Sushi is incredibly mainstream. I've eaten and enjoyed the iconic Japanese dish for years, but I've never made it at home. In fact, it terrifies me. My wife and I prepare new foods all the time, but sushi is not one of them. While not all sushi involves raw fish, the varieties I enjoy the most do — which causes me to shy away from making it at all. So I sought out professional help. Ted Dimoglou is the owner of the recently-opened Tiki Sushi in Windsor's Via Italia neighbourhood. The business might be new, but Dimoglou has been making sushi for 16 years. He has led a number of sushi-making workshops, including a sold-out course this coming Monday at The Chef Next Door in Walkerville. Tiki Sushi is located at the northeast corner of Erie St. and Parent Ave. (Jonathan Pinto/CBC News) "It really isn't that complicated to prepare sushi," said Dimoglou. "Getting the rice the way you need it, to have it perfect, is the key." Dimoglou recommends using only medium-grain, calrose rice from California.

"Say you would start with two cups of rice. You rinse the starch off five or six times over a period of five minutes or so. When you strain the rice, you put it in your pot. Add two cups of a water — and a bit [more]. Cover, bring to a boil at high heat. Once it rolls real hard, let it go for about a minute. Turn it down to the lowest heat setting for five minutes. Then you crank it up to the highest heat setting again for 10 seconds — and turn it off. Let it sit for 15 minutes. After that, dump the rice, and stir in your seasoned rice vinegar." Dimoglou said that every sushi chef has a different way of seasoning rice. For example, in addition to rice vinegar, some chefs add sake, a fermented rice beverage. Dimoglou's seasoning is a "trade secret." "Once [the rice vinegar is] stirred in, you let [the rice] rest uncovered for 25 minutes, then stir it again one more time. Let it rest again for 25 minutes, then cover and wait for it to get to just above room temperature before using it."

While making perfect sushi rice does take practise, patience and time, it sounds very achievable at home. However, while rice may be the key to good sushi, it was the fish I was most worried about. Should I only purchase "sushi grade?"sushi conveyor belt manila Dimoglou said that while "sushi grade" can be a good indicator of the quality of the fish, it's more important to purchase it from from a knowledgeable establishment. sushi online bestellen kasselOnce told that you need fish for sushi, a proper fish retailer will guide you to the right offerings.mac sushi kiss swatch Tiki Sushi is lucky enough to be located next door to Mediterranean Seafood, one of the last fishmongers in Windsor-Essex. buy sushi grade fish baltimore

They source as much high-quality Canadian and North American fish as possible for the restaurant. Dimoglou said that the freshest fish should have good colour, look fresh, and most of all, not smell "fishy." He said that good salmon, for example, smells more like watermelon than stinking fish. Then, all you have to do is assemble it — and enjoy. Of course, homemade sushi isn't going to look anywhere as pretty as what you get at a restaurant. Sushi chefs take years to hone the proper knife skills. Despite that, with a little bit of patience and a friendly fishmonger on your side, sushi made at home will certainly be tasty. Click the video above to watch Ted Dimoglou explain how salmon nigiri is made. Hear Jonathan's latest food adventure every Thursday at 8:10 a.m. on CBC Radio One - 97.5FM in Windsor, 91.9FM in Leamington, 88.1FM in Chatham & 90.3FM in Sarnia. Do you have a food, restaurant or dish that you think Jonathan should explore? Call (519) 255-3400, email windsormorning@cbc.ca or tweet him directly at @jonathan_pinto.

(Makes a great Gift) (Sushi Party in a box!) specializes in teaching Sushi Rolling as well as supplying the harder to find Sushi Bar ingredients. As well as finding great dry goods for your Sushi (rice, rolling mat, nori, etc.) you will find that the website has a wealth of information regarding the history, presentation, rolling and etiquette of Sushi. Learn to roll Sushi that is restaurant quality from home, and look around for great ingredients. You will find everything from a Sushi rice recipe to Sushi vocabulary list. Learn to make all the most popular Sushi rolls: the California Roll, Hawaiian Roll, and all kinds of vegetarian Sushi rolls. Sushi has a long history, and has been evolving for nearly a thousand years before becoming the delicate dish that is served throughout the world today. Read about the development of this wonderful dish from the first cultivation of rice in Southeast Asia to modern American-Japanese cuisine on the Sushi History page. "Like us" on facebook!

Make sure to check out our Facebook Page for our latest Special! Many great gifts for the holiday season! If you are considering a full-fledged Sushi-themed dinner party, then you will appreciate the Sushi Etiquette page.  These helpful hints and suggestions for proper dining will bring elegance and style to your meal that will perfectly accompany the beautiful Sushi pieces and Japanese dishes. Any would-be host or hostess is sure to impress with a solid knowledge of Japanese decorum. Concerned about your health and the effect of the foods you are consuming? Most people are these days, and with good cause. We all want to keep an eye on our weight and cholesterol, and Sushi is no exception. The Sushi Rice page will take you through the nutritious aspects of this sticky rice and let you in on some little known rice facts.   Know your Sushi rice, and keep fit and healthy! The Buying Fresh Fish guide will take you through some common misconceptions about fish, and let you in on the best way to select fish for taste and different dishes.

Don’t be afraid to buy fish! It shouldn’t smell bad in any case, and many people don’t realize this. Be sure to check in and learn all about one of the most popular ingredients throughout the world! Are you confused about all the different Sushi terms and phrases?  Most people find themselves struggling to follow the Sushi lingo, but this website offers you a comprehensive guide to all those words you don’t understand. Want to know the difference between Futomaki and Sashimi? Check out the Sushi Encyclopedia! Still asking yourself, What is Sushi? Easily solved: just click and take a look at the different types of Sushi.  There are several sorts of Sushi, and it is a common problem to classify them all correctly.  If you want to brush up on your knowledge of Sushi, be sure to look at the relevant page on this site. Finally, buy Sushi Rolling Supplies online! Everything from Sushi ingredients to Sushi equipment is here and available for shipment to your door. We have Sushi supplies, Sushi products and all the basic ingredients that you will need to make your own Sushi and impress dinner guests.