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Maki Recipes TikTok YouTube

French Flag Kazari Sushi

I love traveling.

I hate trying to find shoes for traveling.

Does anyone else have this problem? I feel like you can never find the perfect pair of shoes for a trip because when you’re traveling, you’re walking so much more than you do in day-to-day life. So the shoes that work for everyday stuff don’t work for traveling.

Used to be, I wanted cute shoes because you know, we all want those cute travel photos.

I’ve given up on that. I’ve entirely given up on that.

These days, I just want shoes that will not make my feet cramp, will not give me blisters, will not make my calves cramp.

And do you realize how impossible that is?!

I’ve also discovered that apparently my feet are slightly different sizes, which has never bothered me in day-to-day stuff, but when it comes to finding shoes that won’t give you blisters, but then one shoe does and one shoe doesn’t because you can’t find the right fit… Yeah, it’s a challenge.

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Maki Recipes TikTok YouTube

Japanese Flag Sushi

If I had to choose one thing to import from Japanese culture into American culture, it would be the konbini.

Konbini, or Japanese convenience stores – which, you think 7-11, and they do have 7-11 konbinis in Japan, but the difference is, in Japan, you can go to a 7-11, you can get a full meal. It will be a healthy meal. And if you choose sushi, you don’t have to worry that it’ll kill you.

But seriously, every time we go to Japan, which we’ve been three times already, we can easily live off of konbini.

We actually have because we were working from Japan one time and every day we would just go get a bunch of food from the konbini and bring it back to our place and work, but the onigiri, the egg salad sandwiches… oh my gosh, the egg salad sandwiches. All of the food in the konbini are just so good.

And you know, it’s saying something because Japan in general has amazing food and yet the konbinis stand out.

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Maki Recipes TikTok YouTube

Seven Treasures Roll

What do you treasure in life – aside from living beings because you know, we all treasure our parents, our friends, our partner, our pets… but what are the things in life that you treasure?

For me… I treasure peace and quiet.

I treasure snuggly blankets.

I treasure the internet because it can be a trash fire at times but it gives me a way to express myself without really having to, you know, deal with people.

I treasure good food, obviously.

I treasure dancing. I’ve danced all my life and it’s something that even to this day really lights me up inside.

I treasure fuzzy socks. You can probably find me year-round wearing fuzzy socks, I love them so much.

And I treasure books with satisfyingly happy endings.

What do you treasure?

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Maki Recipes Sushi YouTube

Currywurst sushi

It’s October, which means Oktoberfest! (At least, it was when we recorded this video – Oktoberfest actually started in late September, and ended two days ago!)

Regardless of timing, Oktoberfest means beer… which seems a bit difficult to put in sushi. So we’re going with the next best thing – currywurst!

So how did currywurst work in sushi? You’ll have to watch the video to find out! But let’s just say… definitely not in my top 5.

Currywurst sushi on a smear of curry sauce

You may have also noticed a new tool in the sushi kitchen! I got a plastic rolling mat from Daiso a few weeks ago, and this was my first chance to try it out.

I like it so far – it’s easy to clean, I don’t have to waste plastic every time I roll sushi, and it seems to work as well as a bamboo mat. However, I’m still holding off on passing judgement – gotta see how it holds up to weeks and months of sushi-making before I can officially recommend it!

Today’s Question of the Day: What is your favorite kind of beer?

Currywurst sushi

Currywurst recipe from The Kitchen Maus

Makes 1 roll

Ingredients
  • 1 sheet nori
  • 1/2 cup sumeshi
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/16 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • dash cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp beef broth
  • 1/2 tbsp water
  • 1 bratwurst
  • 1/4 cup saeurkraut
Cooking Directions
  1. Cook sushi rice.
  2. Put the ketchup in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until ketchup is warmed through.
  3. Add the baking soda, stirring constantly. It will foam, then subside. Keep stirring until it looks like normal ketchup again.
  4. Reduce heat to low. Add the remaining spices, then the worcestershire sauce, broth, and water. Simmer 10 minutes, until sauce thickens.
  5. Pan-fry the bratwurst over medium heat until browned on all sides. Add 1/8 cup of water and cover the pan. Let cook another 10 minutes.
  6. Remove from pan, and slice the bratwurst into quarters, lengthwise.
  7. With a bamboo rolling mat (or a plastic rolling mat, as seen in the video!), roll the sushi inside-out, using the bratwurst and saeurkraut as your fillings.
  8. Slice the sushi, top with the curry sauce, and enjoy!

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Maki Recipes

Spicy Tofu Roll

I’ve been a big fan of Marisa Baggett for quite some time now. (We sushi ladies stick together!) I loved her first book, Sushi Secrets – so when I heard she was coming out with a second, vegetarian sushi cookbook… I was definitely excited.

