My Aussie style outback sushi

We Melbournians revel in our multicultural community. At home, sushi bars are as common as hamburger joints. I soon get tired of barbecues when we’re on the road, so I while planning our stores I give consideration to variety and interest without having to carry a load of ingredients that only have a single application, or are heavy and bulky.

Sushi is perfect when the weather is hot. From a 1 kilogram bag of Kokuo Rose rice I can make 5 meals cooking 1 cup of rice per meal. I season the cooked rice with salt, sugar and commercial sushi seasoning. Nori, pickled ginger, wasabi and furokaki are light and come in small packages, so are no burden. Smoked salmon in 100g packages are flat and take little room in the freezer. Sweet tofu pockets in flat vacuum packs, finely julienned cucumber and carrot, shredded omlette and tamari to season, and I can quickly prepare a light weight, delicious and nutritious meal.

Because I need to conserve our clean tank of fresh drinking water, washing the rice seems wasteful so I omit the preliminaries. I consider the starchy residue clinging to the cooked grains well within acceptable limits.

To cook perfect rice for sushi

1 cup short grained rice
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt

Under normal circumstances I would say put the rice into a fine mesh strainer and wash it under running water until the water runs clear, but not when camping!
Bring the rice, water and salt to the boil, reduce the heat to a minimum, cover tightly and steam for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes has elapsed, turn off the heat but do not lift the lid. Allow the rice to finish cooking in the residual heat for a further 10 minutes, then remove the lid and cover with a clean tea towel and allow another 10 minutes to pass. After these 3 simple steps, the rice will be perfectly cooked.
Tip the rice onto a tray, sprinkle over 1/4 cup of sushi seasoning and using a spatula stir the seasoning through while fanning the rice with a paper plate to arrest the cooking and cool it quickly.
DIY Sushi Rolls
Nori sheets cut in half
Pre prepared wasabi paste
Pickled ginger
Furikaki
Tofu pockets
Smoked salmon, cut into thin strips
Cucumber, but into thin julienne
Shredded omlette
Tamari
Mayonnaise

Take a piece of nori or a tofu pocket, add a heaped spoonful of cooked seasoned rice, then add a few pieces of your choice of some or all of the other ingredients. Season with a few drops of tamari or a dab of mayonnaise, roll roughly and enjoy!

About ladyredspecs

I live in sunny Brisbane, Australia. My love of good food drives me as a cook, a reader, a traveller, an artist and but mostly as an eater. I cooked professionally for many years but have no formal training. Simply guided by a love of eating good food, respect for ingredients and an abhorrence of artificial additives, I cook instinctively applying the technical know how acquired by experience. I hope you enjoy what I share Sandra AKA ladyredspecs

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