Make Your Own Japanese Fake Sushi!

I recently purchased a kit for making Fake Sushi candy from Jbox.

I have no idea what any of this says but its cute!

It is a neat little set that comes with everything you'll need to make up the candy but the water. Now I don't read Japanese but I managed to make these just find following the pictures and filling the little trays to the fill line.

This could really says anything "this product is made of puppies" I have no idea

I just went along with the order etc on the box.  First, you mix up some rice.  Its does look like a good representation of sticky rice if it was a candy.  Then you fill these little molded trays with candy so its properly shaped.

Note the fake fish eggs must be a master work of chemistry

The tray in the bottom right has my favorite thing to make in it. Fake fish eggs!  You suck the liquid in the tray right above it up into an eyedropper then drip it out into a clear liquid in the lower tray.  And it stays as a little round ball!  Super fun!  The whole thing was very fun to play with. I'm sure kids would love it, like I did.

In the end I ended up with this!

I'm not up to the standards of the box . . .

So they were fun to make and you get this cool set of candy sushi, but what do they taste like you say?  I'll tell you.

Component flavors/rating:

     White rice stuff - not too sweet, tastes a bit like sticky rice, very very soft, overall good.
     Fake raw meat - gentel sweetness, tastes a bit like grape, but not too strongly.  Bit firmer than the
                                rice,  overall good.
     Fake tamago - very similar to the fake raw meat, but a tad more sour (not quite a sweet tart, but in
                             that vein), overall good (I might like it a bit better than the fake meat).
     Fake fish eggs - they pop! Sweet and a bit tangy, overall excellent.
     Fake nori - not sweet and first than a sweet aftertaste and I think it taste like grape again.
                              Very grainy texture that is slightly unpleasant. Overall okay.
     Sprinkle topping - tastes like a mix of sweet tarts and those cheap candy necklace things.   
                                   Taste a bit of bubblegum and fizz like a pop rock.  Overall good (but weird and
                                   the more you eat of them the less I like the flavor).

Taste Combination of different Fake Sushi:

Tiny Maki Roll - rice, meat, nori. Tastes like grape.  Nori seems less gritty when combined with the  soft rice stuff.  Aftertaste/feel is a bit gritty.  Overall, the noir is way better in combination and this is a good candy favor.

Maki with Fish Eggs - rice, fish eggs nori. Tastes like grape. Soft a bit chewy with a pop.  Aftertaste/feel isn't as gritty this time, I think the liquid from the fish eggs helped.  Overall, this was an excellent candy.

Nigiri with Meat - rice, meat. Very soft.  No idea of an actual flavor. Tastes kind of sweet with overwhelming rice favor.  Overall, this was only an okay candy as there wasn't enough contrast in taste or texture.

Nigiri with Tamago - rice, egg. Very soft.  Once again I'm not sure of an actual flavor here. Tastes kind of sweet and tangy at first then overwhelming rice favor.  Overall, this was an okay candy, bit better than the meat nigiri as it was a bit tangy.

Weird nigiri like ones - I suspect these are just the suggestion of what to do with the left over bits, but they are shown on the package and come with the candy sprinkles to make them.  Rice, egg, meat, candy sprinkles.  Very soft with slight sprinkle crunch and fizz.  Sweet and sour taste then ends with the rice flavor.  Overall, I don't think I like this combo, but I don't hate it.

Weird combo - so I had a bit of stuff left over so I made one with rice, egg, and fish eggs. Tangy and sweet with out a real defined flavor.  Soft with pops.  Overall, I found my combo to be okay.

Overall, this was a really fun set.  If you have the chance to pick one up and try it out I recommend it!

Okonomiyaki!

I love Okonomiyaki, which tends to be translated as Japanese pizza.  It's really not like pizza other than you can put lots of different toppings on it.  You can make your own batter or you can use a pre-made mix.  Tonight I used a pre-made mix.  I've used it before and I like it.  If your in Edmonton you can get it at the T&T.

Look at all the cool stuff you get!

The mix comes with the four mix, yam powder (that makes it thicken up), some tempura crunches, and two packets of nori.  When I make my own I can't get the yam powder, so I substitute corn starch.

Okonomiyaki Batter Recipe
2 eggs
1 tsp flour
2 1/2 tbs cornstarch
1/3 tbs milk
140 grams cabbage

This will make a single one.  You can mix in whatever you want.  Same goes for when you make a mix.  The same cooking settings I used for the mix will work if you make your own. When you use the mix you get this cute set of instructions.

Handy english instructions, with pictures!

The instructions are in Japanese and English so that's helpful.  First you cut up your cabbage and any veggies etc.  You want.  Green onions are suggested by the package and do taste yummy.  For this time through I cut up spam, zuchinni, green onions, and a bit of cheese to add to my cabbage.  Its important to cut the cabbage in thin strips or squares if you want it to hold together (2-4 mm by 2-3 cm).

lots of junk in a bowl

Here you have my bowl of ingredients ready to go.  Looks good already.  Then you make up the batter.  First, you dissolve the yam powder into the water (if your making your own mix the cornstarch into the water first).

Yam powder - Yum!

Then mix in the batter mix.

Batter - looks like batter

Then mix in the two eggs and dump it on your ingredients.  Stir it really well with a big spoon.  The mix makes two Okonomiyaki (you can share or keep one for tomorrow . . . I actually usually get three meals out of one mix).

Battered veggies/spam

Now heat up an electric frying pan that has been lightly greased to 350F.  The mix directions suggest 400F, but that always results in burning for me.  So I turn down the heat a bit and let it cook a bit longer.

Giant Spatula of Doom!

You'll note the giant spatula, which is really essential.  If you don't have a giant spatula you'll need to use two spatulas and two hands to flip your okonomiyaki.  It's hard to do without losing some, but you can do it.  Next you need to dump in your batter/cabbage mix.

Fry!

Here we have it in the pan.  Now if you were going more traditional you would put a few strips of pork belly or bacon on the top right now (if you do that put the cover on the frying pan).  Let it cook for 3 minutes. Flip!  Cook 5 minutes.  Flip!  Cook 2 minutes and make sure the middle is done.  Also, its going to be puffy.  This is normal, don't squish it!

too much frying . . .

I didn't pay quite enough attention this time and got a few burnt bits as a result.  No problem I like it crunchy anyway.  Next, you need to dress it up.  I go for the traditional way with Bulldog Sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise for my sauces.

The best part is the toppings!

I don't have too much trouble finding them.  Next, sprinkle on the nori and the bonito flakes.

You can get three good sized okonomiyaki out of each package.

The bonito flakes will wave from the heat.  Its both creepy and fun!  In the end its a delicious and pretty fast meal.  Highly recommended.