9 Essential TOOLS for SUSHI (Beginner Level) with The Sushi Man

[@Gulronike]

Have you made the more advanced tool video yet? Just looking to start but I am still interested. Thanks.

[@TheSushiMan]

I haven't yet but it is in my future video list.

[@jakegarcia1796]

Looking forward to this series, Jun! I've been really getting more into making sushi lately (and just bought a zojirushi) and have been making more and more. I plan to get your book soon, but one subject matter I have a request on is the procurement of fish intended for raw consumption (AKA "sushi grade" fish). An in-depth look into where to buy fish, the FDA requirements for raw fish consumption, and any details for a home cook to maintain food safety when trying to buy fish would be seriously awesome. I tend to stick to those frozen blocks of tuna I can find at my local Asian store, but I want to branch out and make more than just tuna rolls at home! Keep up the great work!

[@TheSushiMan]

Hey Jake, that's great to hear and I'm glad you're getting into making sushi more! Getting quality "sushi grade" fish is probably the trickiest part of it all and it really depends on where you live. I do have an entire chapter on it in my book which should help you out a lot. There's also online seafood retailers that overnight ship it right to your door and they have a bunch of fresh seafood meant for sushi and sashimi. I plan to test some of them out and make a video on it. You may also think about getting to know a local sushi restaurant and see if they could sell you some fish. We use to do this all the time for our regulars back when I ran the catering company. Might be something to look into. Hope that helps for now!

[@danielbessaignet6013]

Merci encore pour vos bons conseils 👍👌🤞🇫🇷

[@cpm9747]

I haven't been able to buy an oke yet, but I get by pretty well using a large bowl for mixing and a wooden spoon, then transferring to a sheet pan and some damp clean towels to prevent the rice drying out or cooling off too much too fast. I started with: A pot with a lid (Highly recommend upgrading to a good reliable rice cooker though) A large glass bowl A wooden spoon (One day I'll get a shamoji) A cutting board A petite chef's knife A bamboo makisu Going without plastic does make it a lot harder to do inside out rolls, but I'm not doing this professionally, just for myself and friends. Dampening the makisu very slightly like you do the knife (with the water/rice vinegar mix) does help a little bit. I think... lol Seems to help for me at least.

[@TheSushiMan]

Great start and thanks for sharing!

[@sergey-c8c]

Hello, my name is Sergey. I am learning to make sushi by reading your book and watching videos on youtube. I live in Alaska and have ready access to king salmon. However, none of the local stores carry hamachi. Can you please recommend a good online store to buy hamachi. Thank you! Sergey.

[@TheSushiMan]

Hey Sergey, that's great you have easy access to King Salmon and I'm sure a lot of other great seafood in Alaska! As for hamachi, you can check out online seafood retailers like Riviera Seafood Club or Catalina Offshore. I haven't tried either one myself but have heard good things about them. Hope that helps!

[@sergey-c8c]

@@TheSushiMan Thank you! I was able to find a hamachi fillet, skin and collar on. Instructions in the book talk about hamachi back loin and belly loin. When breaking down whole side, should I cut the side down into back loin and belly loin, and then follow instructions in the book, or is there another way? Would be nice to see a video on how to break down the whole side, with subsequent instruction of how to cut loins further for nigiri and for rolls. For example, how to cut triangular height hamachi belly loin for nigirizushi.

[@TheSushiMan]

Nice! And yup, you got it! Break it down into the back loin and belly loin and then follow the instructions in the book. The triangular loin can be tricky to slice for nigiri, you have to keep adjusting the blade and lean it pretty far down depending on the size. I'll keep these questions in mind for future videos. Keep up the great work!

[@davescheer5038]

🌴🤔Humm, half the battle is trying to find some of these items as most of the Asian grocery stores in our area don’t handle them and they have to be ordered , I’ve been lucky enough over a long period of time to have found some items at a second hand store and they were like brand new , as some people get enthusiastic about making sushi but later they fall short and end up donating it to good will, I’ve watched a lot of sushi and Japanese cuisine videos, and I’ve got a few good books and there’s been a lot of new age chefs bringing a lot of new ideas , which is good and bad , good because they get to express their talents , but some through the process of time and evolution some of the old ways get forgotten, for me I have an interest in both, I guess that’s how I found your channel 😆, question do you work as a sushi chef at a restaurant? And were if you do is it located ?

[@TheSushiMan]

Thanks for sharing and that's a great tip about the second hand stores! To answer your question, no I do not work at a restaurant anymore. I used to be a sushi chef at my parents restaurant a long time ago, that's where I started my sushi journey. Then eventually I opened my own sushi catering company which I ran for over 10 years. Now my focus is to teach others how to make sushi and Japanese cuisine through YT and other platforms. That's my story in a nutshell 😄

[@davescheer5038]

@@TheSushiMan thanks for your reply, from watching great sushi chefs in Japan on you tube owning a sushi restaurant takes so much dedication and hard work, the only thing is it seems that in Japan fish markets have a steady source of fish , some seasonal and some imported like tuna , but always steady, here in Florida the fish markets are so expensive do to rising costs of fuel for the commercial boats ,maintenance, insurance,and wages, this is why I fish and get my own fish , I’m restricted by season , limits and size , the thing I find is that small fish aren’t eaten much by Americans as in Asian countries, they get a bad rap as being bait for large fish , or are considered trash fish , or are just to much work to prepare, I have just started getting into smaller species as I find it a challenge for my filleting skills 😏 a video on how to fillet kohada would be informative 👍🏼

[@dh1realgaming795]

I don't see any links for the knife? Anyone have it.....

[@TheSushiMan]

It should be listed in the description, here it is as well: amzn.to/46Zxunw

[@Jupe367]

Those are nice chopsticks. You didn’t mention the soy sauce bowl.

[@TheSushiMan]

Thanks! And yes, soy sauce dish would come in handy as well 👍