sorry for the lack of posts, I am on my big fat German holiday.
I will return from holiday on Sept 1 and should resume posting then.
I already have quite some topics in mind... brace yourself for toaster meat.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Cooking Extravaganza - Sushi rolls
This past weekend we were in the mood for something different than the usual dinner. The weather was rainy and crap so BBQ was ruled out, I decided it was time to make Sushi rolls.
Now, I am by no means an expert cook, but I think I can make a few tasty things... and I think my sushi roll is quite decent considering it is something I made based on various internet sites.
First and most important part of Sushi is making the rice. Sushi actually is the rice... the fish/other components are just other bits added in later. I think lots of people equate sushi with raw fish, but that is really sashimi. Rice seasoned with vinegar/sugar/salt is the sushi. other components can be anything like raw fish, pickled vegetables, egg, cooked fish of various sorts, I have even seen it with spam. All so very tasty.
Proper Sushi chefs really know what they are doing, I am just a fool with a kitchen and an internet connection, so my version is a very simple smoked salmon roll.
To make the sushi rice, first I put the rice in a pot, bring it to a boil, then simmer for 15 min. After that, I remove it from the stove and let it steam another 15 min with a clean towel stretched over the pot.
In the meantime, I make the seasoning, which is a bunch of rice wine vinegar, which I heat up and dissolve some sugar and salt. Then set it aside to cool off.
I also prepare a mixture called Tezu which is water with a bit of salt and vinegar in it, this is rubbed all over the wooden bowl to make sure the rice does not stick to the sides. I also use it to clean all the sticky off the knife when I am cutting the rolls later. Sushi rice does leave a starchy sticky film on everything. 
By this time, the rice is done, which I empty into a large wooden bowl, then I fold the rice a few times, being sure not to mash it up, and add the cooled seasoning to it. The rice is mixed and folded a few more times until it cools off enough to use in the rolls.
Here is the wonderful rice, all ready to go.
Normally I would by the ready prepared wasabi (Japanese horseradish) in a tube, but this time the store only had a powder. Thought is was worth giving a try.
Once I added the water and mixed it up, it looked pretty much like it was supposed to. Out of curiosity I put a tiny amount of the powder directly in my mouth to see how strong it was. The walls then melted around me and I could see through time.
Next, I put out my nori seaweed sheets and bamboo sushi rolling mat, all ready to be filled up.
I put down a thin layer of rice, then a row of salmon and a little wasabi. The plastic wrap on the bottom is just to keep the mat clean. Sushi rice is really really sticky and I find it difficult to wash things like bamboo mats.
Then I just roll that guy up and move him over to the chopping board.
I cut the big roll into two smaller ones of about the same size.
and then keep halving them to make sure the final rolls are of a similar size.
Here is the end result, a little sloppy, but they tasted just fine.
I will surely not be winning any awards or impressing any Japanese people who happen to stop by Entringen, but this is certainly good enough for the Anderson household to enjoy from time to time.
Now, I am by no means an expert cook, but I think I can make a few tasty things... and I think my sushi roll is quite decent considering it is something I made based on various internet sites.
First and most important part of Sushi is making the rice. Sushi actually is the rice... the fish/other components are just other bits added in later. I think lots of people equate sushi with raw fish, but that is really sashimi. Rice seasoned with vinegar/sugar/salt is the sushi. other components can be anything like raw fish, pickled vegetables, egg, cooked fish of various sorts, I have even seen it with spam. All so very tasty.
Proper Sushi chefs really know what they are doing, I am just a fool with a kitchen and an internet connection, so my version is a very simple smoked salmon roll.
To make the sushi rice, first I put the rice in a pot, bring it to a boil, then simmer for 15 min. After that, I remove it from the stove and let it steam another 15 min with a clean towel stretched over the pot.
In the meantime, I make the seasoning, which is a bunch of rice wine vinegar, which I heat up and dissolve some sugar and salt. Then set it aside to cool off.
I also prepare a mixture called Tezu which is water with a bit of salt and vinegar in it, this is rubbed all over the wooden bowl to make sure the rice does not stick to the sides. I also use it to clean all the sticky off the knife when I am cutting the rolls later. Sushi rice does leave a starchy sticky film on everything. 