Then she reached out to me about a year ago, asking if I’d write a foreword for her upcoming cookbook. I was flabbergasted. Marisa Baggett, southern sushi chef extraordinaire, wants me, maker of the most random sushi and owner of a more or less defunct sushi blog, to write something for her cookbook?! This woman had Trevor Corson write the foreword for her last cookbook. I was certain she’d made a mistake, perhaps she meant to ask someone else?

But no – she really did mean to ask me.

And today, nearly a year later, I can officially say I’m a published author (I swear this counts… sort of…), because today is the release date of Vegetarian Sushi Secrets!!!

(Can you tell I’m all sorts of excited?)

And seeing as not only did I contribute a foreword to the book, but also that I am a sushi blogger (ignore the fact that I haven’t blogged in ages), of course I had to try out some recipes from her book to celebrate!

As a matter of fact, I tried three recipes. Her Faux Roe “Boats” are a fun vegetarian take on fish roe gunkan maki! Her Clear Soup with Pumpkin Dumplings was delicious and easy to make, and perfect for these cooler autumn days – you can find that recipe over on the Fridgg Blog.

But my absolute favorite recipe that I tried from Vegetarian Sushi Secrets is her Spicy Tofu Roll.

To say Son and I loved this roll would be to put it mildly. It would be more accurate to say we’re obsessed, we’re addicted, we couldn’t stop going back for more.

Now I must warn you – there’s a good reason this is called a Spicy Tofu Roll. One piece had me sprinting for a glass of water, then following it with a glass of milk to try to cool my flaming mouth. (Although, yes, I am a bit of a spice wimp. But in my defense, Son thought it was pretty spicy too.)

But despite all that (or perhaps because of it), I couldn’t.stop.eating them. The flavor combination is exactly on point (and trust me – even though it makes it even spicier, you must top each piece with a bit of curry mayonnaise!), and the textures of the ingredients complemented each other perfectly. Next time I’m quadrupling the batch, because Son and I demolished the rolls I made.

And the ultimate complement? Of all the sushi recipes I’ve ever posted on Sushi Day, there are only a few that end up on the annual New Year’s Day sushi rotation: I make a bunch of bacon crunchy shrimp rolls, a few kyoto rolls, plenty of spicy shrimp inari, and just a couple of kappa maki. But despite the fact that my mom’s generation of my family really, really doesn’t do spicy, these Spicy Tofu Rolls are definitely going in this year’s sushi rotation – even if the younger generation are the only ones brave enough to eat it!

Spicy tofu roll

Recipe from Vegetarian Sushi Secrets by Marisa Baggett, out today!

Ingredients
Cooking Directions
  1. Mix together the tofu, green onion, orange juice, fresh orange zest, togarashi, dark sesame oil, and garlic chili paste. Add salt, to taste.
  2. Place a 4×7-in (10×18-cm) sheet of nori vertically on a bamboo rolling mat. Make sure that the short end is parallel to the bottom of the mat and that the rough side is facing upwards.
  3. Dip your fingertips lightly in cool water and spread about 3/4 cup (150 g) of the sushi rice evenly over the bottom 3/4 of the nori.
  4. Spread 2 1/2 tablespoons of the spicy tofu mixture horizontally across the center of the rice. Place 1 avocado wedge on top of the spicy tofu. Top with 1/4 of the carrots.
  5. Wet your fingertips again and slide your thumbs underneath the mat while grasping the fillings with all other fingertips. Roll the bottom of the mat just over the fillings, tucking the fillings tightly under the fold. (Do not allow the mat to get stuck inside the roll!)
  6. Lift the edge of the mat. Continue rolling until the roll is complete and the seam is facing down. Gently shape the roll by pressing your forefingers on top of the mat while simultaneously pressing your thumbs and middle fingers on the sides.
  7. Allow the roll to rest seam-side down on a cutting board for at least 2 minutes. Repeat steps to make 3 more rolls.
  8. To cut the rolls, dip the blade of a very sharp knife in water. Use a swift sawing motion to cut each roll into 5 pieces. Dollop curry mayonnaise on each piece and top with faux roe before serving.

I received a copy of this cookbook for free, as well as provided a foreword for the cookbook. Links in this post may be affiliate links.

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Maki Recipes

Spicy Mushroom Inari

Every few months, Son and I go out to eat KBBQ with some of his old coworkers. Charred meat, a huge variety of banchan, your clothes smelling like KBBQ all the way home… what’s not to love? Unless, of course, you’re the one vegetarian of the group, who always gets stuck in the corner, marinating in meat smoke while noshing on whatever meatless dishes the restaurant happens to serve.

