Easy Sushi

If you never had sushi before, and/or you’re a bit squeamish about raw fish but would like to ease into the life of sushi-eating; you can start with fish sticks!  Yes, fish sticks!

Many times I stock pile our groceries with coupon-shopping or really great deals, many times I try to make meals with what’s on hand.   We are sushi lovers, my children included, but are not ‘rolling’ (ha!) in the dough.

I made rolls recently with what I had on hand, crab meat (which is really processed like hotdogs, a mix of different (cheap) fish blended together) and toasted fish sticks.  Yes, fish sticks, like the ones in your grocer’s freezer section.

Prepare the sushi rice per recipe.  I just cook the rice in a rice maker (easy!).  I rinse my rice a few times to clean it out better before I cook it though.  After it cooks, it needs to cool at room temp but you also need to flip, separate, fold, to let out the steam.  This takes a little while.  There’s also the issue of the seasoning for the rice, which includes rice vinegar, sugar and salt.  I usually do this when the rice is hot, then the granules melt as I’m stirring the rice.  It’s kind of an easy (maybe more like lazy) way that I improvise with.  With all the ingredients prepared, I roll the sushi as usual.  I make a teriyaki sauce to go with the fish stick sushi.  Another limited-cooking meal.

While rice cools, thinly slice avocado; shred carrots.  Spread rice on paper, covering whole square.  Place fish sticks in a long line across the middle.  Add the veggies on top of fish sticks, all the way across.  Drizzle teriyaki sauce across the ‘filling’.  Roll like a log and enjoy!  Mmmm…

I don’t have a picture because I didn’t really think about it when I was making it, but the next time I do, I may update this post with a picture.   Until then, happy sushi ventures!  Let me know if you’ve tried it, and how it turned out.

To the glory of God!

What I Call, my ‘Happy Noodles’.

This was a dish I created (as far as I know) shortly after I got married.  My husband really like this sweet chili sauce that has been pretty much a staple condiment for me (Asian home).    I liken it to ketchup in an American home.  The sauce speaks for itself- sweet and a little spicy (to me anyway).

This noodle dish is fairly simple.  I start boiling water, just as you would for spaghetti, except don’t add salt to the water.  After boiling, add the noodles.  You can use the same method for per serving as you would spaghetti.  As usual, I eyeball everything according to my liking.

While the water is boiling, if you have the luxury of extra helping hands, have someone stir the noodles a few times while they are boiling so they don’t stick together (this is what I do with pasta/spagh as well).  Boil noodles for about 5-10 minutes, which will depend on amount.  Drain and rinse in cold water and set aside for now.  You can add a little oil and mix into noodles if you aren’t ready to serve.

Now if you’re anything like me, I’m usually doing everything on my own.  I have 2 young children yet and 1 teenage special needs son, who could stir the noodles for me, but is usually keeping his sisters’ company (which I sometimes prefer).  Besides that, this meal requires functions they are yet capable to do- lots of knife action!  So I what I do is alternate between preparing the veggies with back and forth preparing the noodles as explained above.

This easy meal takes a little prep but the only cooking is the noodles!  There’s a lot of veggie prep, depending on how much you utilize.  I like as much as I can get.   Shred cabbage, carrots, lettuce, cabbage; dice cucumbers, cilantro, sugar snap peas or snow peas, tomatoes; bean sprouts, mint leaves and peanuts (optional).  Well, everything listed is optional, but makes it all the better, in my opinion.  The other thing we top it off with is either boiled eggs (diced or sliced), shredded chicken or pork, or shrimp (or all the above!) for some added protein.  Top it off with the sweet chili sauce, with some extra Sriracha sauce (Asian hot sauce).  Or, for the spicy-challenged palate, try teriyaki or mandarin sauce.  I add the latter for my little girls, but with a touch of spicy.  Gotta get them hooked!

So refreshing, healthy, easy and friendly to the family bank account, this is one of our family favorites.  Great anytime of year, but especially summer days.  If you try this, I’d love to hear how you did, or didn’t do, and the review!  I hope you enjoy! To the glory of God!

 

White Asian noodles  (before cooking)…

 

Noodles after cooking…

noodles after cooking …

 

The finished product with all the goods.

The sweet chili sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sriracha (hot) sauce.

I sometimes call this Asian ketchup.

 

 

Look’s like someone’s enjoying his ‘happy noodles’!!

This makes us… happy!  And our tummies!