Sushi

427.  Sushi is such a delight.  It is savory flavors coming together on your pallet exploding with surprising nuances. Salty, smooth, cold, crunchy, textures popping with spicy, tangy, toasted, yummy experiences.  Some would say "fishy" too but, that depends on the seafood that you use.  Of course, raw fish is involved but the health factor far outweighs the off-putting thought of "raw fish".  Once I tried sushi,  I always walk away satisfied.

We have our favorite rolls and favorite restaurants that serve sushi, but, I decided to make sushi at home.  I purchased a sushi kit, which you can find them at William Sonoma online here.  And, it comes with instructions that are so easy to follow.

I purchased fresh water salmon and sliced it paper thin, toasted sesame seeds, sliced an avocado, julienned cucumber, sautéed shrimp and cut it into chunks, cream cheese pieces, mango sliced thin, coated onion slices with egg and flour and fried them in hot oil till crispy.  I also found black caviar and made sticky rice.

And then we started the process.  It took a couple tries accomplishing the rolling and tucking skill, but, we each gave it a go.

We also made spicy mayo and pickled ginger, my recipe here.  And who could forget wasabi!!  

What a pleasant surprise and we ate sushi for hours.  Some rolls were with seaweed outside and others with seaweed inside and rice on the outside which was tricky.

I also made nigiri with the extra salmon, shmear of wasabi and rice.  More reasons to say yum!

What a great experience and delightful dinner!  So, no, it was not expert quality but it satisfied.  I will leave that to the masters!

If you web search "Sushi" you will be amazed how many recipes, hints, tutorials and videos you will find. My favorite go-to is on PBS and my rice turns out perfect every time.  PBS Sushi Watch Here

"I've been making sushi for 38 years, and I'm still learning.  You have to consider the size and color of the ingredients, how much salt and vinegar to use and how the seasons affect the fattiness of the fish."

~ Masaharu Morimoto

Sushi Bowl

412.  My daughter shared a wonderful twist on sushi.  She took a variety of the components, that can be endless, and created a "Sushi Bowl".  Yes! And the experience was all there, crunchy, spicy, soft, pickled, brain-freezing, delightful, fishy, salty, peanuty.  If you devour sushi, you know all the feels and flavors. 

 Sometimes, when I am at a sushi bar, the special rolls can be so large, I cannot fit them in my mouth in one bite.  It can be a very embarrassing moment when the item you are placing in your mouth is considerably larger than your actual mouth as you carefully hold this delicacy with two thin pieces of bamboo.  And to deconstruct a roll is so wrong!  You must taste the whole piece to experience the flavor bomb the sushi chef has constructed.   So, having all the flavors I love piled high to take smaller bites of enjoyment.  It was a delight!

Take a brief moment and search "Sushi Bowl" image in your browser and you will be surprised how many

 exist.  Here is my recipe:

This meal was so spectacular and gave me all the feels of sushi.  If you are adventurous and want to take a shot at creating your own sushi bowl, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

I also had made my own pickled ginger.  It was either sold out or not available in the markets visited.

Here is my recipe for pickled ginger: Pickled Ginger Recipe

I am excited for you to try this recipe.  It will make you happy, I promise!

"Sushi is something very exclusive.  It is not like a McDonald's, a hot dog or a french fry,  It is very high-class cooking in Japan."

~ Nobu Matsuhisa

Stir Fried Rice

370.  A great Chinese recipe I have used time and time again is Stir Fried Rice.  The ingredients are endless but you must always use rice and eggs as the base.  The basic recipe is straight forward and you can use your imagination or just simple ingredients you have available in your fridge.

I make my rice early on in the day and let it sit to completely cool.  

To save recipe select and drag to desktop and print or select and print from smart device.

You can pair your fried rice with another dish or eat is as your one-pot main dish in bowls with chopsticks.  Serve hot with extra soy sauce, chopped scallion and shredded ginger.

"If you are planning for a year, sow rice.  If you are planning for a decade, plant trees.  If you are planning for a lifetime, educate people."  ~Chinese Proverb

Gourmet Ham and Cheese Pockets

288.  Here is an easy snack or appetizer you can fill with anything from savory to sweet.

 

It starts with Puff Pastry Sheets.

I roll out one sheet to a large square of 12"x12".  Then cut them into equal squares of 6 or twelve.

In a small bowl mix one egg with about a Tablespoon of water to make egg wash.  Brush the egg wash onto each square.

My filling for these yummy Ham and Cheese Pockets is sharp cheddar cheese, ham cubed or sliced into strips, one scallion (green onion) chopped, salt and pepper, dash of garlic salt, dash of soy sauce.  Mix together.

 Then dollop the filling evenly divided into each of the pastry squares not overfilling. Pull up one corner, brush the outside point with egg wash.

 Continue with each corner brushing four times

Once the filling is completely covered, pinch the center to ensure the pocket will not open in baking.  Brush egg wash over the top and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  I like to use black sesame seeds for contrast and texture.

 Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes or till the crust is golden brown.
 Remove from oven and serve hot!  So yummy!

"Hors D'oeuvre:  A ham sandwich cut into forty pieces."

~Jack Benny