lhonda
02-24-2006, 03:03 PM
Hey man,
This was rejected by the PM system as 'too long', so I post here.
A few chicks you need to impress? Boy have you got your work cut out for you! ;c) Kidding aside, sure I can help. All you'll really need to do is jump onto your trusty steed and head to Cambridge/Somerville. Between Reliable market in Somerville (Inman Sq.) and either Yoshinoya or Kotobukiya in Cambridge (Y is in Central Sq. on Prospect and K is in Porter Sq. on MA Ave) you'll have your problems solved. All three places normally carry all you need. You'll probably pay a bit for the fish, but the rest wil be easy.
The one thing I'll 'warn' you about is the help at Reliable. IF the people there even speak English, they'll probably not be too much help to you, as the Koreans there (all stereotypes aside!) can sometimes be an abrasive and unhelpful lot. At any rate, they have there a ton of Japanese goods that you can use, and while I don't recall if I've seen tobiko there, my guess is that I can say with relative certainty that they probably do.
You may be aware of it already, but you should if at all possible use RICE vinegar--not plain jane white vinegar-- when making sushi rice, and it's best if you use just made, steaming fresh sushi rice. Take it out of the cooker (or pot) and place it in a wide platter or deep bowl (like a low-rimmed family salad bowl. Now use a fan and vigorously cool it down, waving off the steam, and flipping with the rice paddle. I usually cheat and use an electric fan, but traditionally one you wave manually is used. In any event, cool it off at least to room temps.
As far as rice brands: you can get fancy and use some high-end rice designed specifically for sushi, but very frankly, the palate of most people, I mean the VAST majority, can't tell the difference, and this includes a great deal of Japanese people. At home, my wife (who is a Japanese citizen, actually) just uses Tamaki, Nishiki or plain old Kokuho Rose, and makes the sushi rice herself, adding the rice vinegar and I believe also just a touch of mirin, which is very, very low proof rice wine that has clear or a little-yellow tinged color to it. It adds just a tiny hint of sweetness to the rice. Again, that's a palate choice for you to make.
If you plan on having maki, be sure to pick up a bamboo mat for rolling the buggers up. They're cheap, and they make rolling *worlds* easier. We sometimes like to add a sliver of scallion, sometimes some sesame seeds to different rolls, but I stay away from the real avant-garde stuff. IOW, no cream cheese or avacado go in my maki, but that's personal choice. I want to taste the wonderful fish, not so much the dressings.
Some other hints: have cold water nearby (the kitchen sink, namely) and use it to wet your hands as you play with and get ready to roll the rice, fish and nori. It cuts down on the stickiness immensely. Also, do not use the cheap nori, and check for expiration dates. It will be noticeable in the finished product if you have cheapo/expired stuff. I have some left that we brought back from Japan that costs about a buck a sheet, and is so good it's eaten by itself just ever so lightly dipped in shoyu, but that's neither here nor there.
As you cut the almost-finished maki, use an super sharp, ever-so-lightly moistened blade, as the rice will tend to want to stick to the blade otherwise, and make a mess of the roll by tearing and crushing. I forget the brand, but we use a pre-made wasabi that's fantastic that comes in a squeeze tube of all things, but the kind that's bought in cans as powder and made with water is very good also (name escapes me but comes in a two-tone green can). Lastly, buy good shoyu (soy sauce). Doesn't have to be fancy, plain old Kikkoman is just fine, but DO NOT ruin all your efforts by buying into some Mickey Mouse "Panda Bear" or "Wong's" brand with that phony Asian brushstroke writing on it.
Anyway, too bad you didn't contact me earlier, as I still have some *unreal* melt-in-your-mouth Alaskan king salmon I caught a few months back that makes for unreal sushi that I would have given you to help you score...er, help make a nice meal for the young ladies. :)
Hope that helps. Look up the markets in the Yellow Pages or online. You ought to be able to get from Waltham to the 'Bridge in around 35 minutes. Oh, and Kotobukiya (in the old Sears building on MA Ave in Porter) has free parking with validation, so that may be a good place to start.
Cheers, and hope that helped a bit.
Leighton
P.S. Seaducking has been over for a few weeks, but I've been in Arizona, Idaho and Oregon hunting, and back to Tokyo next month, so I'm keeping busy until the fish get here. A few pics for you as well.