By this time, the rice is done, which I empty into a large wooden bowl, then I fold the rice a few times, being sure not to mash it up, and add the cooled seasoning to it. The rice is mixed and folded a few more times until it cools off enough to use in the rolls.Here is the wonderful rice, all ready to go.
Normally I would by the ready prepared wasabi (Japanese horseradish) in a tube, but this time the store only had a powder. Thought is was worth giving a try.
Once I added the water and mixed it up, it looked pretty much like it was supposed to. Out of curiosity I put a tiny amount of the powder directly in my mouth to see how strong it was. The walls then melted around me and I could see through time.
Next, I put out my nori seaweed sheets and bamboo sushi rolling mat, all ready to be filled up.
I put down a thin layer of rice, then a row of salmon and a little wasabi. The plastic wrap on the bottom is just to keep the mat clean. Sushi rice is really really sticky and I find it difficult to wash things like bamboo mats.
Then I just roll that guy up and move him over to the chopping board.
I cut the big roll into two smaller ones of about the same size.
and then keep halving them to make sure the final rolls are of a similar size.
Here is the end result, a little sloppy, but they tasted just fine.
I will surely not be winning any awards or impressing any Japanese people who happen to stop by Entringen, but this is certainly good enough for the Anderson household to enjoy from time to time.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Shocking research results!
As most people who know me know, I enjoy a nice cold beer. One of my favorites is Guinness, which I only have rarely due to the abundance of fine (and much cheaper) local German beers.
I was treating myself to a Guinness the other day when I happened to read the nutritional information printed on the side of the can. You are reading this correctly, for every 100ml of Guinness, there are 35 kilocalories.
That really did not seem like all that much to me.... so I pulled out the Apple juice (Kaufland non-name brand) which we always drink to make a comparison.
I flipped the carton over and made a shocking discovery...
That is right, Apple juice has 44 Kilocalories per 100ml.
Apple Juice has 26% more calories than Beer. I did a quick comparison with the Orange juice and found it to have 45 Kcal/100ml, 28% more than beer.
Guinness has long had a reputation among the people I know as a "heavy" beer, one that felt like a meal replacement at times due to its filling nature. Now I see that on a direct comparison Guinness is lower in Calories, fat, and carbohydrates (340% more in juice) than fruit juice.
So if you are thinking about having a less fattening drink of an evening, put down that juice and grab yourself a Guinness.
I was treating myself to a Guinness the other day when I happened to read the nutritional information printed on the side of the can. You are reading this correctly, for every 100ml of Guinness, there are 35 kilocalories.
That really did not seem like all that much to me.... so I pulled out the Apple juice (Kaufland non-name brand) which we always drink to make a comparison.
I flipped the carton over and made a shocking discovery...
That is right, Apple juice has 44 Kilocalories per 100ml.Apple Juice has 26% more calories than Beer. I did a quick comparison with the Orange juice and found it to have 45 Kcal/100ml, 28% more than beer.
Guinness has long had a reputation among the people I know as a "heavy" beer, one that felt like a meal replacement at times due to its filling nature. Now I see that on a direct comparison Guinness is lower in Calories, fat, and carbohydrates (340% more in juice) than fruit juice.
So if you are thinking about having a less fattening drink of an evening, put down that juice and grab yourself a Guinness.
Monday, August 04, 2008
The pictures are up
This weekend's project was to hang pictures up.
Claudia had been recently searching for something to fill the giant empty wall in our living/dining/everything on the main floor room. After much searching, she went with these two prints. She purchased some frames from my favorite pit of evil, Ikea, and framed them herself.
This past Saturday I was tasked with hanging them at exactly the same height, something I am often having trouble doing. Anyway, it worked out and now our wall is a little less blank.
Here is a wider shot to see the whole side of the house.
Claudia had been recently searching for something to fill the giant empty wall in our living/dining/everything on the main floor room. After much searching, she went with these two prints. She purchased some frames from my favorite pit of evil, Ikea, and framed them herself.
This past Saturday I was tasked with hanging them at exactly the same height, something I am often having trouble doing. Anyway, it worked out and now our wall is a little less blank.
Here is a wider shot to see the whole side of the house.
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