Eel for sushi: selection rules, storage features, recipes and cooking nuances

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Sushi eel, or unagi (which is the Japanese name for freshwater eel), should not be confused with the marine variety called anago. The highest quality is considered to be a product caught in the natural environment, and not bred on a farm. The ideal size of unagi is from 30 to 50 centimeters. Some expensive restaurants in Japan keep aquariums filled with live eels and they don't start cooking them until the order arrives.

How long has this product been known and what is it good for?

According to some sources, unagi has been used in Japan for thousands of years. The product is rich in protein, vitamins A and E, etc. Some people believe that eating unagi gives them endurance. For this reason, the Japanese most often eat eel during the hottest time of the year. There is a Japanese custom of eating unagi in the summer, between mid-July and early August.

How is it used?

Sushi eel is usually filleted and fried, then glazed with a sweetish sauce. In addition to sushi, many different dishes are prepared from it. It can be barbecue, as well as justgrilled fillet with sweet onion sauce. Steamed white rice is usually served as a side dish.

In Asian speci alty stores, eel for sushi is most often sold frozen, vacuum-packed. A well-prepared unagi combines rich flavor (a bit like pâté) with a mouth-watering texture, crisp on the outside but juicy and tender on the inside. It is often referred to as sushi smoked eel, but its preparation does not actually involve smoking in the usual way.

How are unagi made?

In eastern Japan, it is usually steamed after being lightly grilled to remove excess fat, then seasoned with a sweet sauce and grilled again. In the western part of the country, steaming is not used, the product is simply fried longer to burn excess fat. Because of this peculiarity, sushi eel is more delicate in eastern Japan than in western Japan.

The sauce ingredients are also important for the final taste of unagi. The quality of the charcoal used on the grill is also important: the best kind is made from solid oak.

How to buy unagi?

As noted above, when buying an eel, you should pay attention to the size of the fillet. It should not be less than 30 cm and more than 50 cm. Also pay attention to the texture of the product and the presence of sauce (there should be a lot of it). It is better to store unagi frozen, as it is a perishable product.

How to use it for sushi

As noted above, eel is a fish for sushi, in most cases it is used for this dish. How to use it in this capacity? For classic unagi nigiri you will need:

• 125 grams eel fillet (unagi);
• 150 grams of sushi rice;
• 180ml water;
• 12ml rice vinegar;
• 3 grams of s alt;
• 7 grams of sugar.

How is the process of making sushi rice?

To prepare sushi rice, place the grits in a medium saucepan and rinse thoroughly with cold water 5 or 6 times. Fill the container with clean water and let the rice soak for 20 minutes.

Using a very fine sieve, drain the water, return the rice to the pot and pour in the water measured according to the recipe. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce heat to low. Release the steam gently and cook the rice for 20 minutes. When it's almost ready, prepare the dressing. In a large bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar and s alt and place in the microwave for 10 seconds. Stir the mixture until the ingredients are completely combined.

After the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and transfer the grits to a bowl of sushi vinegar. Mix everything thoroughly with a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients, then leave to cool to room temperature.

How to assemble sushi?

Meanwhile prepare the eel. Using a very sharp knife, slice thinlyfillet into even strips, each weighing 10-12 grams. To make the pieces even, you can take slightly frozen unagi.

To make the eel nigiri sushi, measure out 10 servings of rice, each weighing 12 grams. Using the palms of your hands, shape the rice balls into even-sized oblong shapes and place them on the metal tray. Place sliced eel strips on top, add a few drops of unagi sauce (from the package) and sear with a burner until lightly browned. Then arrange the nigiri on a serving platter.

To serve sushi, drizzle with a little unagi sauce. Place some pickled ginger and wasabi on each plate.

How to make unagi rolls?

In addition to eel sushi recipes, roll guides are also popular. This Japanese appetizer has taken root on our tables especially well. Rolls are easy to make at home. For one of the variations of this dish you will need:

• 240 grams of sushi rice;
• 1 full sheet of nori (fried seaweed);
• 30 grams cucumber, fresh;
• 15 grams daikon sprouts, fresh;
• 120 grams of unagi;
• 30 grams of sesame seeds;
• gari (pickled ginger), to taste;
• wasabi (Japanese horseradish), to taste;
• soy sauce - to taste.

For seasoning rice:

• 3 table spoons of sugar;
• 1 tablespoon s alt;
• 1 cup rice vinegar;
• 30 grams of seakombu seaweed.

For glaze sauce:

• 120 grams of sake;
• 120 grams of mirin;
• 30 grams of sugar;
• 30 grams of water;
• 15 ml soy sauce.

How to make unagi roll?

To prepare sushi rice, wash it thoroughly, drain and let stand for 30 minutes in a colander. When cooking rice for 1 cup of grits, add a little less than 1 cup of water to a pot or rice cooker. After 45 minutes of cooking, transfer the grits to a large bowl (plastic or wood is best) to speed up the cooling process. Add 30 ml dressing. Let the rice cool down. Stir it occasionally so that the cereal cools evenly. Wait approximately 20-30 minutes before proceeding with the next steps.

Place a whole sheet of nori (rough side up) on a bamboo mat. Cover the entire sheet, except for 2 cm from the far edge, with an even layer of rice, pressing it down with wet hands. Sprinkle with sesame seeds from left to right. Place the strips of unagi, cucumber, and daikon sprouts on the end of the nori closest to you. Roll the stuffing sheet in the opposite direction from you, squeeze the roll very tightly and continue rolling until you reach the empty end of the nori. To seal the roll, brush the seaweed sheet with rice dressing. Squeeze the roll with a bamboo mat. You can shape the roll however you like by making it slightly oval or square. To serve, cut the roll into 12 even pieces. This is best done with a wet knife so as not to damageproduct.

Place the icing sauce on top of the roll or serve it separately on a plate. Garnish with pickled ginger and wasabi. Serve the rolls with soy sauce.