Whether you love or hate avocados, they are an amazing ingredient for sushi and pairs well with so many types of seafood. Don't worry if you're a bit intimidated about cutting these bad boys, it can be a little tricky but I'll go over the very basics as well as more advanced cutting techniques that will surely level up your sushi game!
How Avocado Became So Popular in Sushi
It wasn’t until sushi came over to the United States that avocados started to be used as a sushi ingredient. It's said that a Japanese chef in California wasn't able to source toro (fatty tuna) and resorted to avocados because of the similar buttery, rich texture. The abundance of the fruit in the state also made it very easy to source. And you guessed it, this is how the famous California roll was born.
Now, it’s one of the most popular ingredients in all types of sushi. Its smooth, creamy texture and buttery taste makes it a great complement to a variety of fish. It also makes a fine pairing with the umami of soy sauce or ponzu.
How to Pick a Good Avocado
This has been an issue for so many people, including us in the sushi industry. If you're buying from a local grocery store it can sometimes be a real pain in the ass. Either too overripe and mushy or bright green and hard as rocks. I remember running out of avocados at our shop and having to go to three different stores just to find some that were ripe enough to use.
Once you do find some that seem ok, try applying gentle pressure to feel the overall softness. Ripe and ready-to-eat avocados will feel lightly soft but not mushy, and it shouldn’t leave any indentations. The outer color will be more black than green while the inside will be that nice rich green.
You can also do the stem check. Try flicking off the stem; if it comes off easily and it's green underneath, it should be good. If the stem comes off too easily though and you don't see the green color then it's overripe. If the stem has a hard time coming off or doesn't at all then it's not ripe yet.
Another thing to keep in mind is the timing you'll be using it. Try to find ripe ones to use immediately but harder ones if you plan to use it in the next few days or so.
It really is an acquired skill and it does take practice to master. Eventually you'll just get the "feel" of it and it becomes second nature. But hey, you're not here to become the next avocado picking champion, let's get into actually cutting them.
How to Cut Avocado for Sushi
Throughout the many sushi lessons I’ve given in the past decade, folks have watched me cut an avocado and wanted an avocado-cutting lesson within the sushi-making lesson. Some people may cut it in halves, quarters, or use a butter knife to make slits in it. Regardless of which method you use, the result needs to be slices that are about ¼ to ⅜ inch in thickness, at least for the inside of rolls.
Topping sushi with avocado such as the caterpillar roll takes a little more skill, but don't worry, I guide you step-by-step in the later part of this video. And once you're done with that, you can check out how to make the caterpillar roll here.
As always, feel free to leave a comment either here or on the YouTube video if you have any questions. Thanks and see you on the next post!
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