Sushi For Dummies
Book image
Explore Book Buy On Amazon

When making sushi, your well-washed, moist hands are the best tools you have for shaping the pieces. You may need a few other tools to shape sushi, depending on the type of sushi you plan to make:

  • Bamboo rolling mat: A bamboo mat is the one piece of equipment you can’t fake. Mats consist of thin strips of bamboo (about 1/16- to 1/8-inch wide) tied together with cotton string. They come in several sizes, but most are about 9 1/2 inches square. If your mat has a flat side (usually green), use it flat-side up. If it’s knotted together at only one end, always lay it down with the knots on the end farthest away from you.

    You can purchase mats at larger grocery stores, kitchenware shops, Japanese and Asian markets, and online.

  • Finger sushi mold: Skilled sushi chefs would die rather than get caught using a plastic mold — it’s too slow and not so chic. But for beginners, these plastic finger molds are a nifty way to get the shape you want.

  • Pressed sushi mold: Pressed sushi molds used to be made only out of wood. The newer plastic pressed sushi molds are easy to use and clean. They’re sold with and without knife grooves in the side.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book authors:

Mineko Takane Moreno, born and raised in Tokyo, received her degree in French literature. Her love of food has inspired a lifelong education in many cuisines, including Japanese, Chinese, French, and Italian. Moving to San Diego in 1973, she began teaching Japanese cuisine, with a specialty in sushi. She currently teaches dozens of sushi classes a year at seven culinary schools, including Macy’s, Williams-Sonoma, and Sur la Table. Mineko consults with restaurants wishing to put sushi and other specialties on their menu. Her culinary work has been featured in numerous print publications and on television and radio shows. She is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Judi Strada has a bachelor’s degree in Russian studies, which led her to study other cultures through their foods. She was the food consultant and spokesperson for The Sheraton World Cookbook and The Culinary Festival Cookbook and coauthor of The Best of San Diego. She is a frequent cooking guest on television and radio shows on both coas ts. Judi, an award-winning writer, is currently food editor of San Diego Magazine; kitchen garden editor of Garden Compass Magazine; and a member of the Authors Guild, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the International Association of Culinary Professionals, and the James Beard Foundation. She is founding president of Les Dames d’Escoffier, San Diego.

This article can be found in the category: