International Sushi day!

The "official days" to celebrate food are endless!! It's a Foodies DREAM! 

Today?

It's sushi!

A surprising indulgence for a Food Safety professional!! Sounds a little fishy, right? (yeah, my wife didn't think it was funny either)
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​​I know what you’re thinking. “But That Food Safety Guy, you said I need to cook my fish to 145F and never consume raw meat.” You are right. There is an inherent risk to consuming raw product, whatever it may be. I stand by that and if you are very young, very old, pregnant or have an immunodeficiency DO NOT EAT ANY RAW PRODUCT.

But wait!

There are some raw items though that bring people great joy. With a little forethought and care you can lower those risks. A nice crisp garden salad and raw cookie dough are 2 great examples. They are loved by many, not me mind you but… if you're a healthy individual and willing to accept the risk, enjoy!

let's talk sushi... 

After all, it's the official day to celebrate and indulge, right?

​A great deal of skill and training goes into being a Sushi Chef. I strongly suggest leaving it to the professionals, but if you're going to make sushi at home you will want to adhere to these basic principles. First, get your fish from a reliable source. This is a good idea for any product but extremely important here. This will ensure that the product is what you think you are paying for (There is a lot of food fraud when it comes to fish, but that is a post for another time…). This will also make sure you are getting the proper quality of fish.

Do not just go to the grocer and grab any piece of fish. Ask for sashimi grade fish fillets. Fillets will slice better than steaks. Sashimi grade fish is flash frozen at the point of harvest and must stay that way until ready for use. Flash freezing and keeping it frozen for an extended period of time kills the worms and parasites in the fish. Thaw the fish in the refrigerator. Inspect the fish for any worms. Yes, if it was't properly frozen and there are worms, you will see them. The flesh should be tight and not have a fishy smell. If this is all good let’s look at your rice.
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A great deal of care needs to go into your rice. Improperly prepared rice can cause illness because of the bacteria Bacillus cereus. Don’t skip on the acidification step with vinegar. This will kill the bacteria and give the rice the flavor and texture that you are expecting. I have included a recipe below.

​When preparing your sushi, make sure all of your tools are cleaned and your knives are sharp. Wash your hands thoroughly. Prepare a hand dip bowl for use while stacking and rolling your sushi. Combine 8oz of clean water with 3 tablespoons of vinegar. This will limit cross-contamination and keep the rice from sticking to your fingers.

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Now get creative and enjoy.

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As for me? I will leave the sushi making to the professionals. Hope to catch you at one of my favorite spots, probably Robata’s.

Sláinte
That Food Safety Guy, James  

Sushi Rice Preparation

SUSHI RICE
Sushi rice is made by cooking a super premium grade Japanese short grain white rice or medium-grain California rice.  Both can be found at your local grocer. It's typically mixed (while it is still hot) with a rice vinegar, sugar and salt mixture while at the same time fanning it to cool it off.

Sushi rice must be washed with cold water prior to cooking to remove any bran compounds or powder. As you agitate the rice, the water will turn cloudy. Rinse until water is clear. If you fail to do this, your rice may be too sticky and smelly.

Sushi rice recipe
This makes enough rice to make sushi rolls for a family of four – all hearty eaters.

Rice
3 cups sushi rice (before cooking)
3 ¼ cups water
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Add to the rice maker and set the time to begin cooking.
When rice is done cooking, prepare the sushi rice vinegar mix. This is what gives sushi rice its distinctive taste.
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Rice vinegar mixture
1/3 cup rice vinegar
3 tbsp sugar

Place rice vinegar and sugar into a small sauce pan.  Over low heat mix until the sugar dissolves. Let the mixture cool.

While your rice is still hot, move it to a large wooden bowl. 

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Take vinegar mixture and sprinkle it lightly in small amounts over the rice, making horizontal and then vertical cutting motions across the rice. This gives each rice grain a chance to be coated by the vinegar mixture. 

​Don’t pour the liquid on the rice or it’ll clump into big balls of rice, which you don’t want.  If you like, use a small hand-held fan or piece of newspaper to fan the rice as it cools.  When all of the vinegar mixture is cut into the rice, the rice should be sticky and shiny, and slightly cooled – not hot or cold. If your rice is too hot when assembling your sushi, it will become rubbery on the nori, according to Danielle Edmonds. Once your rice has cooled off a bit, it’s ready for making sushi. It’s best to use your sushi rice right away.  (Refrigerating sushi rice makes it hard.)

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