I See You See Sushi

Supermarket sushi (with the exception on the Waitrose chicken katsu bento) is horrible. Agreed? So why not make your own... It's not that hard, promise. You just need the right equipment. I got my bamboo mat from Yo Sushi but you can pick them up in most big supermarkets as part of a kit, they usually have a separate 'world foods' section.

What you'll need:

• 125g sushi rice
• 170ml water
• 3 sheets of nori
• 3 crab/fish sticks
• Small piece of salmon (suitable for eating raw - get this from a fishmonger)
• Half an avocado
• Sushi ginger
• Wasabi paste
• Soy sauce

You can also include traditional Japanese ingredients such as tamago, sakurazuke and inari for your filling but these are a lot harder to find.

(Makes 16)

Firstly prepare your rice. Wash it several times then pour into a pan with the water and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes then leave to stand for 20 minutes with the lid on. This makes it nice and sticky. The sushi I will show you here is futomaki (when the rice is on the outside it is called California ISO). Place one sheet of nori shiny side down on your bamboo mat. Spread on the rice leaving a 3cm gap at the top.

Cut another nori sheet in half and place in the middle of the rice. Then line up all your fillings in the middle of that second sheet of nori. I did one set with salmon and one set with the crab sticks.

Lift the bottom of the bamboo mat, holding the filling steady with your fingers and then roll round until you've reached that 3cm gap at the top. This is should only be one full turn. Squeeze tight then gently peel off the bamboo mat. The sushi should stay in a cylinder shape. Roll round the last 3cm of nori then wrap in the bamboo again and squeeze tight. Transfer the cylinder of sushi onto a clean chopping board, slice off each end, then cut into four. Serve with wasabi and soy sauce. 

All Work, All Play

Well hello sunshine!!! How glorious to see you again. I stared typing this in bed this morning with the windows flung wide open nursing a good cup of tea. Pancakes have been eaten (better late than never), fitness dvd has been done, and the dog is snoring on the end of my bed. Perfection.

This week has been a busy one. I've started working my way through the minefield that is spareroom because I am finally able to look at moving out. And of course with dreams of a new home come hours of staring at pinterest. One thing I have really missed with being at home is having my own workspace. I don't have desk so my sewing machine is just perched on top of my chest of drawers not doing much and I have nowhere to put my speakers. Here is my latest inspiration:

Sunday Brunchday

Last Sunday, I did something for the first time... I ate alone. In a proper restaurant and everything. After staying at a friends house I once again found myself at the peril of the TFL weekend schedule and with just under an hour to waste in Kentish Town I snuck into the Kentish Canteen. Having uttered the most terrifying words "table for one please" I settled in a little booth and got stuck into the menu. Fresh orange juice and french toast, it was a pretty perfect morning people watching in sunny London. I will definitely be heading back for that gorgonzola and walnut gnocchi. Definitely swing by if you are ever in the area.