Disney Dining Disney Dining Tips, News, and Reviews
On June 18, the world celebrates one of the most popular cuisines among food lovers — sushi! To celebrate National Sushi Day, Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto has shared his sushi recipe and top tips. Chef Masaharu Morimoto is the creator of Morimoto Asia in Disney Springs.
Eel Avocado Roll Recipe by Chef Masaharu Morimoto
Credit: Morimoto Asia
Ingredients
- 4 oz. cooked short-grain sushi rice, at room temperature
- 1 pc half size nori seaweed sheet
- 2 oz. cut BBQ eel (unagi) warmed in oven
- 1 oz. avocado cut into 3 slices
- ½ oz. julienne cucumber
- 1 tsp. white or black & white mixed sesame seeds
- ½ oz. sushi pickled ginger
- 1 tsp. wasabi
Directions
Place a nori sheet lengthwise on a cutting board. Wet your hands in cool water and take a handful of sushi rice. Place the rice in the center of the nori and use your fingers to spread the rice evenly over the nori, and sprinkle the sesame seeds over the rice.
Turn the sheet of nori over so that the rice side is facing down. Put the BBQ eel*, cucumbers, and avocado in the middle of the nori sheet. (*Use any julienne or stick vegetables to substitute crab for a veggie roll).
Grab the bottom edge of the nori/rice sheet, and roll into a tight cylinder. Use a sushi rolling mat and roll it forward while keeping gentle pressure on the mat. Push both ends of the roll to make it tight.
Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into 6-8 pieces. Plate with wasabi and sushi ginger.
Credit: Morimoto Asia
Iron Chef Morimoto’s Tips for Eating Sushi
- When you go eat at sushi restaurants in Japan, especially at high-end ones, there is no price on the menu. And sometimes, you’re expected to leave it all to the chef. In the U.S., on the other hand, the options are more explicitly presented to the Guests, and they eat what they want in the manner they want.
- Just because a certain style of sushi isn’t “authentic” doesn’t mean it’s not worth eating. Sushi in America is different from what you’ll find in Japan. Just like many other cultural elements, food travels from its birthplace to another part of the world. Then it evolves, changes, and eventually settles down.
- Tradition dictates eating sushi with your hands instead of chopsticks, but also chopsticks are also acceptable, according to Chef Morimoto.
- Do not automatically dip your sushi in soy sauce. Taste the fish first as you want to experience the sushi’s flavor first.
- Do not mix wasabi and soy sauce together into a murky soup mess. This is a no-no.
- It takes many years to properly learn the craft of sushi-making. Traditionally, a sushi apprentice may study for nearly a decade, the first two years of which he or she is not even allowed to touch the fish.
- Sushi was originally a street food and often consumed in the way we eat tacos or pretzels off street vendors. That all changed after the giant Tokyo earthquake in the 1920s, which brought down the cost of real estate and led to sushi chefs opening storefronts.
- Never eat sushi with cold rice. It will lose its sweetness, killing the layers of sushi. Goodbye grocery store sushi case!
More About Morimoto Asia
Credit: Morimoto Asia
Morimoto Asia offers an entirely new dining experience for Guests, including unique exhibition kitchens that provide behind-the-scenes views into traditions like Peking duck carving and dim sum. The restaurant’s massive, 2-story interior includes glittering 20-foot-long chandeliers, Shanghai-influenced lounges, private dining spaces, and a second-level sushi bar and lounge.
Chef Morimoto welcomes Guests to celebrate National Sushi Day locally at Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs, where they can indulge in delicious maki, nigiri, sashimi, and more. Guests can make a reservation for National Sushi Day on June 18 and see the complete menu online.
