Is it Sushi or Sashimi?

[Satya]

Usually, sushi means it must have rice.  But sashimi is never rolled in seaweed, is it?  Oh well, it tastes good, whatever it is.  These are tuna rolls with avocado and nori.



The tea and books aren't paleo, but they add some depth to the photo.


I need a better camera.

[xylothrill]

Good job and good question. There's no rice but they're wrapped in seaweed. Many people don't know the difference anyway. They tend to call them both "sushi." How about a neologism "sushimi" or "sasushi"?

Craig

[TylerDurden]

Sashimi isn't wrapped in seaweed, but I think that you can sometimes get seaweed as a sort of salad with the raw fish(but separate on the plate).

[Satya]

Yes, it is a hybrid of sorts.  It's probably fine to call it sushi.  Most places sell the toasted nori sheets, but health food stores sell the raw ones.  They are purplish when raw.

[Raw Kyle]

I believe the most correct label would be "sashimi nori rolls." And since you have avocado in them, those in particular would be "sashimi and avocado nori rolls."

Not that it's worth dwelling on, but I like words and definitions.

As for the preparation, I've had trouble rolling anything in nori that isn't surrounded by that wonderfully sticky rice that works so well in the rolling process. One time I tried to make a raw rice substitute with jicama, sunflower seeds, almonds, honey and apple cider vinegar but it was too moist and when the nori gets too moist it falls apart and sticks in your teeth. Were you able to just roll up that stuff no problem? I was using salmon, maybe tuna is better for no-rice sushi (yet another name for what you made) because it's less moist and more sticky.

I'll still be forever on the search for a raw and/or healthy rice substitute for rolling sushi with. Sashimi is great and I have no complaints with it, but the extra texture and taste of the sushi rice really puts sushi over the top as one of my favorite foods.

[Satya]

I believe the most correct label would be "sashimi nori rolls." And since you have avocado in them, those in particular would be "sashimi and avocado nori rolls."

Sounds good, Kyle.  Thanks for the suggestion.  I think the tuna and avo had just enough moisture to bind, but not so much to mushify the nori.  I just don't do well on any grains and can't do the rice, but I love the nori flavor.  Experimentation rules!

[Justin]

I just do straight up mono eating, but damn, you have some killer presentation Satya. Looks real good.

[xylothrill]

I just do straight up mono eating, but damn, you have some killer presentation Satya. Looks real good.

My sentiments exactly! Wait till you see her Kimchi! Now THAT would make even THIS carnivore salivate!

[Satya]

cha cha cha

[Carnál]

    That makes sense.  I will try that.  It you don't toast the weed, does it stick and are they difficult to bite through?

[Satya]

    That makes sense.  I will try that.  It you don't toast the weed, does it stick and are they difficult to bite through?

The nori has the same texture whether or not it is toasted.  And it cooperates the same too.  For those who did not know it, raw nori is purple and cooked nori is green, as you can see.

[Raw Kyle]

I never found a suitable alternative to rice in my mock sushi making. I tried chopped up nuts and jicama (used as a rice substitute in a raw vegan recipe book) as well as cooked quinoa. Nothing seems to create the stickiness it needs without any moisture like rice does. In that second picture you're using avocado as the contact point with the nori? It is dry but not sticky, but perhaps if you surrounded the fish and anything else inside with avocado touching the nori it would work ok, just not hold together as well.