Random Recipe

Since I'm celebrating today with a few random movies, I thought a random recipe would be in order.  Sushi Su (aka Sushi Rice).  A lot of people still confuse Sushi with Sashimi, or more often, thick sushi is always about raw fish.  The true foundation of sushi is always the rice.  Here is a recipe that comes from one of my all time favorite Hawaiian cookbooks Maui's Marvelous Munchies.  A charity cookbook that was put together with volunteer recipes from working Hawaiians and sold to benefit the Hawaii Bone Marrow Registry.  Of course, there are a sushi rice recipes that are just basic, what I like about this is that it can be served sort of buffet style, where various toppings can be put on a plate, in an attractive fashion and the rice served so each diner can make their own formed sushi--with whatever topping they like.  This is even a cool way to serve a purely vegetarian meal, with topping that from vegetables, fruit, vegetarian products (like tofu and natto) and egg or even some dairy--great for Meatless Monday.

3/4 cup white vinegar, warmed a bit

1 cup sugar

1 heaping Tbsp. salt

Grated fresh ginger (at least tbsp or more, much more 

    if you like)

Dried Shrimp, chopped (optional)

5 cups short grain (Sushi) rice

Prepare the rice as you would regular short grain rice for a Japanese meal.  Let cool, stirring a few times, to release steam.  While the rice is cooking and cooling, mix the sugar into the warm vinegar.  Stir and let dissolve.

Mix the sweetened vinegar and the salt into the mix with a wooden "rice paddle"--fold in well.  Fold in the fresh ginger.  Then the shrimp, if using.  This is a sort "kicked up" (sorry about that) version of sushi rice.  Use it to make sushi rolls, scattered sushi, Onigiri (rice balls), any kind of sushi.  If you are wanting to serve it as a buffet, put the rice into a really nice decorative bowl.  Serve bowls with soy sauce, wasabi, sweet pickled ginger, and any other topping that you like, such a toasted sesame seeds, grated chili daikon, red ginger, etc.  Hey you can even use this stuff to make those sushi thingy's that they love in Hawaii, made with Spam!