Kon’nichiwa friends!  Today we are making Sushi but not any old sushi.  Today, I am using the recipe for  O’Sushi contained in the Japanese chapter of Good Housekeeping’s World Cookery (1972).  It’s mostly sushi as we know it with one notable exception.  Yes, that is salami in the middle of the plate!

For this recipe, I wanted to put myself into the shoes of a housewife from 1972 who had never tasted or seen sushi before.  So, for the purposes of this post, this is me, using my new-fangled microwave to zip up some delightful treats for the kids.

And later tonight when they are in bed I am going to make some fancy pants Japanese food for date night with the hubby because we like walking on the wild side.  Just look at the massive pocket on my denim overalls dress.  If that doesn’t scream living on the edge, I don’t know what does.  Except for maybe my cork platform sandals.

O-Sushi The Recipe.

Boil some rice in the usual fashion.  Prepare a sauce of vinegar, sugar and salt whilst it is cooking, using 2 tsps sugar to 1 tbsp vinegar.

How much salt Good Housekeeping?  And what do you mean boil rice in the usual fashion?  I’ve never boiled rice in my life.  Good lord, step one and already I need to phone a friend?

Sheila?  I’m making the sushi…su….shi…It’s Japanese.  Only  I don’t know how to boil rice or how much salt to add to the sauce?  What do you mean my hair, face, clothes and kitchen seem different?  I’m not interested in continuity I’m interested in salt and getting laid tonight!  This is date night sushi Sheila so quit with the comments and help me with the rice…oh…ok…thanks.

The rice should be dried and cooled quickly and the juice is shaken over it whilst it cools.

WTF?  Where am I supposed to get juice from?  Oh…the vinegar sauce is the juice?  Why did they suddenly decide to call it juice?  And how quickly does this rice need to be dried and cooled?  Maybe I’ll just pop it in the fridge and shake the juice / sauce over it from there?  Will that work?

Ok, next step.

Form the rice into small flat rolls or cakes and garnish with any of the following: Boiled prawns

Smoked Salmon

Raw Fish

Tinned fish; Anchovy fillets; ham or any other cold meat thinly sliced;

A thin omelette seasoned with salt and sugar, edible seaweed, or any salad vegetable

Place the garnish on top of or around the rice cakes.  Alternatively, cylindrical cakes can  be made with a filling in the centre and and thin layer of egg, seaweed, etc around the outside.

Well, mercy sakes alive, it looks like I’ve just made proper some Japanese O’Sushi….I really hope hubby likes it!

The Following Day – The Sushi Wrap Up

Hello Sheila? I”m just calling to fill you in on date night last night. Yes, it went very well.  The food was all very tasty but we both agree.  Raw fish will never really catch on here…it’s just too out there for most people! The salami sushi though? That was the bomb! I can see people lining up in the streets for some of that! …. The sex?  No, nothing, I caught a cold from standing in front of the open fridge for and hours and shaking juice on the rice and had to go to bed early.

Have a great week!

PS – For a real insight into the art of making sushi, watch Jiro Dreams of Sushi.