Sushi at Home

One of my favorite healthy foods to eat is sushi. There are plenty of mediocre sushi places in the Bay Area of all price ranges. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely top notch sushi restaurants that offer exceptional quality and variety, but it will cost you about $40+ per person if you really indulge.

Customizing your sushi rolls at home is easy, especially if you have access to fresh sushi grade fish. Two great places to get sushi grade fish is Berkeley Bowl and Tokyo Fish Market, which are both located in Berkeley. Because I needed other items at the store, I decided to walk to Berkeley Bowl for my sushi items. Berkeley Bowl usually only carries sushi grade fish in a couple of fish types: tuna (today: ahi and albacore), salmon and yellow tail. They are all fresh and tasty. Next time I will go to Tokyo Fish Market for a wider selection.

The cost of the fish was about $6 1/2 lb of Hawaiian Albacore Tuna and $4.50 for a 1/2 lb of king salmon. The veggies, rice, nori, wasabi all proportionally cost about $7. This is an inexpensive way to enjoy sushi they way you like it for under $20. Remember to buy sushi grade fish and consume at your own risk! Sushi Rice courtesy of Alton Brown.


The following Sushi Rice recipe courtesy of Alton Brown and Food Network.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sushi or short grain rice
• 2 cups water, plus extra for rinsing rice
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Directions:

Wash a rice two or three times and cook in rice cooker (short grain rice is usually 1 cup of rice to 1 and 1/4 cup of water).

Combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and heat in the microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer the rice into a large wooden or glass mixing bowl and add the vinegar mixture. Fold thoroughly to combine and coat each grain of rice with the mixture. Allow to cool to room temperature before using to make sushi or sashimi