Deliver a style of Japan into your personal kitchen as we demystify the method of getting ready delectable unagi sushi from scratch – no skilled expertise required
Are you a sushi lover however usually end up intimidated by the considered rolling your personal? Pressed unagi sushi is for you! This conventional Japanese dish options basic sushi rice stacked with (or with out) a layer of Japanese egg omelette and topped with grilled eel coated in a scrumptious unagi sauce. Pressed sushi, or ‘oshizushi’, is without doubt one of the best methods to make sushi as a result of there’s no ability or hand work required. Merely place the whole lot in a mildew and press collectively for fuss and mess free sushi. The flavour mixture of the saucy grilled eel on high of the rice makes this pressed ‘oshi’ sushi a delight on your style buds whereas additionally making your at-home sushi-making expertise a breeze. Comply with together with this unagi sushi recipe to get pleasure from this genuine delicacy at house!
What’s Unagi?
Unagi is the Japanese title for freshwater eel and is utilized in numerous dishes in Japanese delicacies. It’s wealthy in protein, omega-3, and nutritional vitamins making it an important meat possibility. The eel is often ready utilizing a cooking technique referred to as “kabayaki” by which it will get became fillets then coated in a sweet-salty sauce and grilled. The eel turns into a young, succulent, and smooth texture with a deep taste and savoury/candy style from the sauce. The result’s tremendous scrumptious bbq eel that can be utilized in some ways in numerous sorts of Japanese dishes.
The preferred and customary unagi dishes are:
– Unagi donburi, in any other case often called unadon or unagi don. This can be a rice bowl dish which consists of the grilled unagi served over rice in a big bowl with the candy unagi sauce (unagi tare) glazed on high.
– Unagi sushi. There are a lot of methods to make use of unagi in sushi together with unagi nigiri, unagi roll, and pressed sushi. Unagi nigiri is a well-liked kind of sushi with the eel positioned over a small ball of sushi rice with a skinny strip of nori sheet across the center. Unagi sushi rolls aren’t typical in Japan however this maki sushi is a well-liked sushi roll in different international locations. It’s often an inside-out roll (uramaki) with the nori seaweed sheet inside and the bbq eel both positioned on high or rolled inside too. This pressed sushi is the best technique to make unagi sushi as a result of there’s no ability required. It includes a layer of Japanese egg omelette between the rice for further taste and texture. Japanese omelette is a standard pairing for bbq eel in Japan because the flavors complement one another nicely.
Principal Substances for making Unagi sushi
– Unagi: the star ingredient is, after all, unagi. That is freshwater eel that has been grilled and glazed with a candy soy sauce-based sauce. You should buy able to eat bbq unagi (kabayaki eel) from native Japanese grocery shops. Buying eel uncooked shouldn’t be really useful as a result of it requires cautious preparation to create this bbq eel.
– Sushi Rice: Sushi rice is short-grain rice that has been seasoned with sushi vinegar, whihc is a mix of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.
– Kinshi tamago: that is thinly sliced Japanese omelette strips. It’s a standard pairing for eel in Japan and provides further style and texture to the sushi. That is optionally available; you’ll be able to omit the egg fully or change it with avocado slices.
– Unagi sauce: Unagi sauce, often known as eel sauce or ‘unagi no tare’, is a key ingredient when making scrumptious Unagi sushi. Unagi sauce is made out of soy sauce, sake, mirin and sugar, just like teriyaki sauce. Retailer purchased unagi sauce from manufacturers like Kikkoman may be discovered however making it at house is more healthy, more energizing, and really straightforward.
– Garnishes: garnish the pressed sushi with shiso leaves and sprinkle sesame seeds on high if you want.
Gear Required
Not like common sushi rolls or nigiri, pressed sushi doesn’t have to be rolled so no bamboo mat is required. As an alternative, you’ll want some form of rectangular mildew. In Japan, a wood oshibako mildew or sushi press is used. This rectangular-shaped software means that you can exactly form and compress the rice and toppings into stunning blocks with clear edges. Select a mildew constituted of high-quality wooden that’s proof against moisture, making certain sturdiness over time. You can even use a baking loaf tin or some form of tupperware.
Step by Step Directions
1. Put together the Mould: Begin by lining your oshibako (wood mildew) with a bit of plastic wrap or parchment paper. It will stop the rice from sticking to the mildew.
2: Layering Substances: Place a layer of unagi kabayaki fillet pores and skin aspect up on the underside of your ready mildew. Unfold a good layer of sushi rice on high of the unagi kabayaki fillet, urgent it gently to make sure it’s firmly packed. Lay strips of eggs evenly over the rice layer. Then once more unfold a good layer of sushi rice.
