Saturday, August 16, 2008

Sushi and Green Tea

Brandon and I went to lunch recently, and he chose a Sushi Bar as the place to eat. It was a new experience for me, and oh, so yummy! We had Seaweed and Cucumber Salad, Miso Soup, and Cucumber and Avocado Sushi Rolls. Pickled ginger, soy sauce, and a zippy wasabi gave accent to this delicious meal! A fragrant and mellow cup of Jasmine tea was the perfect closure for a delightful culinary experience.

I've never tried to make Sushi at home, but would love to try. I'm sure my friend, Toshiko, would be a very good teacher! I wish she lived nearby. In my search for healthy Asian recipes, I found one that uses 'toothsome and satisfying brown rice' and I think I'll give this one a try. You might like to as well, so I will share.

Tofu, Rice and Green Tea Soup

2 cups brown rice, short-grained
1 tsp. salt, divided
.8 oz. nori, toasted and seasoned
2 green onions
1 lb. extra firm tofu
8 tea bags genmaicha green tea (or equivalent loose tea)
1 tsp. black sesame seeds
Tamari sauce
Toasted sesame oil (optional)

Steam rice in 4 cups of boiling water and 1/2 tsp. salt. When done, remove rice from heat, uncover, and fluff with a fork.

While rice is steaming, cut nori into 1/4 inch strips. Set aside. Then slice green onions on the diagonal and set aside as well.

Remove tofu from wrapper, rinse, and pat dry with paper towel. Dice into bite-sized blocks.

After rice is cooked, bring 8 cups of water to a boil. Pour over tea bags and allow tea to steep for 5 minutes.

Place 1 cup of rice in each of 4 large soup bowls. Place a spoonful of diced tofu on each bed of rice. Pour 2 cups of hot tea over each. Garnish with a sprinkle of green onion and black sesame seeds.

Serve immediately with bowls of nori, tamari, and sesame oil on the side. Chopped cilantro, hot sauce, or nuts oils also make good accompaniments.

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous5:11 PM

    Hi LaTeaDah,

    Great hearing from you. I still miss your tea blog!

    Sushi does sound good... I have a craving now because of your post! :)

    Have a great week.

    ReplyDelete
  2. On occasion I have made sushi. It is not as difficult as people think it would be. Sushi is great for a summer evening meal.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous8:15 PM

    Making sushi is a lot of fun especially with friends. No matter how it turns out, it always creates a memorable moment for me.

    ReplyDelete

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