Mushroom inari

To make up for that, every time we have a potluck, I try to make some hearty, delicious meatless dishes that our token vegetarian can enjoy. Especially when he’s the one hosting – it just seems so wrong to bring a meaty dish to a vegetarian’s house.

Mushroom inari

One of the sushi recipes that I make most often for potlucks and at home is my Spicy Shrimp Inari. It’s simple and delicious… and, as it turns out, seriously easy to convert to vegetarian! Now, this new mushroom inari recipe, along with my Vegan Sushi, are my go-to recipes when I know vegetarians or vegans will be present. Both are easy to make, and both are delicious enough that even serious carnivores love them!

Mushroom inari

Spicy Mushroom Inari

Ingredients
  • 1 package aburaage (inari pouches)
  • 3 cups sumeshi
  • 1 whole portabello mushroom, or a few shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise (use vegan mayo to make these vegan)
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce
  • 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
Cooking Directions
  1. Cook sushi rice.
  2. Slice the mushrooms into long slices, then cut each slice in half if needed.
  3. Sauté the mushroom slices in the sesame oil until softened and brown.
  4. Prepare the inari pouches according to the directions on the package. (Some require no preparation, while some say you should boil the pouch of inari for a few minutes before using them.)
  5. Mix the mayonnaise and Sriracha sauce until well blended.
  6. Stuff each pouch of inari with about 1/4 cup of rice.
  7. Lay a piece of mushroom on top of each stuffed inari.
  8. Drizzle a little spicy mayonnaise over the mushroom.
  9. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the sauce.
  10. Enjoy!

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Maki Recipes

Vegan Sushi


Vegetarian sushi

I love to cook for others. Like, really, really love making sushi for other people.

In a perfect world, I’d be allowed to experiment and have as much freedom coming up with new rolls as I do here on Sushi Day. But this isn’t a perfect world, and not everyone will eat all the random rolls I put together (and, to be honest, not everything I attempt comes out well…). And I’m okay with that.

These days, there are a lot of things you have to take into account when making sushi for other people, like if you’re going to a potluck. While my Spicy Shrimp Inari is always a crowd pleaser, you know there are always a few picky eaters: “I don’t eat seafood… at all.” (Hence my Man Sushi… trust me, that’ll convince any meat eater that sushi’s actually delicious!)

Then there are those with allergies – gluten-free? Just stay away from tempura. (And bring some wheat-free tamari soy sauce… did you know that most normal soy sauce actually has wheat products in it?) Dairy-free? Okay, no rolls with cream-cheese.


Sushi for the potluck

And, of course, you have those with other dietary restrictions, like vegetarians and vegans. At the most recent potluck I went to, I knew we’d have a few vegetarian/vegan attendees. So in addition to the other sushi dishes that I brought, I decided to come up with a vegetarian roll.

Obviously, I was going to use primarily vegetables in the roll. I considered using tofu, but decided against it since I didn’t think there would be a quick, easy way to make tofu taste good in sushi. (I needed something that wouldn’t be too time-consuming, since I was making four dishes that morning for the potluck.) I also couldn’t resort to tempura-frying the veggies, since tempura isn’t vegan – the batter uses egg. For the same reason, no mayonnaise is allowed either.

But it had to be a delicious, somehow interesting roll. It just wouldn’t be right to make delicious rolls for my meat-eating friends, and then bring a boring, “blah” roll for my vegan friends. So I had to come up with something so good even the meat-eaters would love it.

“Asparagus… roasted. Obviously. I love roasted asparagus.”

“Onions… sauteed? Nah, I want a texture contrast. How about fried? Yeah, I’ll need to heat up oil to fry the Arctic Char and Cream Cheese Wontons, so I can just fry up a bunch of thinly-sliced onions before I start the wontons.”

“What else… what would go well with asparagus and onions? Hm. How about carrots? Yeah, carrots would be good. But I don’t want to just roast them. I’m already roasting the asparagus; another plain roasted vegetable would be boring. Oooh, what if I glaze them with a little maple syrup? That would add a nice sweetness that should round out the roll.”

So how did it turn out? According to my veg(etari)an (as well as my omnivorous) friends, this fish-less, meat-less roll was a grand success. So much so, that it has definitely earned a place in my regular potluck menu. ^_^


Vegetarian sushi

Ingredients
  • 6 sheets nori
  • 3 cups sumeshi
  • 1 bunch asparagus, with ends chopped off
  • 1 bunch of carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch sticks
  • 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • canola oil, for frying
Cooking Directions
  1. Cook sushi rice.
  2. Preheat oven to 400° F
  3. Toss the asparagus with 1 tbsp olive oil and the salt. Spread out on a baking sheet.
  4. Toss the carrot sticks with the maple syrup and remaining olive oil. Spread out on a separate baking sheet.
  5. Roast the asparagus and carrots until the asparagus starts to brown, about 1 hour.
  6. Deep fry the onion slices in the canola oil until crispy. Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with salt.
  7. Roll the sushi, using the roasted asparagus, maple-roasted carrots, and fried onions for your fillings.
  8. Enjoy!

