Going Japanese Workshop

Just like what the title says, I went Japanese yesterday.  No, not Japanese car workshop nor its a Japanese language workshop, though there were some lessons learned.  I went for the Japanese Sushi Workshop.  Thats right, the macho old me has learnt how to make sushi and handrolls.  This workshop organized by Flavours Magazine from Star Publications and sponsored by Ozeki Tokyo Cuisine restaurant and Hanabi Japanese restaurant was extremely exciting and informative.  It was 1 out of 3 workshops and I missed the 1st workshop which taught about normal sushi making.  The workshop I attended was about special hand roll sushis such as Volcano Sushi, Diamond Roll Sushi, Unagi Sushi and the most ever popular, California Roll.  Apart from having free lunch (you paid for it with the class actually) you get to do hands on in rolling the sushi.  Sushi much to many people's perspective is actually not about raw fish though you do have those ingredients in some of the sushi that you make.  That title belongs to Sashimi which in Japanese means raw fish (duh). 

I was amazed at how professional and how they detailed they are regarding preperation of the items.  The chef was Master Hitoshi Nikijima from Tokyo with 15 years of experience in his belt...well his apron and chef's hat.  He has won several cooking competition including the KL Gourmet Cuisine held in Kuala Lumpur recently and he is well versed in cooking French, Italian and German food too.   Well, to make sushi, one must at least know and have the following items.

1. Sushi rice - This is one of the most important ingredient in making sushi.  Without the rice, the rest of the items cannot sit in properly.  The rice is a special rice and there is a way of washing it, letting it set, cooking it and mixing the vinegar.  If you mix it wrongly the rice will be extremely sticky and not nice to eat.
2. Vinegar water - They even teach you how to make this coz this is the stuff which makes it sticky to the rice and non sticky to your hands.  Use this a lot when handling the sushi rice.
3. Seaweed - There are many types of dried seaweed.  One type you use it to boil with your rice and the other type you use to wrap the sushi rice with.  Seaweed must also be cut into different sizes for different rolls.  Hand rolls use smaller sized dried seaweed, California rolls uses the biggest and Temaki rolls uses the average size.
4. Bamboo Mat - This is one of the most important tool to make a sushi roll.  Need 2 for different type of roll and also non stick wrap one of it.
5. A very VERY sharp knife to cut and clean everything else.

Can't tell you everything right?  We were also taught how to differentiate the different types of fish from salmon, snapper, tuna and mackeral and the different flavours and color that it has to enrich and add color to your sushi.  Also avacado plays an important part in sush making too.  All I can say is, that its pretty easy to do and is very very nice to eat.  Can't wait for my next week's workshop which covers Miso Soup and Chawan Mushi.  Will let you know all how it turns out.  Until then..Arigato Gozaimasu!

Comments

[KasH]

Hi...
I am interested to learn about sushi as well,can you pass me the contact details. I'm in kl as well.

[Vinson]

No la, just interested in learning Japanese cuisine mah. And I bet it's a fun class too.

[Saiful]

Vinson dude. The classes were done for lar. There were 3 workshops but I only attended 2. The ones about making special handrolls and the other tempura and chawan mushi which I will blog later about it. Sushi handrolls are worth taking coz there's more tips and tricks learnt. So, out to impress your other half eh?

[Vinson]

Heyyyy wassup boss? Where's the sushi class held and how much is it? Sounds damn interesting!

[Lil' DeviL]

Hey...what laa...already learnt how to make sushi, still wanna go Sushi King...hampeh!

[Saiful]

Better still, I bring you to Sushi King and you spend me...muahahha.

[Lil' DeviL]

Yei!!! I LUV sushi! So, u can make sushi for me one day....yei!!!!