Homemade Sushi for your Valentine!

This year, make sushi together for V-day! 

In my opinion, it is much easier to come up with a Valentine's day gift for a girl.  When it comes to traditional gifts: flowers, chocolate, jewelry, perfume - ALL are way more girl appropriate.  So I was faced with yet another V-day conundrum this year when brainstorming what to do for Rich.  Here's what happened:


Friday February 11

7:30am:  Rich and I talk about getting some take-out for dinner.  I suggest sushi (one of our favorites), and his eyes light up. 
10:30am: Sitting at work, I brainstorm what I could possibly get Rich for Valentine's day.  Then I remember our earlier conversation and it came to me: sushi.  But not just any sushi, let's make it at home!
1:15pm: Since I have never delved into the art of sushi-making before, I realize I am going to need to stock up on some essentials before I can even get cooking.  I look to my co-workers for inspiration and get some great ideas for ingredients and local shops to pick up the goodies.
4:30pm: Off from work and t-minus 2.5 hours until Rich gets home.  I have some shoppin' to do!
4:45pm: My first stop - the local fish monger.  Assured by co-workers that this is the place for sushi grade fish, I am inspired by the beautiful tuna I find.  I also pick up some great sushi rice and noori. 
5:10pm: I arrive at World Market, one of my favorite stores.  They have a great selection of Japanese groceries and I pick up hot chili oil, sriracha, a rolling mat, ginger, wasabi, and this adorable sushi dinner set.
5:40pm:  I arrive at the dreaded Barracks Road Shopping Center to pick up the rest of the groceries that I will need for dinner.  Normally, I try to avoid this bustling zoo of UVA students and retail-crazed C-villians, but I was on a time crunch and Kroger was the closest grocery store in the vicinity. I pick up some sesame seeds, lump crab meat, veggies, shrimp, an orchid, and a bottle of champagne because I'm classy.
6pm:  I arrive home to a hyper pup that needs a walk and his dinner.  He had no concept of the kind of time crunch I was working with.  I take him for a power walk around the block and fill his bowl with kibble.
6:15pm:  Forty five minutes left!  Ahhh!  I quickly cook the rice, chop the veggies, slice the fish, fry some shrimp (tempura style), set the table, and light some candles.  My dreams of completing the dinner before 7pm are no longer realistic and I decide that Rich and I will roll the sushi together.
7pm:  Rich gets home and is surprised by his Valentine's Day gift!

Who wouldn't want to come home to this?

  Types of rolls we made:

1. Spicy tuna - diced tuna, sriracha, hot chili oil, scallion
2. Spicy shrimp - Shrimp tempura, sriracha, cucumber, red pepper
3. Crab roll - lump crab, tempura crunch, cucumber, avocado
4. Tuna Avocado - tuna, avocado, cucumber

 Sushi-making was both fun and challenging.  Rolling was certainly the hardest part and gave me a great respect for sushi-chefs.  Next time I go out for sushi, I am eating at the bar and observing the chef's skills!  Making your own sushi also allows for creativity.  Get enough ingredients and make your own delightful combinations!  Try it yourself for your valentine, or invite friends over for a sushi-rolling dinner party! 

Cheers,
Emily