Making sushi hand rolls at Kanji Sushi

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - The Three stopped by Kanji Sushi to celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month!

Owner, Chef Tai Lee says AAPI Month is important to him because he has had the opportunity to share his craft in College Station with so many restaurant goers.

“Yeah, it’s something we eat at home every day. We don’t call it Asian food. We just call it food, right? But it is really nice to share what we eat and what we cherish with our fellow Americans and our friends,” said Lee.

To celebrate Lee gave a quick lesson on how to make quick and easy sushi rolls.

Lee says to make the rolls all you’ll need nori seaweed sheets, and fillings like sliced veggies, protein like fish or meat and most importantly cooked sushi rice.

“Obviously, we’re going to need a steamed rice, and then we’re gonna need seasoned vinegar. Seasoned vinegar is a proprietary secret. I am not sharing on TV,” Lee joked, but he did confirm that those of us at home could use rice wine vinegar. “Sushi only means sour in Japanese. So it only refers to a vinegar seasoned rice.”

Dampen your hand in water, grab some rice and ball it up. Then with your dominant hand, grab a nori sheet and spread the rice on one end of it.

“Then you can pick anything you like. In this case, I’m going to put some cucumber and some avocado and I’m going to go with the steak,” said Lee.

When you have filled the nori to your desire, roll it like a burrito.

“There’s no rules,” said Lee. “This is something that you can do at home. I know the kids are going into the summer break and my family does this all the time on the weekend. Our kids love rolling sushi.”

Finally, if you like spicy food you can always add a spicy sauce. Lee has created special chili, miso and glaze to purchase at the restaurant and enjoy at home!

Be careful when consuming raw fish as not all fish is not sushi grade fish and since there’s no official organization determining what cuts of fish are sushi-grade and which are not.

Lee says the only requirement is that the fish is frozen and stored properly.

If you have any questions about what can be used, take a look at FDA guidelines regarding wild fish sold for raw consumption.

“And you want to kind of use the common sense. Good fish? It’s never fishy,” said Lee.

And remember, it doesn’t even have to be raw fish.

“You can do it with a steak. I mean, let’s call it the cowboy sushi.”

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