The recipes and tips I’m sharing come from the experience of “running” SushiFest for over 15 years. More on SushiFest can be found here but one key piece to know is it’s always been run Off The Grid (OTG) usually meaning there are no stores nearby, no running water, and no 110v power. So the kitchen is run a little different, and the cookbook and ingredients list is streamlined.
Things to note:
- Recipes are designed to be created in the off the grid kitchen.
- You plan ahead to make sure everything is in stock and loaded into the transport vehicle.
- Order specialty items early. You never know when they go out of stock. Mirin, wasabi, etc.
- Keep any items that store well (dry items) in stock. Rice, noodles, nori, etc.
- Same goes for liquid items that store well. Vinegar, soy, mirin, etc.
- Make it so there is enough inventory that only fresh veggies and fish is needed to fire up the sushi bar.
- Local availability of some supplies might be limited. Make do with what can be found at the local markets. Veggies and fish included.
Sushi Rice
Sushi Rice is the center of sushi dishes. It's what makes the dish sushi. It takes some practice to make excellent sushi rice but these tips should help.
Tamagoyaki
Tamagoyaki is a Japanese sweet egg omelette.
Pickled Ginger or Gari
Usually piled next to the wasabi pickled ginger is used to clean the palate between bites.
Dashi #1 & #2
Umami. The savory flavor in Japanese food we know we love but sometimes don't know where it comes from.
Sweet (Eel) Sauce
There's actually no Eel in the sauce. It's just often used on Eel to add to the sweetness.
Ponzu Sauce
A light soy sauce made with Yuzu to give it nice citrus overtones
Tempura Batter
Tempura is a bit tricky to get right. The ice and chilling of the batter is critical.
Sunomono
A Japanese pickled cucumber salad. Excellent as an appetizer.
Gomasio
A blend of seaweeds and sesames seeds. The perfect sprinkle for rolls and salads.