3. Compressing and Shaping: shut the substances with the plastic wrap then place the drop in wood lid to compress the sushi substances all collectively.
4. Slice and serve : Use a pointy knife to slice the sushi and drizzle unagi sauce (eel sauce) to serve.
Ideas for Making Unagi Sushi
- Unagi sushi isn’t rolled with seaweed sheets so it’s very straightforward to make, particularly when you’ve got a wood urgent mildew. The trick is to neatly fill the 4 corners with rice to make neat presentation.
- Layer plastic wrap over no matter you utilize as your urgent mildew to keep away from the rice sticking to it. This enables the sushi to be faraway from the mildew simply and mess free.
What to Serve with?
There are a number of scrumptious accompaniment choices to serve with unagi sushi that may complement its wealthy and barely candy taste.
1. Miso Soup: This can be a frequent aspect dish in Japan. Its savory and umami flavors will put together present a comforting contact.
2. Pickled Ginger: Serve pickled ginger often known as “sushi ginger” alongside your unagi sushi to cleanse the palate between bites. The tangy, barely spicy taste of ginger helps refresh the mouth after savoring every bit of sushi.
3. Gyoza (Japanese Dumplings): These pan-fried dumplings crammed with floor meat or greens are extremely fashionable in Japanese delicacies. Their crispy exterior and juicy filling create a pleasant distinction when loved along with unagi sushi.
4. Sunomono Salad: This refreshing Japanese cucumber salad is made by marinating thinly sliced crunchy cucumber in vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Its crisp texture and tangy-sweet style present stability to the richness of unagi sushi.
5. Tempura Greens: Calmly battered and deep-fried greens akin to candy potato, zucchini, or eggplant make a superb addition to any sushi meal. The crispy tempura coating enhances the softness of unagi completely.
6. Japanese Inexperienced Tea: Full your eating expertise by serving conventional Japanese inexperienced tea or roasted inexperienced tea (hojicha).
7. Wasabi and Soy Sauce: These are quite common condiments for sushi. Wasabi provides a particular kick to dishes and gives quite a few well being advantages.
![a pair of chopsticks picking a piece of unagi sushi](https://www.chopstickchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/unagi-sushi-14-1024x683.webp)
FAQ
A : Unagi sushi is cooked. Whereas it might seem uncooked resulting from its shiny look and delicate texture, the eel utilized in unagi sushi undergoes a meticulous cooking course of often called kabayaki. This includes grilling the eel over charcoal and basting it with a candy soy-based sauce a number of instances to reinforce its taste.
A : Whereas unagi and salmon share sure similarities by way of their texture and look, they possess distinct flavors that set them aside. Unagi gives a wealthy, savory style with a touch of sweetness, whereas salmon has a milder taste profile with slight hints of brininess. The variations of their diets and life contribute to those contrasting tastes. Thus, it’s protected to say that unagi doesn’t style like salmon.
![5 pieces of unagi sushi served on rectangle plate](https://www.chopstickchronicles.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/unagi-sushi-13-300x300.webp)
Unagi Sushi
Deliver a style of Japan into your personal kitchen as we demystify the method of getting ready delectable unagi sushi from scratch – no skilled expertise required
Servings: 2
Energy: 341kcal
Directions
Preparation
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Cook dinner sushi rice, make kinshi tamago with egg, and minimize unagi eel kabayaki to the scale of your sushi press mould. *1
Urgent Sushi
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Line your oshibako (wood mildew) with a bit of plastic wrap or parchment paper. It will stop the rice from sticking to the mildew.
-
Place a layer of unagi kabayaki fillet pores and skin aspect up on the underside of your ready mildew.
-
Unfold a good layer of sushi rice on high of the unagi kabayaki fillet, urgent it gently to make sure it is firmly packed.
-
Lay strips of eggs evenly over the rice layer. Then once more unfold a good layer of sushi rice.
-
Shut the substances with the plastic wrap then place the drop in wood lid to compress the sushi substances all collectively.
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Use a pointy knife to slice the sushi and drizzle unagi sauce (eel sauce) to serve.
Notes
*my press sushi mildew dimension is 2.5 inch (W) x 6 inch (D) x 2 inch (H)/6.5 x 15 x 5 cm inside measurements.
Diet
Energy: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 148g | Protein: 13g | Fats: 2g | Saturated Fats: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fats: 1g | Ldl cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 221mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 17IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg