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By Root 205 0

my life and be completely happy. The great thing about making sushi for a casual dinner party is that you’re not stuck in front of the stove all night, which frees you up to actually have a good time. On top of that, sushi is a snap to make. The recipes in this “subchapter” are simple to make and innovative in presentation, and you will end up looking like a Japanese sushi master. The fish has to be impeccably fresh, so stroll over to the fish market to pick up the very best; and you’ll probably need to take a trip to an Asian market, too. Don’t forget the Japanese plates and chopsticks, pickled ginger, soy sauce, edamame, sake, and beer.

From left to right: Salmon Sushi with Green Tea Salt; Broiled Portobello Sushi with Soy Glaze; Yellowtail Sushi with Shiso, Chile, and Sesame; Spicy Tuna Hand Roll

Spicy Tuna Hand Roll

30 minutes

The Japanese man I buy my fish from gave me this recipe. One day I noticed that he was making hand rolls for lunch from the trimmings of a No. 1 grade A tuna loin. He let me have a roll since I’m such a good customer, and I have to say it was the best spicy tuna roll I’d ever had. You’ll get the hang of rolling these in no time—practice makes perfect.

Makes 8 pieces

¼ cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons red chili paste, such as sambal

Juice of ½ lemon

2 tablespoons dried bonito flakes

1 tablespoon flying fish roe (tobiko)

Sea salt

1 pound sushi-quality tuna, such as ahi (yellowfin) or bluefin, cut into ¾-inch cubes

4 sheets nori seaweed

2 cups prepared sushi rice

Finely chopped green onion, for garnish

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chili paste, lemon juice, bonito flakes, fish roe, and a pinch of sea salt. Put the tuna cubes in a mixing bowl and gradually fold in the mayonnaise mixture a little at a time to coat the fish. There will be some left over. Cut the nori sheets in half. Place half a sheet, shiny side down, in the palm of your hand. Dampen your fingers and spread a thin, even layer of sushi rice over half the sheet covering your palm side. Spoon a generous tablespoon of the spicy tuna down the center of the rice. Now, read this next part a few times before you attempt it—it’s a little tricky: To form a cone, start with the inner corner that is closest to the palm of your hand. Fold it in toward the center of the paper, covering the rice. Continue to roll until it forms a cone; then dab the far edge with a little water to seal the cone. Top it off with a little more of the spicy tuna so it looks full, and garnish with chopped green onion.

Salmon Sushi

with Green Tea Salt

30 minutes

The flavors of the salmon, cucumber, and green tea salt are really fresh. The green tea salt will keep for months and is also terrific sprinkled on popcorn.

Makes 18 pieces

2 tablespoons loose green tea

1 sheet nori seaweed, crumbled

1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted (see Note)

1 tablespoon sea salt

1 pound sushi-quality salmon, skin removed

2 tablespoons wasabi paste

1½ cups prepared sushi rice

1 hothouse cucumber, sliced into paper-thin circles

1 lemon, cut into small wedges

In a clean coffee grinder or spice mill, buzz the green tea, crumbled nori, and sesame seeds together to a powder. Transfer to a small bowl and mix with the sea salt; set aside. With a sharp knife, slice the salmon into thin, 2-inch-long pieces. Lay a piece of fish in the palm of your hand and spread a very small amount of wasabi on the surface with your finger. Dab your fingers in a little water and grab about 2 tablespoons of sushi rice. While cupping your palm, gently press the rice onto the fish using 2 fingers. Hand-sculpt the sushi into the shape of a small football. Garnish with a paper-thin slice of cucumber draped over the top and a sprinkle of green tea salt. Squirt with a little lemon juice and serve. Awesome!

Yellowtail Sushi with Shiso,

Chile, and Sesame

30 minutes

This recipe went through several incarnations before it came out perfect. The heat of the chile, the sesame, and the minty shiso leaves is amazing. Shiso is one of those ingredients,