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Maki Recipes

Man Sushi


Tempura vegetables

Question: What do you do when you’re tasked with making sushi for a group of friends, but one of your male friends has never eaten sushi and refuses to try raw fish?

Easy: MAN SUSHI. (Just imagine I’m saying that in a deep, “manly” voice.)


Putting the roll together

But what on earth is “Man Sushi”?

Well, what sort of food does your stereotypical man love? That’s an easy one: beef, and anything battered and fried. Of course.


Adding mayonnaise

All you have to do is put grilled beef teriyaki and tempura-fried vegetables in a sushi roll, (and throw in some spicy mayonnaise for good measure), and you’ll have a roll that your man will not only try, but will still be talking about a year later.



MAN SUSHI!



Case in point, I visited some friends of mine in Las Vegas in spring of 2010, and somehow got roped into making sushi for everyone. In addition to my ever-popular Spicy Shrimp Inari and a variation on the Refugee from Reality Roll, I had them grill up some beef teriyaki (from this recipe) and I fried up some tempura vegetables for this roll.

Over a year later, my friend tells me that her male roommate still talks about this roll. (And the rest of us are still shocked that we managed to convince him to even try sushi!)



Mission successful. ^_^ (And don’t worry, women love it too!)


Rolling...

Important Points of Business:

  1. Japan still needs your help! Tara, a food blogger/writer of whom I’m a huge fan, wrote a book about her time living in Japan. All proceeds go to Japan relief funds. She’s an awesome writer, so I highly recommend buying her book.
  2. Congratulations to Lara, who won last week’s Good Fish cookbook giveaway!
  3. And lastly… I’m going to be speaking at BlogWorld Los Angeles this November!!! I’ll be giving two presentations – one will consist of me developing a WordPress theme from start to finish, live in front of the attendees, and the other will be all about microformats and Google’s Recipe View. If you want to attend BlogWorld Los Angeles, and maybe even come see me speak, you can buy tickets here, and you can use the code BWELA20 to get 20% off.


Sushi!

Ingredients
  • 6 sheets nori
  • 3 cups sumeshi
  • top sirloin (get as much as you want. Although you probably only need about half a pound for the sushi, you probably will want to eat some straight off the BBQ since it’s so good!)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup shoyu
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
  • 1/8 tsp grated ginger
  • 2 batches tempura batter
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 onion, sliced thickly
  • 1 bunch asparagus, with ends chopped off
  • 1 sweet potato, sliced into 1/2-inch sticks
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • Sriracha sauce, to taste
Cooking Directions
  1. Mix the sugar, water, shoyu, garlic, and ginger in a large bowl.
  2. Remove as much fat as you can from the meat, and slice the meat across the grain into thin strips that are about 1.5 inches wide and 1/8 inch thick. Try to make these strips long, if possible.
  3. Place the meat in the marinade, and refrigerate overnight (or at least 1 hour), mixing every now and then so the all the meat gets marinated on all sides.
  4. Weave the meat onto skewers, and spread it so it is flat. If the strip of meat is short, put two or three strips of meat on the skewer. Discard the marinade.
  5. Barbecue the meat until it is well cooked. Remove the skewers from the meat.
  6. Cook sushi rice.
  7. Coat the sliced vegetables in flour, then in the tempura batter, and tempura-fry until golden-brown.
  8. Mix the mayonnaise and Sriracha sauce, to taste, and transfer to a squeeze bottle (or a plastic baggie with one of the tips cut off).
  9. Roll the sushi, using the beef teriyaki, tempura vegetables, and spicy mayonnaise for your fillings.
  10. Enjoy!

Categories
Maki Recipes

Porki Maki

Pork belly.

It’s kind of like bacon, right? Except… better. If that’s even possible.

Pork belly roll

And we all know how I feel about bacon in sushi.

So pork belly in sushi? It’s the natural progression. Obviously.

Pork belly roll

Porki Maki

Ingredients
Cooking Directions
  1. Cook pork belly. (This needs at least 6 hours of marination and 2 hours of cooking, so prepare ahead.)
  2. Cook sumeshi.
  3. Thinly slice the pork belly, then cut each slice in half lengthwise.
  4. Roll the sushi, using the pork belly, green onion, and wasabi (to taste) as the fillings.
  5. Enjoy!