Sushi? We certainly did not expect this from ourselves, but still decided to give it a go. It’s not complicated to prepare at all, it’s even like a game, and when you arrange it on a plate it looks very beautiful. We decided to make salmon sushi rolls, as we are not the biggest fans of raw fish, but the smoked one is an entirely different thing….

The ingredients in this recipe are enough for 4-6 portions if you are serving it as appetiser or for 2 bigger portions if you are serving it as a main dish.

Ingredients:

• 250 g sushi rice
• 100 g smoked salmon
• 6 sheets of seaweed for sushi (nori sheets)
• 1 red pepper
• 1 mango
• 1 tbsp white wine
• 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar (or rice vinegar)
• 1 tsp sugar
• wasabi paste
• soy sauce for seasoning
• salt

Preparation:

1. Boil the rice in salt water (about 300 ml for 20 minutes) and drain.
2. Mix the balsamic vinegar, white wine, sugar and 1 tsp salt and pour it over the rice.
3. Peel off the skin and cut the mango into stripes of 10 mm wide.
4. Cut the pepper the same way.
5. Divide the rice into 6 equal portions.
6. Place a nori sheet on a bamboo sushi mat.
7. Place a sushi rice ball in the middle of the seaweed sheet, and spread it out evenly. Use your fingers to spread the rice onto the nori. It should evenly cover from the near edge to about an inch from the far edge of the sheet. Keep your hands wet with a mixture of water and rice vinegar. Do not press or mash the rice, or it will not stick properly when rolling.
8. Smear a little wasabi in a line. Follow with a line of mango and then pepper and press them with fingers. Place thin slices of smoked salmon on top.
9. Hold the edge of the mat with your thumbs. Start with the edge that has your first ingredient next to it. Lift the nori sheet and fold it over the first ingredient. Make sure to keep the ingredients in place and that the rice sticks together. Continue to roll the sushi. Tuck the front edge of the nori into the roll, and remove the mat as you continue to roll the sushi. Roll slowly so that you ensure that the sushi is coming out even.                                                                              
10. Tighten the roll to keep the ingredients from falling out when you cut it. Roll the sushi roll back and forth in the mat to tighten and seal it.
11. Allow the roll to sit for a minute before cutting it. This waiting period allows the nori to slightly moisten from the rice, which makes it less likely to tear. Repeat the procedure with the other 5 seaweed sheets.
12. Cut into slices of 1 ½ cm thick using a sharp, wet knife.
13. Serve with bowls of soy sauce and wasabi paste.

Serve your sushi immediately. Sushi is best when eaten freshly-made. Avoid refrigerating it for a later date. Experiment with different ingredients until you find your favourite combinations. Good appetite!