This was rejected by the PM system as 'too long', so I post here.
A few chicks you need to impress? Boy have you got your work cut out for you! ;c) Kidding aside, sure I can help. All you'll really need to do is jump onto your trusty steed and head to Cambridge/Somerville. Between Reliable market in Somerville (Inman Sq.) and either Yoshinoya or Kotobukiya in Cambridge (Y is in Central Sq. on Prospect and K is in Porter Sq. on MA Ave) you'll have your problems solved. All three places normally carry all you need. You'll probably pay a bit for the fish, but the rest wil be easy.
The one thing I'll 'warn' you about is the help at Reliable. IF the people there even speak English, they'll probably not be too much help to you, as the Koreans there (all stereotypes aside!) can sometimes be an abrasive and unhelpful lot. At any rate, they have there a ton of Japanese goods that you can use, and while I don't recall if I've seen tobiko there, my guess is that I can say with relative certainty that they probably do.
You may be aware of it already, but you should if at all possible use RICE vinegar--not plain jane white vinegar-- when making sushi rice, and it's best if you use just made, steaming fresh sushi rice. Take it out of the cooker (or pot) and place it in a wide platter or deep bowl (like a low-rimmed family salad bowl. Now use a fan and vigorously cool it down, waving off the steam, and flipping with the rice paddle. I usually cheat and use an electric fan, but traditionally one you wave manually is used. In any event, cool it off at least to room temps.
As far as rice brands: you can get fancy and use some high-end rice designed specifically for sushi, but very frankly, the palate of most people, I mean the VAST majority, can't tell the difference, and this includes a great deal of Japanese people. At home, my wife (who is a Japanese citizen, actually) just uses Tamaki, Nishiki or plain old Kokuho Rose, and makes the sushi rice herself, adding the rice vinegar and I believe also just a touch of mirin, which is very, very low proof rice wine that has clear or a little-yellow tinged color to it. It adds just a tiny hint of sweetness to the rice. Again, that's a palate choice for you to make.
If you plan on having maki, be sure to pick up a bamboo mat for rolling the buggers up. They're cheap, and they make rolling *worlds* easier. We sometimes like to add a sliver of scallion, sometimes some sesame seeds to different rolls, but I stay away from the real avant-garde stuff. IOW, no cream cheese or avacado go in my maki, but that's personal choice. I want to taste the wonderful fish, not so much the dressings.
Some other hints: have cold water nearby (the kitchen sink, namely) and use it to wet your hands as you play with and get ready to roll the rice, fish and nori. It cuts down on the stickiness immensely. Also, do not use the cheap nori, and check for expiration dates. It will be noticeable in the finished product if you have cheapo/expired stuff. I have some left that we brought back from Japan that costs about a buck a sheet, and is so good it's eaten by itself just ever so lightly dipped in shoyu, but that's neither here nor there.
As you cut the almost-finished maki, use an super sharp, ever-so-lightly moistened blade, as the rice will tend to want to stick to the blade otherwise, and make a mess of the roll by tearing and crushing. I forget the brand, but we use a pre-made wasabi that's fantastic that comes in a squeeze tube of all things, but the kind that's bought in cans as powder and made with water is very good also (name escapes me but comes in a two-tone green can). Lastly, buy good shoyu (soy sauce). Doesn't have to be fancy, plain old Kikkoman is just fine, but DO NOT ruin all your efforts by buying into some Mickey Mouse "Panda Bear" or "Wong's" brand with that phony Asian brushstroke writing on it.
Anyway, too bad you didn't contact me earlier, as I still have some *unreal* melt-in-your-mouth Alaskan king salmon I caught a few months back that makes for unreal sushi that I would have given you to help you score...er, help make a nice meal for the young ladies. :)
Hope that helps. Look up the markets in the Yellow Pages or online. You ought to be able to get from Waltham to the 'Bridge in around 35 minutes. Oh, and Kotobukiya (in the old Sears building on MA Ave in Porter) has free parking with validation, so that may be a good place to start.
Cheers, and hope that helped a bit.
Leighton
P.S. Seaducking has been over for a few weeks, but I've been in Arizona, Idaho and Oregon hunting, and back to Tokyo next month, so I'm keeping busy until the fish get here. A few pics for you as well.