Month: November 2006

Categories
Maki Recipes

Using Thanksgiving Leftovers


Thanksgiving roll

Now that turkey day is over, I’m sure you have lots of leftovers! Many of you are looking for fun and tasty new ways to use your boring old leftovers… So, as promised, here are a few ways to use all those leftovers.


Turkey and cranberry sauce roll

The first roll that we made used turkey and cranberry sauce as its ingredients. A bit on the sweeter side, this is a good one for kids. Son thought it tasted a little like PB&J, just because of the sweet fruity taste.


Turkey and candied yam roll

Our second roll was a mix of turkey and candied yams. Not as sweet as the cranberry sauce roll, this was probably our least favorite out of all the rolls, but it was still good! It tasted potato-y, so those of you who don’t like mixing starches (you know who you are) might not like this one.


Turkey and stuffing roll

The third roll that we tried making used turkey and stuffing (yes, all of the rolls use turkey!).


Turkey and stuffing roll

This one was salty (which meant Son LOVED it!) and a pretty good combination.


Turkey and stuffing roll

Our last roll was our favorite. It used all of the leftovers that we had (turkey, stuffing, candied yams, and cranberry sauce). We didn’t have any mashed potatoes, gravy, or green bean casserole left, so we couldn’t use those. (I don’t think mashed potatoes would have worked too well – they’re too mushy.) This roll was really good – kinda like a whole Thanksgiving feast having a party in your mouth. Yum yum yum!


Thanksgiving roll

Since we only had a limited amount of leftovers (my mom only let me steal so much!) these are the only rolls that we could make, but of course, the possibilities are limitless! Let me know what kind of concoctions you came up with to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers… since I’m sure you had different kinds of leftovers than I did! Let me know the good, the bad, the completely weird… I can’t wait to hear all about it!


Thanksgiving roll

Categories
Maki Recipes

Dinner Roll


Dinner Roll

Sausage and potatoes. Sounds like a completely normal dinner, but would that really taste that great in sushi? Well, we tried it, and it does! But you ask, how did we come up with this? Leftovers! (Which is, by the way, a GREAT way to come up with sushi ideas!)


Dinner Roll

A couple of months ago, I had applied for a free sample of the potato skillet thing from Betty Crocker… after which I completely forgot about them. Then a couple of weeks ago, my free sample arrived in the mail! I bought these cute little mini sausages at the grocery store. I had made the potatoes the night before, so put them both together, and yum yum yum!


Dinner Roll

Makes 6 rolls, or 36-48 pieces.

Ingredients
Cooking Directions
  1. Cook sushi rice.
  2. Cook the potatoes, according to the directions on the box.
  3. Roll the sushi, using about 1/3 cup potatoes, 1 stalk of green onion, and 4 sausages as your fillings.
  4. Serve with ketchup (or whatever you prefer with your sausages and potatoes). Enjoy!
Categories
Nigiri Recipes

Tamago Nigiri

tamago nigiri

Tamago nigiri may not be the fanciest sushi out there, but it can be found at most sushi places.

It’s so easy to make, you could fry up some bacon and eat tamago nigiri for breakfast! (I bet we all know what I’m making for breakfast tomorrow!)

Makes about 5-6 pieces.

Ingredients
Cooking Directions
  1. Cook sushi rice.
  2. Cook the tamago.
  3. Using either your hands or a rice mold, form the rice into 5 or 6 small oblong balls.
  4. Cut the tamago into 1/2″ slices.
  5. Place the piece of tamago on top of the rice ball. You may place a small dab of wasabi on the underside of the tamago if you wish.
  6. Cut nori into 1 cm wide strips.
  7. Wrap 1 strip of nori around each piece of nigiri, cutting it to fit. Wrap it tightly enough that the nigiri won’t fall apart, but not so tight as to tear the tamago or cause the rice ball to come apart.
  8. Serve with shoyu, wasabi, and ginger if desired. Enjoy!

Categories
Other Recipes

How to Make Usuyaki Tamago

tamago

Tamago is the Japanese name for a sweet egg omelet. This omelet can be used in maki and on nigiri sushi. The only problem is that the tamago is so good that once you try some, there might not be any left to make sushi with! This isn’t exactly a traditional recipe. Instead, this is how my mom used to always make it, so it might be a little different than what you find in sushi restaurants.

