sweet potato for sushi topping

1. Wash the sweet potato thoroughly, and remove the skin with a peeler.
2. Use the peeler to slice thin slices of the sweet potato. Peel them as big as you can.
3. Fry the slices for a few seconds in hot oil.
4. After frying, let cool for a few minutes.
5. Refrain from laying the fried slices on top of each other, it tends to cling.
6. Once chilled, cover an uncut inside roll with fried sweet potato slices, and tighten with the bamboo mat.
7. Cut the roll.

Enjoy.

Wooden rice bowl (or Hangiri)

Hangiri
Image by Feòrag NicBhrìde
Under creative common license

A hangiri is a cypress wood barrel/tub used in the sushi rice prepration process. Its main function is to make the rice cool faster due to its unique shape, and moisture obsorption ability.

Hangiris are pretty expensive, and that is probably why most home sushi makers prefer using a cheaper plastic bowl alternative. Basically, any non-metalic bowl is suitable enough for holding the rice while it cools, but nothing does it as well as Hangiri. A simple hangiri should cost around $25-50, while a professional hangiri like the ones used in restaurants cost a few hundred or more.