Minichefs: sushi making for kids
Children are (understandably) reluctant to try sushi as the raw salmon and tuna are slimy and foreign to their taste buds. When making it at home, this can be easily side-stepped by using tinned tuna or smoked salmon instead. Smoked salmon off cuts are very reasonably priced and conveniently pre-sliced, ask for them at your fish monger or the fish counter of supermarket).
The usual seaweed sheets and salad bits apply. To make it easier for the little people to get thin julienne cucumber and carrots try a julienne peeler (rather than a knife).
Tin Tuna rolls
Ingredients
1 tin Tuna
1 Tbls mayonaise
Nori sheets
Cheddar cheese
Avo sliced or cucumber
Sushi rice (prepared in advance, learn how to make sushi rice)
A bowl of warm water
Method
1. Place Nori sheet shiny side down onto a silicone sushi mat (or bamboo mat with plastic wrap).
2. Wet hands with water and put a handful of rice onto the sheet, press and spread rice into a layer. Keep a 2cm space at the top and 1cm space at the bottom.
3. Place all your fillings in rows below the halfway mark on your rice.
4. Bring your Nori sheet to the bottom edge of the mat and, holding your ingredients in place, roll so that rice meets rice on the other side. Then lift your mat and roll the last bit closed, squeeze to firm up the roll.
5. Slice in half with a sharp, wet knife (dipping the knife in warm water each time before cutting) and then slice each half into 3′s – 6 little rolls.
Filling variations
Instead of tuna, smoked salmon
Carrot sliced with a peeler
Cucumber sliced with a peeler
Shredded lettuce
Grated raw beetroot
A big high five to Terryn and Emma and their super Mum, Charise, who whipped up these delicious and kid-friendly sushi snacks in the Yuppiechef test kitchen.
