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| Sushi - taste and technique | |||
When it comes to making sushi most people steer clear of the kitchen, afraid of trying out the delicate art of assembling the perfect bite. |
But Kimiko Barber and Hiroki Takemura's book, Sushi – taste and technique, will inspire the worst of cooks to start chopping, rolling and pressing beautiful servings of gomoko, hoso maki and oshi.
Not so much a recipe book as a comprehensive manual, Sushi – Taste and Technique tells the fascinating tale of how sushi developed from being a simple method of preserving raw fish in rice and salt to becoming Japan's world-renowned cuisine.
Insight into the official ten year long training of master sushi chefs may wrongly discourage readers to finish the book, but the very next chapter's testimony of the many health benefits of following the low calorie sushi diet will blow away any sceptisism.
The book contains all there is to know about the basics of becoming a sushi master, discussing the different utensils and equipment as well as the essential ingredients needed at length. Supplementary photographs taken by Ian O'Leary makes it easy to follow the prescriptions step-by-step and every page provides for a colourful, mouth-watering composition.
Every seafood you can possibly think of is carefully scrutinised, with filleting, usage and possible combinations being only a few of the topics under discussion. Different means of preparation, decoration and serving sushi makes up the second half of Sushi – taste and technique. Recipes ranging from temaki zushi (hand-rolled sushi) to gomoko zushi (vegetarian scattered sushi) are complimented by ideas for side dishes like sashimi and different soups.
A handy glossary of Japanese sushi terms, together with some tips on the do's and don'ts when dining out at a sushi bar or serving it at your own dinner party makes this book a value-for-money buy. Sushi – taste and technique is like sushi itself – aesthetic, balanced and a definite part of any connoisseur's accoutrement.
A Recipe to try:
Clingfilm sushi
This is one of the easiest types of sushi to make and you don't need any specialized equipment - just some clingfilm. Prepare these pretty canapés up to a day in advance; keep them wrapped in cling film until needed.
Ingredients:
Other toppings that use the same quantity of rice to make 10 pieces each:
Method:
1. Divide the rice in half. Lay a piece of clingfilm, about 10cm (4in) square, on a clean work surface and place a piece of smoked salmon at the centre of it. Mould a teaspoonful of sushi rice into a loose ball and place on top of it.
2. Pick up all four corners of the clingfilm and gather them in the middle. Twist the clingfilm to compact the rice and form a small ball. Repeat the process to make 10 smoked salmon balls. Make 10 prawn balls in the same way, but put a half a teaspoon of caviar in the crescent of each prawn.
3. Keep each piece of sushi wrapped in clingfilm until just before serving. Put a dab of wasabi on each of the smoked salmon balls just before serving.
Image: Sushi - taste and technique by Kimiko Barber and Hiroki Takemura
| story by Marelize van Taak from women24 | |
| image by | |
