Year of the Dragon - Celebrate in Style with "Dragon Sushi"

Celebrate the Chinese New Year -beginning January 23 - by shopping in Asian markets in Fort Lee and nearby.

Living here in Fort Lee, it is simple to celebrate the year 4709, the Year of the Dragon, by preparing Dragon Roll Sushi.

For us, we can include Japan, Korea and China in our celebration:

Sushi comes from Japan. But "Dragon Roll" is a popular, Americanized version of the delicacy, which does not use raw fish. All the ingredients are available here in Fort Lee at our two Korean markets: Han Nam, which opened recently in the former Shoprite, and Hana Reum, which now occupies the site of Kings in Linwood Plaza. We can also drive 10 minutes to Mitsuwa Japanese Market in Edgewater.

*And if you shop these markets on the weekend, there are always delectable samples offered for tasting and expanding our culinary horizons here at home.

Regardless of where we shop, we can prepare  Dragon Roll Sushi at home by following the recipe below:

"Year of the Dragon" Sushi

Ingredients:

1 full sheet nori seaweed, 7-1/2” X 8” (broken or cut in half, lengthwise)

2 cups  sushi rice, prepared per recipe below

½ English (hothouse) cucumber or (Japanese cucumber), halved lengthwise, seeded, then cut into strips ¼ inch (6 mm) thick

½ fillet barbecued eel, cut into strips

1 Haas avocado, halved, pitted and peeled

4 teaspoons umeboshi (pickled plum) puree

Japanese soy sauce, for serving

Sushi-flavored rice vinegar

Equipment:

Plastic wrap; bamboo sushi rolling mat; electric rice cooker, or 2-quart, flat bottomed, tight-lidded saucepan; small, shallow bowl filled with water to moisten fingers before touching rice; sharp chef’s knife, 2-quart bowl for soaking rice; paper fan (or stiff paper)

Recipe:

1. Cover sushi mat with plastic wrap (this prevents rice from sticking to bamboo rolling mat).

2. Place half sheet of nori on plastic, smoother side down, long-wise from right to left.

3. Moisten fingers with water, pick up rice with fingers and spread half of the prepared sushi rice evenly over nori.

4. Cover surface of nori/rice with one hand, flip over gently so rice is down and nori is on top.

5. Arrange cucumber and eel strips horizontally across center of nori.

6. Using sushi mat, roll to enclose fillings, leaving a ¾-inch (2-cm) strip of nori visible at end farthest from you. Lift up sushi mat and roll.

7. Press gently to firm shape and to seal nori.

8. Unroll mat, remove plastic and transfer roll to a cutting board.

9. Wipe a sharp knife with a damp towel and cut roll in half.

10. Cut half roll in half, and cut in half again, creating eight pieces

11. Set the eight sushi pieces on serving plate, curving slightly to approximate the shape of a slithering dragon.

12. With sharp knife, slice an avocado half thinly, keeping slices together, and place over the sushi roll

13. Push gently with your fingers to curve avocado slices and overlap (repeat with other avocado half).

14. Arrange rolls on serving plates and top each piece with three drops umeboshi puree.

15. Serve with soy sauce. Eat with chopsticks – or fingers.

Shopping Tips for Asian ingredients and equipment:

• Barbecued eel (unagi)  is sold precooked or frozen in airtight bags. Can be broiled briefly, if desired – or heated in microwave.
• Umeboshi (pickled plum) puree is sold in tubes and bottles.
• Roasted nori seaweed is sold in 10-sheet packages (seal unused nori in zipper plastic bags for future use)
• Japanese rice is short-grain rice. It is available in 2 kg plastic bags (Kokuho brand)

Rice preparation:

To cook in rice cooker, follow individual manufacturer's recommended directions.

To cook rice in saucepan:

• Measure two cups rice
• Place into strainer and rinse rice under running water until water runs clear
• Place rice in 1-quart size bowl and cover with water
• Allow rice to soak in the water for approximately 20 minutes
• Drain rice, place in saucepan, with 2¼ cups water, cover
• Heat rice on high until bubbles of boiling water appear around lid
• Turn heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes
• Turn off heat, allow rice to sit, covered for 10 minutes
• With moistened spatula, turn rice into a bowl and, slowly, gently toss the rice, while cooling it with a paper fan (this is necessary to get rice to cool quickly, but without running it under water)
• When rice is cool but not cold, sprinkle with seasoned sushi vinegar, and toss gently until rice begins to glisten

@patkinney 2012