In our mini-series of Japanese Cooking 101 in Kyoto, we are going to different stores from traditional to trendy, and show you a glimpse of the culinary scene of Kyoto in 2023. After we tasted delicious food at stores, we tried to recreate those dishes, not exactly but more in our own way, at home in Kyoto. We hope you enjoy our Japanese Cooking 101 food in a little different setting from our regular videos.
This episode is Salmon Sushi. Raw salmon has become more popular than ever today in Japan. But Salmon was not supposed to be eaten raw there only a couple of decades ago because of concerns over parasites. As technology has moved forward and appropriate kinds of imported salmon are now available, raw salmon has become a popular ingredient in the Sushi industry, especially at revolving Sushi shops. Now salmon Sushi is everyone’s favorite, and ours!
We went to get some Sushi at “Musashi” in Kyoto, one of the oldest revolving Sushi restaurants in the area. They have been in business since 1977. Musashi is a small chain of stores inside Kyoto, and we chose the one in the middle of the city, on busy Kawaramachi street. We found the Salmon Sushi especially tasty there. They have salmon Nigiri Sushi (Sushi pieces) topped with sliced onion. Onion helps cutting salmon’s fishy smell, and adds a complementing crispy texture to the fish. Japanese mayonnaise is also often used for Salmon Sushi. If you’ve never had it, it may sound strange, but the combination works very well. At the restaurant, they also have salmon rolls. These rolls have salmon and cucumber inside, and covered with sesame seeds. No cream cheese, but simply salmon, cucumber and sesame seeds. So fresh and delicious.
Now we had decided what kind of Sushi to make at home. Salmon Nigiri Sushi with sliced onion (with mayo and Ponzu sauce) and salmon and cucumber rolls. We think they are pretty simple to make in a home kitchen. Getting ingredients from stores may be the hardest thing for you. Make sure you get Sashimi-grade salmon, not just any raw salmon. After you do that, watch our video, and start making them! You will have wonderful Salmon Sushi right at your home. And no travel involved!
Salmon Sushi
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Ingredients
Onion Salmon Sushi
- 6 oz raw salmon (a block or sliced) Sashimi grade
- 1/4 onion very thinly sliced
- 2 green onion
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 cup Sushi Rice
- Katsuo dried bonito flakes
- Ponzu Sauce
- Japanese mayonnaise
Salmon Sushi Roll
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 cup Sushi Rice about 200g
- 1 sheet Nori roasted seaweed about 8" square (20 cm)
- 3 oz raw salmon (block) Sashimi grade
- 1 Japanese cucumber
Instructions
- Make Onion Salmon Sushi. If using a block of salmon, slice thinly to get 12 pieces. Slice onion very thinly. Chop green onion finely. Have Sushi Rice ready to use.
- Mix 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup water in a small bowl. Lightly wet or dampen hands with the vinegar mixture, and take a golf ball size piece of Sushi rice (about 2/3 oz or 20 g). Form into an oblong shape. Repeat to make 12 pieces. Top each rice ball with a slice of salmon.
- Put sliced onion and Katsuobushi bonito flakes on the salmon, and drizzle with Ponzu Sauce. For another variation, put onion on the salmon, squeeze on some mayo, and top with chopped green onion, then serve with soy sauce.
- Make Salmon Sushi Roll. Cut salmon into pieces 1/2" (1 cm) thick and 8" (20cm) long. Cut cucumber into 1/4" (0.5 cm) thick pieces and the same length as the salmon, cutting out seeds. (It's OK not to have one 8" long piece, just add pieces together to make the total length.) Have Sushi Rice ready to use.
- Put a bamboo sushi rolling mat flat on your work surface with the bamboo slats left to right, so you can roll the mat away from you. Put plastic wrap on the sushi mat, and place a sheet of Nori roasted seaweed on the plastic. Spread the Sushi Rice on the seaweed, and sprinkle sesame seeds on the rice. Pick up the seaweed and rice and turn over, rice side down on the plastic.
- On the Nori seaweed, put a strip of salmon and 2 long pieces of cucumber horizontally, leaving 1" (2.5 cm) room on the Nori seaweed near you. Roll and tighten firmly with the rolling mat to make a log. Cut into 8 pieces.
Video
