Making rolls has only recently been considered the business of only Japanese culinary specialists. But there are currently a large number of recommendations available. Naturally, the result and method of making rolls at home will be slightly different than in a national restaurant. Subject to the basic rules, you can create a mouth-watering and original dish.
Cooking rolls should be based on the following recommendations:
- The shell for them can be not only nori sheets (pressed seaweed), but also rice paper, as well as specially prepared Japanese omelettes.
- You need to properly prepare the rice for the rolls. First rinse it well to such a state that the water remains transparent. Then leave for one hour. Next, put one hundred grams of rice and one hundred twenty-five - water into the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for thirteen minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and leave it for fifteen minutes under the closed lid. At this time, make a special dressing. Mix a large spoon of Japanese vinegar with seven small tablespoons of sugar and two - sea salt. Stir to such a state that they dissolve. Put rice in a special bowl for sushi, pour the resulting mixture. It must be turned over carefully, in no case mixing. Otherwise, you get porridge. Cooking rolls can only begin when the rice has completely cooled.
- Fish for this dish must be necessarily gutted and chilled. Its freshness can be determined by the following indicators: glossy scales, eyes transparent and black, bright red gills, belly firm, and flesh elastic. Only from such a semi-finished product can you make fillet for a quality dish. It is not recommended to purchase fish in pieces.
- An excellent filling for rolls will be cucumber, salmon, cream cheese, bell pepper, caviar, tuna, shrimp and so on.
Let us now dwell on how to cook rolls at home.
Hosomaki, thin rolls , are made with only one component. Lay half of the nori sheet with the non-shiny side up on a special bamboo mat. Tamp the rice, leaving one centimeter on top, and not more than half a centimeter below. The height of the layer should not exceed 0.7 cm. Using a finger, grease the wasabi rice, moving from the center to the cuts. We spread the filling, sliced in long strips. We begin to roll the roll from the edge that is closer using the mat. You need to hold the filling with your fingers so that it does not slip, but you do not need to click on the roll. Cut the finished dish with a sharp knife into six parts.
Making futomaki rolls (thick) is a difficult process, as the filling can consist of 5 components. Therefore, folding such a dish will be quite difficult. You will need a whole sheet of nori, on which rice should be put with wet hands. At least two centimeters should remain on top. Then grease with mild mayonnaise and lay a complex filling. By twisting the roll, it is better to give it a slightly flattened shape. The finished dish is also cut into six parts.
The original dish will be the Urumaki (inverted rolls) . But cooking them is a real art. On a special mat, spread the cling film. We put nori, then a very thin layer of rice, carefully ramming it with our hands. Now turn the sheet with rice down, grease the middle of the nori wasabi and spread the favorite filling. Then, gently, using a mat, roll the roll and cut it into six parts. The surface should be sprinkled with sesame seeds or caviar.
Rolls are recommended to be served with Japanese seasonings: Japanese Wasabi horseradish, soy sauce and pickled ginger.
Enjoy your meal!