Quote:
Originally Posted by COnfidential
I've looked in my local stores for about 2 weeks and I cant find the right rice for sushi or dried seaweed for sushi. So im asking if long-corned rice is equal quality as hole-corned? and Is it possible to make my own dried seaweed?? If yes, HOW? Is it like I firt get them from the seaside, dry em up, wash em, dry em again, salt em dry em... well I have no idea:P   |
Don't go picking seaweeds from the shore. That's just like hunting mushroom on your own and it might result in much unpleasant turmoil.
You should be able to find various dried seaweeds, most commonly
nori (for sushi),
kombu,
wakame, and
arame, in any good supermarket. I find mine at the local Loblaw's, in the bio/natural produce section, where they also got those gluten-free flours and such.
Kombu is basic to making dashi, the versatile soup base.
Dried kombu (kelp)
Rice for sushi should be the round short grain Japanese rice. The best is said to be
Nishiki rice. Look for that on the package when you buy rice.
Sushi rice
Japanese rice can be grown outside of Japan, sush as in California but purists will frown upon the use of "alien" rice. Personaly I have not noticed a difference, except that the California grown Japanese rice is cheaper. Iron Chef Japan Masaharu Morimoto uses blends of native Japanese and American grown rice in his cooking.
If you have trouble finding seaweeds and sushi rice, go to a sushi restaurant and ask the chef where he finds his. You may have to bribe the chef with sake.