sushi with tuna, avocado, and cucumber

If you've never attempted to make your own sushi, you really ought to get on board with this trend as soon as possible. Pun intended As a side note, I was wondering if you guys have sushi trains where you're from. If that hadn't happened, that pun wouldn't have made any kind of sense at all. Anyway I digress In place of a sandwich in your child's lunchbox, try putting some sushi instead. In addition, my tuna, avocado, and cucumber sushi is very simple to put together. After you've gotten the hang of rolling them, they'll be easy. In addition, if you are unsure of what to do, all you have to do is watch the helpful video tutorial that I have attached to this post.

If there is one thing that the twins adore equally, it would have to be sushi. And I adore it just as much It is an outstanding choice for packed lunches at school. Particularly for individuals who are intolerant to gluten or allergic to it And if that weren't enough, once you've mastered the art of making sushi at home, you can make it for a lot less money than if you bought it already made.

Even though making homemade sushi isn't particularly difficult, you will need some time to prepare the rice and let it cool before you can proceed. Therefore, you shouldn't begin the process until a full hour after you have to leave for the school run. However, you are able to get the rice ready in advance and put it in the freezer for use at a later time. You can find additional information regarding this below.  

And despite the fact that it might take some time, the process is not particularly laborious. Since I prepare rice using the absorption method, there is no need for me to stand over the stove and stir a pot of rice as it cooks.

Equipment, Ingredients, and Alternatives to Consider

To make sushi, you only need a few ingredients, and you don't need a lot of specialized equipment – really, all you need is a bamboo rolling mat, which is available at most supermarkets for a low price and is widely available. This recipe yields six hand rolls or twenty-four individual pieces of sushi.  

You will need:

• 1 and a half cups, or 300 grams, of Japanese Short Grain Rice This type of rice is referred to as "Sushi Rice" in Australia, and it can be found in the majority of grocery stores there. When cooked, this type of white rice retains moisture and acquires a sticky consistency. You could use Arborio Rice as a substitute because it has a similar texture after it is cooked; however, it is highly recommended that you purchase Sushi Rice instead. Rices with longer grains, such as Jasmine Rice and Basmati Rice, cannot be used as a suitable substitute because they are not sticky enough to keep the mixture together.  
• Rice Wine Vinegar, 2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar is a more delicate and sweeter vinegar that plays an essential role in the seasoning of rice. This can be found in the majority of grocery stores. You might try using vinegar made from apple cider instead.
• 1.25 milligrams of Caster Sugar Caster sugar is a type of refined white sugar that, along with vinegar, is used to make the seasoning for sushi. You could also use regular table sugar instead. Do not give in to the temptation to omit this ingredient because it is essential to seasoning the rice and will keep the vinegar in check.  
• 1/4 tsp Salt Used to season the rice and provides a sweet counterpoint to the other ingredients in the sushi seasoning. Again, resist the urge to leave something out.  
• 3 Nori Sheets The word "nori" comes from the Japanese language and literally refers to dried and rolled seaweed. In Japanese, nori means "edible seaweed." You can find nori in the seafood sections of most supermarkets.
• 185g Canned Tuna drained Protein-packed tuna is a wonderful choice for lunch. If you want to make a vegetarian or vegan sushi, all you have to do is omit the fish and replace it with carrot that has been grated or sliced very thinly.  
• 3-4 tsp Mayonaise If I am using tuna, I will use this to add moisture to the tuna. You can substitute regular mayonnaise made with whole eggs for Kewpie Mayonnaise if you like, but I personally stick to the original.  
• Juice from one-half of a Lemon I include in the tuna mixture in order to impart a more robust flavor. You are free to omit it if you wish, but I personally enjoy the additional flavor. If you do omit you may find you need some more mayo  
• Pepper to one's liking In this particular recipe, the tuna is seasoned with pepper as well. You are free to ignore if that is more convenient.  
• 1/2 Avocado Sliced Depending on the size of your avocado, you may need more or less of this ingredient. Avocados are an excellent source of healthy fats and can contribute to a reduction in cholesterol levels. In addition to this, they are an excellent source of vitamins C, E, K, and B-6.
• 150g Cucumber Before slicing the cucumber into sticks, I remove the seeds from the center of the cucumber.

Putting together the sushi rice.

Putting the Rice Through the Absorption Cooking Process

My go-to method for cooking rice is called the absorption method. This method yields the best and most reliable results, but it did take me a few attempts to perfect it because I had to experiment with the size of the saucepan, the temperature, and the amount of time it needed to cook the rice.

The method that yields the best results for me is to make use of a saucepan of medium size, cook the rice over a temperature that is maintained at a low setting, and make sure that the pan has a lid that is a good fit. It is also essential to let the rice rest after it has been cooked, and you should avoid giving in to the temptation of checking on it while it is still cooking and resting. This cover must remain in place. The entirety of the time Seriously

In addition to this, you need to make sure that your measurements are accurate and that the proportion of rice to water is kept the same. If you are doubling the recipe, you will probably need to increase the amount of time it spends both cooking and standing.  

