Sushi and Rice Balls

Last night, I tried to make teriyaki spam sushi. I got the spam fried, the teriyaki sauce made, and the rice was a bit undercooked and too wet. It didn’t stick together very well. It tasted good,but I learned I need to a) cook it just a bit longer, b) let it sit a bit longer to let the last of the cooking water evaporate right and c) cool down enough to work with.

I experiment. When I do, I don’t usually get it right the first time. Very few cooking mistakes are inedible. Most can be fixed or enjoyed the way they are. Did you know that fudge was originally someone messing up while making candy? Or that brownies were originally the result of a failed cake? At worst, a cooking mistake will be thrown out. At best? It will live on forever as a wonderful dish.

I don’t trust sashimi, to use the Japanese term for the raw fish component often used in sushi. Hence, the fried spam. Sushi is supposed to use cooked and mostly cooled rice, not hot, which was one point where I went wrong. Once cooled down to warm, I could use it as is to make onigiri, or Japanese rice balls. I just made a small batch, about enough for the two large teriyaki spam musubi recipe I found at the Bear Naked Food blog. Other than not using the nori, I followed the recipe fairly faithfully.

One of the major differences between sushi and rice balls is that sushi is meant to be enjoyed as soon as it is made. Rice balls are intended to be tossed into a lunch box and eaten later. Which means salt in the rice and dipping hands and utensils for mixing and shapeing in salt water or brine. And, if there are fillings, they should be shelf stable, cured meats, pickles, that sort of thing. I have used long grain rice and refrigerated, but all the sites say that causes it to loose something as far as texture.

These do need to be mostly rice, and mostly short to med grain sushi rice at that. One can make with white or brown rice, or mix other types of rice or grains in, but I feel it needs rice as the base of the grain. From there, sushi rice gets seasoned with rice wine vinegar, with a bit of salt and sugar. Onigiri rice gets used as it is, both once cooled enough to handle. Hands, bowls, utensils and any molds used should be clean enough to eat off. Basically, you are.

Dissolve the salt and sugar in the vinegar for sushi, pour over and fold in. Don’t use metal mixing spoons, these can smash the rice into paste. Gently mix by folding.

There is also a desert fusion of sushi known as fruit sushi or fruishi. Cook the sushi rice in coconut milk or coconut cream.

Mold, shape, layer on a mat or plastic wrap or dish out into a bowl. Add a topping, filling, or leave plain. Dip the edges in seasoned salt or sesame seeds. Grill rice balls or deep fry sushi.

To make a sushi roll, spread an even layer of rice on a mat or plastic wrap. Place fillings on the rice, leaving some edge plain. Use the mat or plastic wrap to roll it up into a roll. Cut into slices and enjoy. Fresh veggies can be used and look beautiful.

Get creative with molds, I used the can that the spam came in, but an ice cube tray would work for a smaller square or rectangle. Line with plastic wrap so it is easy to get out.

Get creative with toppings or fillings. I am thinking I might consider acid cooked fish, even though I am not willing to do raw. Authentic sushi uses a variety of roe, as well as fish and other seafood from shrimp to octopus. I wonder how a summer sausage rice ball would taste?

And then there is fruishi to explore. Some choose fruit based on whether it will look like traditional sushi, others just pick what fruit they like. Roll in coconut flakes or wrap in thin layers of fruit such as papaya or in a thin crepe instead of the seaweed often used in sushi rolls.