International Sushi Day, celebrated every year on June 18, inspires a range of emotions among food lovers, from love to hate, for this iconic Japanese dish. Despite differing tastes, it remains a cherished occasion for lovers of Japanese cuisine and an ideal opportunity to indulge in culinary exploration. In addition to its gastronomic appeal, sushi offers remarkable health benefits. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids from fish, low-calorie seaweed wraps and nutrient-rich vegetables, sushi promotes heart health and overall well-being. Its popularity spans the globe, making International Sushi Day not only a celebration of taste but also a recognition of its nutritional value and cultural significance.
If you’re eager to make sushi at home, we’ve got you covered. Check out our special cooking guide featuring mouth-watering recipes by Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. So, put on your chef’s hat, grab your ingredients and get ready to celebrate International Sushi Day from the comfort of your kitchen! (Also read: Bakrid 2024 Special: From shahi tukda to sheer kurma, 5 delicious recipes for a memorable Eid ul Adha feast )
Must-Try Homemade Sushi Recipes
1. Fried Sushi
Ingredients:
1 nori sheet
½ cup cooked short grain rice
1 tsp vinegar
Salt to taste
½ tsp castor sugar
3-4 blanched asaparagus
1 medium English cucumber, cut into 2 inch thin strips
1 small carrot, peeled and cut into 2 inch thin strips
2 cheese strips
1 cup refined flour (maida)
Crushed black peppercorns to taste
2 eggs, broken
½ cup corn flakes
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
Oil for deep frying
Soy dip to serve
Method:
1. Take rice in a bowl. Add vinegar, salt and castor sugar and mix well.
2. Take a sushi mat lined with cling wrap. Dip your finger in some water and take a portio of the rice and spread the rice evenly on the sushi mat. Place a nori sheet and press it lightly. Arrange some asparagus, a few cucumber strips, few carrot strips and roll it tightly.
3. Take refined flour in a shallow bowl, add salt and crushed black peppercorns and mix well. Roll the sushi log into this.
4. Take eggs in a wide large bowl. Add salt and crushed black peppercorns and whisk well. Roll the sushi log in this till well coated with the eggs.
5. Mix corn flakes and panko breadcrumbs in a large plate. Coat the sushi log with this.
6. Heat sufficient oil in a large kadai. Gently slide in the sushi log and deep fry till golden brown and crisp. Drain on an absorbent paper.
7. Cut the fried sushi into small pieces and arrange on a serving plate. Serve hot with soy dip.
2. Prawn Tempura Sushi Roll
Ingredients:
4 medium prawns, peeled and deveined, tails intact
2 cups cooked sushi rice
1 egg
¾ cup drinking soda
1½ tbsps refined flour (maida)
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
1 nori sheet
¼ medium cabbage, shredded
8-10 avocado slices
¼ medium carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips
Sriracha mayo to drizzle
Pickled ginger for serving
Wasabi paste for serving
Japanese soy sauce for serving
Method:
1. Give small cuts on both the sides of the prawns.
2. Break egg in a bowl. Add drinking soda and whisk well. Add refined flour, salt and whisk well.
3. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Dip the prawns in egg mixture and deep fry in hot oil till golden brown and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper and set aside.
4. Place a sushi mat on the worktop. Place a nori sheet on top.
5. Apply some water on your palms, take some sushi rice and spread evenly leaving the edges.
6. Arrange the prawns, and sprinkle cabbage on top. Arrange avocado slices and carrot on top.
7. Drizzle sriracha mayo and roll tightly.
8. Slice and serve with pickled ginger, wasabi and Japanese soy sauce.
3. Sushi Bowl
Ingredients:
1 cup sushi rice
Salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
2-3 tbsps rice wine vinegar
2 tbsps sriracha sauce
¼ cup mayonnaise
150 grams boneless chicken breast, cut into thick strips
¾ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
1½ tbsps corn flour
Oil for deep frying
1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
4-6 small red radishes, sliced
1 medium English cucumber, sliced
1 cup shredded purple cabbage
1 medium avocado, flesh scooped
4 tbsps shredded nori sheet
Toasted white sesame seeds to sprinkle
Method:
1. Heat a deep nonstick pan. Add sushi rice, 2 cups hot water, cover and cook on medium heat for 8-10 minutes.
2. Take salt and sugar in a bowl. Add rice wine vinegar and mix well. Set aside.
3. Take sriracha sauce in a bowl. Add mayonnaise and mix well.
4. Take chicken in a bowl. Add salt, ginger-garlic paste, corn flour and mix well.
5. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Slide the chicken pieces and deep fry till golden brown and crisp. Drain onto an absorbent paper and set aside.
6. Transfer the cooked rice in a plate and allow to cool. Add rice wine vinegar mixture and mix well. Transfer in a bowl and press well.
7. Turn it upside down in serving bowl. Place the fried chicken on 1 side, arrange carrot ribbons, red radish slices, cucumber, cabbage and avocado around the edge.
8. Drizzle sriracha-mayonnaise mixture on top.
9. Place nori sheet on top of rice, sprinkle sesame seeds and serve.
4. Indian Sushi
Ingredients:
250 grams rawas fish fillets
1 cup cooked split pigeon peas (toor dal)
1½ cups cooked sticky rice
4 nori sheets
1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
1½ teaspoons red chilli powder
¾ teaspoon coriander powder
¼ teaspoon + a pinch of turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Juice of ½ lemon
1½ teaspoons ghee
2 teaspoons cumin seeds (jeera)
1 medium onion
5-6 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon oil+ for shallow-frying
½ teaspoon chaat masala
Method:
1. To make marinade, mix together ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon chilli powder, coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, salt and lemon juice in a bowl.
2. Cut the fish fillets lengthwise into strips and halve. Transfer on a plate, add prepared marinade and rub well on both the sides. Set aside to marinate for 10-15 minutes.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a small non-stick tempering pan. Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and let the seeds change colour.
4. Pour the tempering over the cooked sticky rice and mix well. Set aside.
5. Peel and finely chop onion. Finely chop garlic cloves.
6. Heat ½ teaspoon oil and remaining ghee in the same tempering pan. Add remaining cumin seeds, chopped garlic and onion and sauté till onion turns golden brown.
7. Add pinch turmeric powder and remaining chilli powder and switch off heat. Add chaat masala and mix well.
8. Pour the tempering over the cooked pigeon peas and mix well. Set aside.
9. Heat some oil in a non-stick pan. Place the marinated fish strips and shallow-fry from all sides till golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.
10. Halve nori sheets, place them, one by one, on one side of a sushi mat. Place a portion of the tempered sticky rice on the sheet and spread thinly. Place a spoonful of tempered pigeon peas from one end till the other and top with 2 fried fish halves.
11. Roll the sushi away from you with your hands, tucking in the fish as you go. Remove the mat and press the roll into a compact rectangular log.
12. Cut into pieces and serve immediately.
