While you can also prepare a less original form of sushi with random knives, the truth is that nothing can take you closer to the real thing than a pair of sushi knives. Sushi knives have gained a lot of popularity in western kitchens lately. They are easy to identify by their single beveled edge. Practically, only one side can cut, while the other one stays flat. This way, the food does not stick to the knife. Other than that, most knives are right-handed. Specialists claim that cutting fish with the right hand is much more efficient. The handle has a D cross-section to allow using the knife over long periods without diminishing comfort. As for the material, you can find more types of wood out there. 
When it comes to the actual cooking procedure, most newbies experience a lot of issues in preparing sushi accordingly. So what should you pay attention to?
Get rid of sticky rice
While not all rice will follow this trend, plenty of grains tend to get sticky. Most commonly, the affected grains are the ones that get in direct contact with the pan. Sticky rice will cause a lot of trouble, but not against the recipe. Instead, they will cling to everything, including your hands and clothes. It is only a matter of time until rice gets into your entire home. To prevent such issues, pick up the sticky grains and get rid of them by rinsing your hands as often as you get them.
Overstuffing is a terrible mistake
There is one major difference between new and experienced sushi cooks. Newbies feel like stuffing their sushi rolls by exaggerating with the rice. The outcome is far from the expectations. At first, rolls may no longer be able to roll up. Even if they do, the ingredients will squish over your plate when you split the rolls. While overstuffing may work for specific recipes, it does not work for sushi. For this recipe, less is actually more.
Be gentle when rolling
A professional sushi cook will use a bamboo mat in order to roll the results. You do not necessarily need one, since you can do it with your fingers too. However, as a newbie, you might feel tempted to put too much pressure. Sushi rolls are not like pancakes. Instead, they are quite fragile. Pressing too hard will lead to a result that is far from the original round appearance.
Wet the sushi knife
The sushi knife should not be used as it is. Instead, it must be wet all the time unlike a more traditional fillet knife which can be used dry as well. Take it through running water before each operation, but especially before slicing the rolls. If you fail to do so, the rolls will tear and the ingredients will come out in a quite unpleasant way.
With these ideas in mind, preparing sushi with your new sushi knife should not be such a complicated task, but do pay attention to small details.
About the Author: Julia Jones is an avid food enthusiast who loves everything about cooking and especially using modern tech in cooking. She occasionally shares her opinion about the latest and craziest kitchen gadgets on the Kitchen Gadgets Wars blog.
Be the first to comment