Eggplant Sushi

Sushi has been a Japanese delicacy for centuries and was originally intended to preserve fermented fish. Nowadays, sushi bars (famous for its conveyor belts) have become upscale restaurants in high-class cities. But, you don't need to be upper crust to enjoy this simple Japanese meal. You only need to know how to make sushi.

There are many sushi-making kits out there with their own how-to books and guides. Find a book with simple recipes that a beginner can try out. You'll be surprised to see how many simple dishes there really are.

The ingredients are not many. You only need rice (Japanese is the best bet, since they have a unique consistency can hold the sushi together), rice vinegar, sugar, salt, nori (seaweed) and toppings of your choice (eggs, cucumbers or crabsticks).

First, you will have to cook the rice. Most brands actually give instructions at the back of the packet, but in case they don't, here are some pointers. You cook the rice the normal way by rinsing it with cold water and cook in a rice cooker. What's important is to dissolve the vinegar, salt and sugar in a pan under low heat for a few minutes before letting it cool in a bucket of ice. Add the mixture into the cooked rice a little at a time. While doing that, you need to 'fold' the rice with a spatula without squishing them. It is ready when there is a shine to the grains.

The next part requires a bit of creativity. Spread the rice on a large piece of seaweed, which in turn is placed on a sushi mat. Add your toppings on the rice and start rolling! You may not get it right the first time, but that's how you make sushi. You rarely get it right the first time.

A delicious topping for sushi is eggplant. This fruit (yes, it is actually a fruit), comes in many shapes and sizes, the most common one being purple and long. It can also be cooked in many ways, from being sautéed, char-boiled and even pickled. If you want to make it as a sushi topping, you will have to know how to cook an eggplant.

The Japanese usually pickle this delicacy and make them into tempura. It is best to serve them raw, with a little lemon juice to prevent browning, if you want it to be part of a sushi roll. You can also, grill these beauties on a searing hot grill for a smokier flavor. For those stir-fry nuts, cubed eggplants can be added to a hot wok with salt, garlic and red chilies.

Whatever way you cook it, eggplant will always taste good, especially if it is in a roll of Japanese rice and nori.

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