Sushi Night!

          As you would likely guess, ever since I arrived in Iceland my experience has been a learning one. I've learned about Iceland's history, witnessed many famous landmarks, attempted the country's language, and experienced many new things as I adjusted to the Icelandic way of life. Lucky for me, that includes trying the country's cuisine.  About a month ago - yes, I know this is long overdue - I not only indulged in some of the finest seafood in the world, but I learned how to prepare it, too! Okay, perhaps assemble is a better word considering all the ingredients are raw. Either way, I got my first lesson on making sushi!

         Growing up in a house where fish wasn't frequently served, I didn't know I liked sushi until I was about 18, when I tried my first California roll.  It took some time and gumption to overcome my raw fish hesitancies before I finally ventured into some real specialty combinations. But since then, sushi has become one of my favorite dishes. Thanks to Torfi and Svava, now it's one that I can make at home! Would it be too corny to pull out the "If you teach a man to fish" story? Perhaps too corny, but appropriate. 

 

The seaweed sheets

       Thrilled with my new skill, I immediately knew I'd have to share what I learned. With the camera charged, my learning senses alert, and my excitement soaring, I watched Svava set up the ingredients and prepare for roll assembly. The picture below shows the ingredients: lots of boiled rice, sliced orange peppers, green onion stalks, thinly sliced avocados and mango, and long strips of cucumber; thin strips of fresh salmon, stalks of imitation crab meat, lobster tails, and thin strips of raw tuna. The plastic container in the front holds vinegar water – a mixture of rice vinegar (sold at the supermarket) and water.

The wide array of possibilities!

Svava spreading rice one the seaweed

         First, Svava placed a sheet of seaweed paper - shiny side down - on the placemat-looking wooden rolling tool. After dipping her fingers in the vinegar water to keep the rice from sticking, she spread a thin layer of rice evenly across the seaweed, leaving an inch-wide strip at the top bare. I'd estimate the layer of rice to be about half an inch thick.

Svava adding ingredients

         Next, Svava placed her chosen ingredients in a thin strip in the middle of the rice. The beauty of homemade sushi is the ability to create your own combination of ingredients. And we certainly did that! We made all kinds of varieties by complimenting flavors and forming colorful designs. No two rolls were alike!

My soon-to-be first sushi roll!

Svava pausing mid-roll for the blog pic!

         Once the ingredients have been chosen and properly laid, it's ready to roll! This I found to be the trickiest part, but after a few tries, rolling became fairly easy. Placing the strip of seaweed without rice away from you, start rolling from the other side. Use your fingers to hold the ingredients in place while your thumbs hold the wooden mat and roll the seaweed towards the middle, tightly engulfing the ingredients. As the seaweed is rolled, you'll have to grab further down on the mat - keeping the roll tight, while letting the excess (or part of the mat that was closest to you) fall over the roll, away from you. Underneath the mat, you should find your very own sushi roll!

        Before long, with Nicole, Melanie, and I eagerly improving our skills, and Torfi and Svava whipping out professional rolls, we had ourselves a pile piles of sushi!  To add to our selection, Torfi created a special kind, displaying the lobster tails in unique fashion while Svava formed an inside out roll, where the rice is on the outside of the seaweed. Maybe I'll try making one of those in a future sushi night. 

    

         Lastly, Torfi used a sharp knife to cut the rolls into bites. He wiped the knife with a cloth, damp with vinegar water, to keep the rice from sticking. 

Svava finishing her inside out roll & Torfi cutting 'em up! 

         The sushi rolls themselves were enough to impress me, but the complete table set up, utensils, and atmosphere exceeded my expectations! Sushi night at Torfi and Svava's ranked better than any sushi restaurant experience I've ever had! Perhaps my assembly lesson and fantastic company influenced my ranking, but look at the picture below.  Don't you agree sushi night at Torfi and Svava's could give a few restaurants a run for their money?! I certainly think so.

Do you see Nicole and Melanie? It wasn't just me admiring the presentation!

          Now that the table was elegantly decorated with homemade sushi, traditional sides, restaurant-style dinner ware, and lovely lit candles, it was time to eat! Roll after roll, boy, did we enjoy!

Patiently posing for a family photo before digging in!