Did you ever want to try making sushi at home? If so there are a few things you should know. As you well know some sushi contains raw fish, you’ll need to know how to prepare it properly to ensure it is safe to eat. If you want to make tasty, delicious sushi rolls at home, continue reading to learn how to make Japanese-style sushi safely at home.

Choose Your Fish

Before you make sushi, you need to decide what type of fish you want to use. You can make plenty of different sushi rolls, such as tuna roll, eel roll, and salmon rolls. If you need a little inspiration, you can always research online or visit one of your favorite Japanese restaurants. You will also need to decide if you want to use cooked or raw fish. If you decide to use raw fish, there are three things you can do to ensure that it is safe.

1. You can freeze the fish at 31^o F until solid and store it for a day at –4^o F.
2. Or you can freeze it at –4^o F for one week.
3. The third way to prepare the fish is to freeze the fish until solid at 31^o F, then store it at the same temperature for 15 hours. After using these methods, the raw fish will be safe for you to use and eat.

Use Proper Equipment

To make sushi safely, you’ll need to use proper equipment. There are a few Japanese tools that you will need to make beautiful sushi rolls. Here are a few tools you will need in your kitchen to restaurant-quality sushi in your own home.

1. The first tool you will need is a bamboo mat, which is called a sushi maki sudare. This small mat will help you prepare and roll the rice into a specific shape for your sushi. If you try to roll the rice by hand, the results usually are not pretty, so a sushi maki sudare is an essential item for making uniform sushi.
2. Another item you need is a Japanese knife. One of the reasons why you should have a Japanese knife in your kitchen is because they are extremely sharp and expertly made. With a Japanese knife, it is easy to make clean and precise cuts. You’ll be able to make beautiful rolls of sushi with an authentic Japanese knife.
3. To protect your countertops, you’ll also need a cutting board. There are many reasons why it is important to use a sharp knife in the kitchen, but a sharp knife can take a toll on your counters. The cutting board you use doesn’t need to be fancy; just something that will protect your counters from your sharp Japanese knife.

Practice Often

The best way to make delicious sushi is to practice often. Learn how to work with your new sushi tools and ingredients. Once you decide on what type of fish you would like to create sushi rolls with remember to strictly follow the three freezing techniques above.  While your first sushi roll may not be turn out as you hoped, remember that you will improve your sushi-making skills with time and experience.  After learning how to make Japanese sushi safely at home, you’ll be able to make gorgeous, tasty rolls from the comfort of your own kitchen and impress your family and friends.