Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Homemade sushi and gomae

Just a quick request before I get started on the recipe but could you lovely friends PLEASE nominate me for a food blog award? I'd be sooooo grateful. Love you long time! xo Check out this site to do so.

I was feeling very Japanese-y last night and decided to make some sushi. Well I guess I always feel Japanese-y because I'm Japanese. Lol I'm a big fan of just regular ole sushi with sushi rice but being all healthy and ish I need to rock some brown rice sushi from time to time. I find brown rice to be a bit dry to I like to mix it with buckwheat to keep it moister and stickier.

Sushi is not very hard to make and its very versatile. Sometimes I'll roll up a cone with some left over fried rice, tofu, steamed leafy greens, curry, whatever I've got in the fridge. But I just wanted a veggie roll last night. But the fun part was that I made gomae for the first time!!! OMG so easy! and Sooooooooooooooooooooooooo good!!! I seriously ate the entire thing. I used the full bunch of spinach. And ate it all. Oops. lol

I made a lot of extra brown rice/buckwheat. You by no means need to use all of this. Nor can you if you only make 2 rolls. Good part is you can use it the next day for more rolls or make a sushi bowl, or fried rice or whatever.

Brown rice and Buckwheat Sushi
Ingredients
1 cup brown rice
1 cup buckwheat
1/3 cucumber, sliced length wise
2 carrots, sliced length wise
Nori sheets
2 tbsp mirin
Sushi roller

Directions
Cook the brown rice and buckwheat separately and according to their packaging. Then combine together with the mirin. Put a piece of nori on the sushi roller, spread enough rice to cover half of the nori. Depending on how big you want your roll will decide on how much rice and/or fillings you want. I just put about 4-5 slices of each in it. Use the sushi roller to roll up the sushi. Tuck the fillings inside, but not your fingers! Use a little water to seal it if needed.

To cut, use a serrated knife. (PS I suck at this part. LOL)

TIP: cover your sushi roller in saran wrap so the rice doesn't get stuck in it.



Next up is that delicious pile of greens you see there called gomae. lol I know I've only made this once but I'm pretty sure mine is awesome! Like way better than what you get in the restaurants. I'm actually going to make this tonight cuz I'm still feeling very Japanese-y. But I think I'll make some udon noodles instead. Mmmmm

Gomae
Ingredients
1 bunch spinach
4 tsp sesame seeds (generous tsp's)
1 tsp agave nectar
1 tsp tamari (soy sauce, gluten free)
1/8 cup water

Directions:
If your sesame seeds are raw, then toast them in a dry pan. Toss a lot as you don't want them to burn. The roasting just brings out the flavour more. It'll take about 2-3 minutes but depends on your stove and pan. Puts the seeds in a food processor and process for about 30 seconds then add the remaining ingredients and pulse for another 30 seconds. Sauce, DONE.

Cut the stems off the spinach and rinse. Boil a big pot of water, once boiling drop all of the spinach into the water for about 20 seconds. LITERALLY!!! This is not a game folks. Don't walk away. Actually count it out then remove it right away and either plunge into cold water or run under cold water to stop the cooking process. This is called blanching. You heard it hear first! Lol

Once the spinach has been cooled, gently squeeze out the excess water. Try to squeeze it as much as you can without tearing it. Put 1/3 of spinach into a bowl and pour 1/3 of the sauce and mix. Then put another 1/3 of the spinach and another 1/3 of the sauce and so on. This will allow for all of the spinach to be coated evenly. I know we've all had gomae with not enough sauce.

The directions look long but its really not. I just wrote a story. Lol I just don't want anyone overcooking their spinach and having to eat a mushy gross gomae.

ALSO, I picked up some organic brown rice mochi last night and chopped it up and threw it under the broiler for 5 minutes. YUM. I love and miss mochi. Its made out of pulverized brown rice and water. It gets all puffed up and delish. I put a little garlic powder and soy sauce on mine then broil it. Then I dip it in Sriracha. Some ppl make waffles outta it but I don't have a waffle maker. Maybe I'll make a dessert one though. Yes, I must try that. A chocolate sauce and maple syrup. Mmmm

Baked Mochi

I was a Japanese eating machine last night!! Jeez. Well, I did earn it. I worked out like mad crazy. Ran for an hour outside. Almost got blown over by all the wind. Plus I worked out at the gym for over an hour, like an hour and half. What the? lol

Its SO gorgeous in Van today, Its time for a run!!! I love when it gets nice here. I can run outside again. Life is good.

PS you can buy wasabi at almost any grocery store in Vancouver. Personally I use the dry stuff and just mix it with a little water. Its also nice to throw into a salad dressing for an extra kick!

Peace

xoxo

K

2 comments:

  1. Try mixing in some runny Peanut or Almond Butter to your Gomae. It tastes sooooo good!
    I always get it from the restaurants in Vancouver made with peanut butter. I didn't realize that the original recipe for Gomae doesn't call for peanut butter but I know people like it better with it mixed in.

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    1. lol yah i always call them peanutbutter spinach. I'm sure it tastes amazing cuz peanut/almond butter is to die for! LOVE but i was going for traditional this time. ;)

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