You won't need to rinse long-grained rice if you've ever cooked it using the absorption method, which is something you'll already know if you've done it before. This is not the case with sushi, however, because you use a rice that has short grains.

Guidelines for the preparation of sushi rice

First, in order to cook the sushi rice, you need to rinse off 1 5 cups (300g) of rice should be rinsed under cold running water using a sieve for approximately 45 seconds.  

The next step is to drain the rice, then gently shake the sieve in order to extract as much water as possible from the rice. After you have removed as much as you can, place the rice in a saucepan of a suitable size and continue cooking.

Rice should be covered with 1 3/4 cups (435 ml) of cold water, mixed together once to ensure that the rice is evenly distributed, and then brought to a consistent simmer over medium-high heat until the water is gently rippling and looks foamy on top. This will take a few minutes to complete. During this time of heating, there should be no stirring.

When the water begins to foam and ripple softly, cover the saucepan with its lid, reduce the temperature of the element to a low setting, and continue to cook for another 18 minutes. After the first 18 minutes, take the saucepan off the heat and, without opening the lid, let the rice stand for an additional 15 minutes. This will ensure that the cooking process is carried on.  

Adding Flavorings and Letting the Rice Cool

Prepare the sushi seasoning while the sushi is waiting to be eaten. Combine two tablespoons of rice wine vinegar and one tablespoon of honey in a small bowl. 5 g of caster sugar and a quarter gram of salt Gently stir the mixture until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved.  

After the rice has been allowed to sit for 15 minutes, transfer it to a shallow dish and gently spread it over the bottom of the dish using a wooden spoon.

After pouring half of the seasoning over the rice, stir it in with a wooden spoon so that it is evenly distributed. Then, repeat the process with the other half of the seasoning, folding it through the rice each time to ensure that it is evenly seasoned. Place in a shady spot close to an open window and let cool for about a quarter of an hour.

While the rice is resting and cooling, get the fillings ready. To prepare the tuna, empty the contents of a can of tuna weighing 185g and place it in a small bowl. Blend together with three to four teaspoons of mayonnaise, depending on your preference, along with the juice of half a lemon and black pepper to taste. Remove the seeds from 150g of cucumber and slice it lengthwise into sticks. Next, cut half an avocado into thin strips.

As soon as the rice has cooled down to the point where it is manageable, you can start putting the sushi together.  

Putting the rolls on the sushi

Take a sheet of nori and place it shiny side down on a bamboo rolling mat. Next, take a sheet of tuna, avocado, and cucumber sushi ingredients and roll them up. The surface of the shiny side has a texture that is easier on the touch.

Next, spoon one-third of the seasoned rice on top of the Nori, covering it only partially. Applying even pressure with wet hands, press the rice evenly over the sheet until it covers the sheet completely, save for a two-centimeter strip at the end of the sheet that is furthest from you. In order to successfully seal the sushi, you will need to ensure that this strip does not become contaminated with rice.

Then, beginning on the side of the sheet that is closest to you, begin layering your fillings, the cucumber, avocado, and tuna in strips width-wise, doing your best to keep these as close together as possible.

After that, start rolling the sushi from the end that is closest to you, making sure to press down firmly as you roll and keeping the bamboo mat positioned over the nori sheet the entire time. Check that the nori is tucked in and under so that it forms a compact log while you are rolling the sushi. After you have rolled the sushi, wet the portion of the nori that is exposed from the rice, and then roll it tightly to seal it. The sushi can now be rolled up and removed from the bamboo mat.  

Using a knife that has been dipped in water, divide the sushi into halves for hand rolls and into eight equal parts for bite-sized potions to pack in the lunchbox.  

Iterate with the remaining components of the dish.  

You can also watch the video of my tutorial by clicking here:

Keeping sushi in a secure location

If you are going to send sushi to school, you will need to make sure that it is transported securely in an insulated lunch bag and kept at a temperature that is safe for the food, either in a quality insulated lunch bag or in a refrigerator. Even though this recipe for Tuna Avocado and Cucumber Sushi does not call for raw fish, if the rice in the sushi is allowed to sit out at room temperature for an extended period of time, bacteria can grow on it and cause food poisoning.

Freezing Sushi Rice After It Has Been Cooked

You can keep sushi rice that has been cooked in the freezer for approximately one month if you have any leftover rice or if you would like to prepare the rice in advance.

Rice can be cooked, seasoned, and allowed to slightly cool before being spooned into a resealable ziplock bag for freezing. After removing the air from the bag, shape it into the form of a log, and then place it in the freezer. When you are ready to use the rice, you can remove it from the freezer and allow it to defrost in the refrigerator over night before using it. Use immediately the following day, throw away any rice that is left over, and do not refreeze.

Do You Want More Lunch Ideas That Aren't Sandwiches?

You might also like these other ideas for lunch that don't involve sandwiches:

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I really hope you enjoy this recipe, and if you end up making it, I would appreciate it if you would share it with me on any of my social media accounts. You can find me on Facebook or Instagram, respectively. In addition, it would be incredibly helpful if you could rate my recipes if you find that you enjoy using them.

Happy lunching,
Bernadette xxx