In the last two decades, sushi, the Japanese art of serving raw fish with rice and seaweed paper, has gone from exotic to ordinary. It is no longer is the cuisine of adventurous eaters or gourmands but rather the food of the everyday man. Making sushi at home many seem intimidating at first but, with some useful advice and the right tools, it's a meal where the whole family can be involved. My rule of thumb is if you have never prepared sushi before, start with vegetable rolls, like the avocado, because you can familiarize and practice your technique without the stress of spoiling an expensive cut of fish. Moreover, veggie rolls help build confidence so that when the time comes, you will not be afraid to take on salmon, ahi tuna, or albacore.
This version of the avocado rolls serves the rice on the outside, known as Uramaki, with the seaweed wrapped around the avocado. For those who are wary of eating sushi, this is a good roll to start off with not only because the sushi is somewhat hidden but the flavors are mild. You can certainly build on this roll by adding an assortment of other brightly colored vegetables like carrots, red pepper, cucumber. You can even include a crab salad (lump crab meat mixed with some mayonnaise, a squeeze of lemon and salt and pepper) to create a California roll. Depending on my mood, I sometimes like to serve avocado rolls with soy paper instead of nori (seaweed).
It's important to note that whenever cooking anything, whether it be sushi or spaghetti, remember to always use a sharp knife. A sharp knife can slice through sushi rolls easily without snagging or tearing the fish, vegetables, or seaweed. A heavy duty chef's knife or santoku knife will work well. Also, do not forget to serve your avocado rolls with classic sushi condiments. When serving, have a tray ready with a low sodium soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi or horseradish. Watch the video below to learn how to make these easy avocado rolls in your own kitchen.
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