I don’t have access to good, fresh seafood but still enjoy a little ahi on occasion. But for those of you who love sushi and have good seafood, do you make it? It doesn’t seem like it would be that difficult. Not world class but think of all the money you’d save 
Just curious.
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I make it at home maybe twice a month, usually when we have dinner guests. I imagine one could save money if you just stuck to basics (rolls, a few standard ingredients). My motivation for starting to make sushi at home was to understand the cuisine more, so I try to get fish I’ve never used before, try new techniques, etc. I’m lucky to live in NYC (for now) and have access to some excellent fish markets, although the variety at markets I’ve been to in major west coast cities is typically better.
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That’s great! I think it would be super fun and definitely has a wow factor. Re the cost I just meant compared to having the same in a restaurant. Good for you. Have you shared any photos here?
The cost of home vs restaurant really depends on what kind of experience and scale you’re trying to replicate. Making 2-3 different kind of rolls (salmon, tuna, crab) for a group would certainly beat the cost of the same at a decent sushi restaurant. Trying to replicate an omakase-like experience doesn’t end up saving that much for small group. And as a home cook, it can be hard-to-impossible to source some of the ingredients that are available to a restaurant. I’ve never shared photos here before, but including some now:
saba-bozushi - boston mackerel “stick” roll
langostine with its eggs
sardine w/chive & grated daikon
local bonito w/chive & ginger
unagi - fresh water eel
salmon with marinated kombu seaweed
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@jperelmuter That’s some great looking sushi, especially the boz & lango… 
Have you checked these guys out? http://nishimaru-usa.com/
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Wow! I hope that wasn’t one meal!!! I make dim sum occasionally and, while not difficult, it becomes tedious and time consuming. Gotta have more than one dumpling 
That’s a darn amazing batch of photos and I know jack about sushi!
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Thanks!
Looks like they do wholesale, would they sell to a consumer? I’ve done some discrete pop-up events, but don’t have company setup. Lots of suppliers I’ve talked to won’t sell to you unless you have a business tax ID.
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thank you! I’m most proud of the sardine. Most of the other fish I bought as fillets from some reputable markets in NYC (the Lobster Place, Osakana), but I purchased the sardines whole, broke 'em down and did a semi-traditional salt-vinegar cure. That was a lot of work, but very rewarding!
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Not sure, in LA a number of sushi fish wholesalers will sell to retail consumers. Hoping these guys will too.
Cool! Would love to attend the next one you have planned
I typically use a brand of roasted nori from ariake shown here: https://yamamotoyama.com/blogs/news/91956742-good-nori-bad-nori-how-to-tell-the-difference
I will put a few sheets in a food dehydrator set at 170-180 F about 2-3 hours before I need to use them. This maximizes the crispiness.
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I’ve heard that wholesalers in CA are more lax about this than in NY. Maybe has to do with state enforcement of regulations? I will try Nishimaru, always looking to get my hands on some new product, thanks again.
I don’t have any pop-ups planned just yet. Going to Japan from mid January to early February, so hopefully will do something end of February or March. I’ll let you know.
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Could you just as effectively use your oven set at that temp?
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If you trust the temperature and stability of your oven, then yes. A really good toaster oven should also work. If you go just a little too hot and/or long, you can over-bake them and the sheets become extremely brittle and bitter. Absolute time and temperature required will depend on the ambient humidity.
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Your nori looks really nice. Thanks for the tips on where to get it and what to do with it. I don’t have a dehydrator and can’t think of what else I would use it for to justify taking up space. I’m loving my new Kitchenaid convection/toaster oven, but it gets really hot. Maybe a lower temp (150) and shorter time would do?
P.S. Does anyone recommend a really good book for making sushi? I have a couple of sushi books (history, types, fish, seasons, etc.), but not for making it.
A low toaster oven should work, just keep an eye on the nori. I should add, fresh out of the package, nori is usually pretty nice and crisp. If you’re making a bunch of cut rolls, it really doesn’t matter how crisp the nori is; it’s going to soften against the rice pretty fast. If you want super crisp nori for gunkan, hand rolls, etc and you are going to eat these things right away, then I think it’s worth the extra effort to re-toast.
I can recommend the following books:
Sushi: Taste & Techniques - Kimiko Barber
good beginner book, covers a lot of ground, nice illustrations of process
For more traditional sushi:
Sushi: the Delicate Flavor of Japan - Masuo Yoshino
solid recipes for some edomae classics
out of print, but not too hard to find online.
It doesn’t have many (or precise) recipes, but every sushi fan should have a copy of Edomae Sushi by Kikuo Shimizu.
I’ve also heard that The Complete Guide to Sushi and Sashimi by Robby Cook is good.
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You can wave a sheet of nori over a gas flame to crisp it. I thought that’s the standard method.
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Yes, that’s the traditional method. Very fast too. And very easy to burn the nori.
Thanks @jperelmuter -
You’re definitely used to working with superior nori or know how to improve the not so superior stuff. 
My attempt at using store bought - for gunkan - without toasting it was a disaster. I still have a package and will try your method. If not, a better brand is in order.
Thanks for the book referrals!
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