Sushi can be healthy — as long as you order with care. Tempura, loads of cream cheese, and extra sticky sauce packs on the calories, sodium, and saturated fat, which can leave you in a food coma and sabotage weight-loss goals. The five following orders keep things light and low in calories, but most importantly, satisfying.
Is sushi one of those things you're more likely to leave to the pros? If so, you're missing out, because homemade sushi's not nearly as hard as everyone makes it out to be. Cut your teeth with a California roll, then start experimenting with different fillings; we'll show you our foolproof techniques for everything from seasoning and fanning rice to rolling both basic and inside-out rolls. On Brandi: Closed Top and jewelry by Edward Avedis.
Who says raw vegetables can't pack plenty of flavor? This vegetable sushi roll, made with creamy avocado and crunchy cucumber and carrots, has two secret ingredients: gomasio and umeboshi paste. Gomasio literally means "sesame salt" in Japanese. This condiment is sprinkled onto Asian cuisine like salt and is made from crushed, toasted sesame seeds and salt. Unlike salt, which only adds one dimension of flavor to a dish, gomasio gives food a nutty, roasted quality. Just be sure to keep your bottle in the fridge, because sesame seeds go rancid quickly, and nothing is worse than ruining a dish with rancid seasoning!
Also contributing to the saltiness of the sushi is umeboshi paste, or pureed, pickled Japanese plums. What does this bright purple paste taste like, you might be wondering? Umeboshi paste is at once extremely salty and full of savory umami flavor (the Western equivalent, in terms of texture and flavor, would be concentrated bouillon paste). Even just 1/4 of a teaspoon of umeboshi paste smeared on a sushi roll will give the sushi sufficient seasoning, so much so that you probably won't be tempted to dip the roll in a dish of soy sauce.
To see how this simple vegetable sushi roll is constructed, keep reading for the recipe.
Whether I'm ordering in or taking out with friends, sushi always has a home at my table. It seems like a light option, but if you're not being mindful, this tasty Japanese cuisine can really lay on the calories and sodium. Luckily, there are plenty of delicious ways to eat healthier at your favorite sushi spot.
Keep reading for four more healthy sushi tips.
If your lil one is a big fan of sushi, then this snack is perfect for you! Spring roll wrappers keep everything in place and are much easier to work with than you would think. We've loaded our rolls with healthy doses of fresh avocado, carrot, and cucumber, but you can add whatever you like. Better yet, invite the kids into the kitchen to tailor their rolls to their individual tastes. Add dipping sauce and some chopsticks, and you're ready for an awesome snack!
Recently we had the chance to preview the Magnolia Pictures documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi, a portrait of 85-year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the greatest sushi chef in the world. Despite missing the first 20 minutes (you aren't going to believe us, but we were coming late from a sushi dinner!), the film was a stunner.
On top of the movie's haute cinematography and touching score, we learned a number of fascinating facts about sushi that, even as avid raw fish eaters, we were surprised to learn. Do you know what temperature sushi should be served at, or when the California roll was invented? Learn some interesting tidbits about the movie, which is out March 9, when you keep reading.
There's no food more beloved by seafood lovers than sushi. The Japanese treat is low-fat, filling, and adorably bite-size. But unless you were raised with chopsticks in one hand and a bento box in the other, the world of rice rolls can be a bit trying to navigate.
If you aren't fluent in sushi-speak, there's no need to worry. We've compiled a go-to glossary that'll help you keep everything straight. In Japan, many traditional sushi bars don't even have menus, but here are some terms you might come across when dining at one in the States.
To learn more about the different types of maki, read more.
Source: Flickr User daisybush
The best known sushi plate may be Samantha Jones from Sex and the City, but the practice goes way back in Japan, having its own name nyotaimori (female plates) and nantaimori (male plates). Even so, it is not commonplace or even socially acceptable, happening mostly in sex clubs and at gatherings for organized criminals.
Today photos of human sushi platters are floating around, bringing the age-old tradition front and center. Besides the obvious eroticism, why would anyone want to eat off a naked human. Find out below.
