Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Annie Chun's: Sushi in the Cupboard

It is inevitable. I could have a meal all planned out. It could be amazing. And then someone mentions "sushi" and suddenly it is ALL I can think about! Normally, this means going to one of my favorite sushi haunts. I have three that know me by name and I am always stalking Groupon for a sweet sushi deal. However in an attempt to save money tonight, I thought I would try a product I had to buy this spring while traveling and hadn't yet found a moment to try out.



Annie Chun's Sushi Wraps claim that all you need to add is the filling. Hmmmmm could it really replace my local Bay Area haunts?

By the way, this original product picture was taken before I got my new camera when I first bought the box. You can totally see the quality difference!

So what did I get in this box? A bowl of sushi rice, some small pieces of nori, and a packet of soy sauce. The bamboo place mat was not included.


I microwaved the rice (odd?) for a minute and then waited for it to cool down again. I am not sure why I needed to microwave the rice since I didn't want hot rice for my sushi. I may try it again without microwaving just to see what happens. I would think it should still work?

I needed to use my own sushi mat to roll the sushi. With the incredibly small rectangles, it was difficult to achieve neat rolls (well that and my vacation from home sushi making!) but as you can see below, it still turned out in the end! I grilled up some balsamic asparagus to serve on the side and some portabello mushrooms to put in the maki. You could get really creative with the fillings!


It was relatively easy to prep but the rice was just okay and some of the pieces of nori had holes that made it difficult to use. However for fast food sushi, this would pass. And considering how long it takes me to prep, the trade-off for a late night healthy inexpensive sushi fix was worth the small sacrifices. It won't be something I do often, I would rather go out or take the extra time to make everything from scratch, but I will definitely keep a box in the pantry for future sushi emergencies!

One half the package has 170 calories, no fat, less than one gram of fiber and 4 grams of protein.

2 comments:

Mom on the Run said...

This is a great idea for quick sushi. I should pick one up so my husband can try it sometime. Thanks for the review.

Mo Diva said...

maybe microwaving the rice makes it stickY?

I think its a great short cut! Although I would get frustrated with small nori...i like big nori lol.

Sushi making with you is fun!

Disclaimer:

I get asked by readers if I am being paid to push products. The simple answer is no. In fact, most of the products I write about are ones I have found and purchased during my trips to the grocery store or on the road. Occasionally, a company will send a sample my way and if I believe the product will serve a need for my readers and I would buy the product myself, then I will share it with you. Sometimes I will write to a company after reading about it, if I believe it will help us lead healthier lifestyles. But even then, if the product doesn't pass my scrutiny, it won't make the screen of Uncovering Food. You can trust that every product or recipe posted here has passed through my lips, and that I wouldn't blog about it if it wasn't worthy of you... my favorite readers.