Makes 1 omelet.

Usuyaki Tamago

Ingredients
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp shoyu
Cooking Directions

Crack the eggs into a bowl. Using a whisk or a fork, whisk the eggs until smooth.


Whisking the eggs

Stir in the sugar and shoyu, stirring until thoroughly mixed in.


Pouring sugar into the egg


Pouring shoyu into the egg

Heat a frying pan at medium heat.

Melt about 1/2 tbsp butter in the pan, spreading it so the bottom of the pan is completely covered.

Pour the egg mix into the pan.


Pouring the egg mix into the pan

When the egg looks opaque and you can get a spatula under it without tearing the omelet, flip the omelet.


Cooking the tomago

When the omelet is coked through (you can lift the omelet with the spatula to check underneath), remove the omelet from the pan.


Tamago removed from the pan

Slice into thin strips. The width of these strips depends on what you are using the tamago for – for tamago nigiri, cut them into 1.5″ x 2.5″ strips, to use in maki cut into 1 cm strips.


Cutting the tomago into strips


Done and ready to use on nigiri!

Categories
Maki Recipes

Philadelphia Roll

philadelphia roll

I first tried this roll at a sushi restaurant called Maki Maki, although it can probably be found at most sushi restaurants. Son took me there last year for my birthday, and we have been stopping by every time we are in the area ever since.

We almost always get the Philadelphia Roll when we go there, since it’s a very smooth, creamy roll. I believe that the roll gets its name from the cream cheese, as Philadelphia cream cheese is a popular choice. So yummy!

philadelphia roll

Makes 36-48 pieces.

Ingredients
Cooking Directions
  1. Cook sushi rice.
  2. Slice the smoked salmon into thin strips, about 1/2 inch wide.
  3. Cut cream cheese into thin sticks, about 1 cm wide.
  4. Roll the sushi, using smoked salmon, and cream cheese as your fillings.
  5. Serve with shoyu, wasabi, green onion, and ginger if desired. Enjoy!

Categories
Other Recipes

Inari-zushi


Inari-zushi, topped with tamago and green onion

Inari-zushi is a packet of fried bean curd, filled with rice. It tastes better than it sounds, I swear! 🙂 This was the only type of sushi that I ate all throughout my childhood, up until I was a teenager. Children generally love inari-zushi, as can be seen by the abundance of names that kids have for them. A few names that my family had for it are soldier hats and footballs.


Inari-zushi, topped with tamago and green onion

We used to always get inari-zushi when we would go over to my Japanese grandmother’s house, especially on New Year’s. The New Year’s sushi is always the best – we preorder our sushi from this small sushi restaurant in the Japanese area near us, which always has the longest lines on New Year’s Eve! Then comes the wait. We always pick up our sushi on New Year’s Eve, since the sushi shop is closed on New Year’s Day. The boxes of sushi just sit there in our kitchen, tempting us, but we aren’t allowed to touch a single piece! It’s torture.


Inari-zushi, topped with tamago and green onion

New Year’s comes, and the whole family completely pigs out on sushi! Holidays are always a food fest in my family, eating first around lunch, then snacking all afternoon and eating again before we divvy up all the food between the relatives to take home. I can’t wait until New Year’s!


Inari-zushi, topped with tamago and green onion

Ingredients
Cooking Directions

Depending on the package of aburaáge you buy, it might or might not have a small package of sushi vinegar seasoning included. If it does, then you can cook rice and just stir it in thoroughly. If not, cook the sushi rice.


Sushi vinegar seasoning packet


Pouring the seasoning in the rice

Bring a pot of hot water to boiling.

In the package of aburaáge, you will find the aburage in a clear plastic package. Do not open this package. Put this package in the boiling water, and boil for 5 minutes.


Aburaáge in a clear plastic package


Putting the package of aburaáge in the pot of boiling water


Boiling the aburaáge packets

Remove the package from the boiling water, cool for a few minutes.


Removing the aburaáge packet from the boiling water

Cut open the package, being careful not to spill any of the juices in the package.


Cutting open the aburaáge packets


The aburaáge packets

For each piece of aburaáge, carefully open from the cut side, being careful not to tear it. Open as fully as possible, to make it easier to fill. BEWARE: the aburaáge will be hot!


A piece of aburaáge


Opening the aburage

Fill with sumeshi. I usually use a regular spoon to fill them, as it is easier to get the rice in this way.


Filling the aburaáge packet with sumeshi


Filling the aburaáge packet with sumeshi

We topped ours with tamago and green onion, but traditionally, they are plain or topped with sesame seeds.

Eat! You can eat them plain, or with shoyu.

Categories
Maki Recipes

Firecracker Roll

firecracker roll

This roll is like a little explosion in your mouth. Red bell pepper gives a little spicy crunch, while the cream cheese and cilantro cool it down.

It kind of reminds me of how the weather is right now here in Southern California. Just as it’s supposed to be cooling down, WAM a heat wave hits you!

A little excitement to spice up your November.

firecracker roll

Makes 6 rolls, or 36-48 pieces.

Ingredients
Cooking Directions
  1. Cook sushi rice.
  2. Slice the red bell pepper into thin strips, discarding the seeds.
  3. Cut cream cheese into thin sticks, about 1 cm wide.
  4. Wash cilantro, cut or tear into small pieces.
  5. Roll the sushi, using 2-3 slices of red bell pepper, about 3 sticks of cream cheese, and about 1/4 tsp cilantro as your fillings.
  6. Serve with salsa. Enjoy!

Categories
Maki Recipes

Crunchy Shrimp Roll

crunchy shrimp roll

I love, love, LOVE this roll! This is probably my favorite type of sushi ever.

I came up with this when I was making tempura shrimp for a different roll. I had some extra avocado from making California Rolls, and we had some leftover green onions from something I had made a few days before for Son.

If you like tempura shrimp, you will definitely love this roll.

Makes 6 rolls, or 36-48 slices.

Ingredients
Cooking Directions
  1. Cook sushi rice.
  2. Bake tempura shrimp as directed on the package. I used this tempura shrimp, but I’m sure other types, or even homemade tempura shrimp will work just fine. You can also fry the tempura shrimp if you choose, but baking it is healthier, and you can prepare other things (such as the sumeshi) while it’s baking.
  3. Cut tails off the tempura shrimp.
  4. Slice tempura shrimp in half lengthwise, set aside.
  5. Cut the avocado in half, discarding the pit.
  6. Cut off the hard skin and discard.
  7. Slice the avocado into thin sticks.
  8. Wash the green onion, cut the long green stalks off of the white bulb-like things. Discard the white bulbs.
  9. Roll the sushi, using one green onion stalk, several avocado sticks, and 2 1/2 slices of tempura shrimp as your fillings.
  10. Serve with shoyu, wasabi, and ginger if desired. Enjoy!

Categories
Maki Recipes

New Zealand Roll

new zealand roll

The New Zealand Roll is similar to the California Roll. The only differences are that the roll is made with the sumeshi on the outside and covered with kiwifruit slices.

New Zealand Roll

If you’re a fan of sweet/savory combinations, you’ll love this roll. The fruit on top adds just a hint of sweetness that goes excellently with the savory California roll.

New Zealand Roll

Makes 6 rolls, or 36-48 slices.

Ingredients
Cooking Directions
  1. Cook sushi rice.
  2. Mix imitation crab and mayonnaise, separating crab pieces and mashing into smaller pieces.
  3. Peel the skin off of the kiwi fruit, and slice into thin pieces.
  4. Spread the rice on the nori as usual.
  5. Flip the nori over so the rice is on the bottom and the nori is on the top.
  6. Place the imitation crab mix and avocado on the bottom edge of the nori.
  7. Roll tightly, making sure the rice doesn’t stick to the rolling mat.
  8. Once the sushi is rolled (with the rice on the outside), place the slices of kiwi fruit on the top of the sushi.
  9. Using the rolling mat, press the kiwi fruit into the inside-out California roll, so it doesn’t fall off of the roll.
  10. Carefully slice into six or eight slices.
  11. Garnish with sesame seeds, and serve with wasabi, shoyu, and ginger (if desired). Enjoy!