Are some fish more safe to eat raw than others?
This information was challenging to find through research. Eventually, I did find some general guidelines for this. Some fish indeed need to be frozen in order to kill bacteria that only live in those specific fish. Cod is one of them. It's not to say that cod is not safe to eat raw and others are; rather, cod needs extra prep before it's served raw. Some health advocates contend that all fish intended to serve raw should be frozen then thawed before it's served in order to eliminate the risk of some bacteria (kinds that are killed by that low temperature). Of course, the problem with that is the texture of the fish suffers when it's been frozen then thawed. The only other consideration is mercury. Indeed, some fish pose a threat because of their high levels of mercury when served raw. The mercury level abates when cooked. These fish include mackerel (one of my favorite to eat at restaurants) and swordfish. These I will avoid before buying my sushi at the asian market.
Will there be any time-savings making my own?
I thought this would be a possibility, but the more research I do, the less I think that it's possible. I know for a fact that I will not save time on the first batch of sushi that I make. I've already, for instance, spent several hours just researching how to make it, what to buy, where to buy it what tools I need to make it, etc. Perhaps when I own the tools and much of the supplies (e.g., nori and rice will store well in my pantry) I may eventually save time. Still, I'll need to cook rice (30 min), dress it (5), and then roll the sushi (20ish). I will be able to chop and julienne my fish and vegetables while the rice cooks, so I do believe it's possible for me to save time once I become practiced and efficient. I estimate that a sushi night at the restaurant takes 60-90 minutes.
This information was challenging to find through research. Eventually, I did find some general guidelines for this. Some fish indeed need to be frozen in order to kill bacteria that only live in those specific fish. Cod is one of them. It's not to say that cod is not safe to eat raw and others are; rather, cod needs extra prep before it's served raw. Some health advocates contend that all fish intended to serve raw should be frozen then thawed before it's served in order to eliminate the risk of some bacteria (kinds that are killed by that low temperature). Of course, the problem with that is the texture of the fish suffers when it's been frozen then thawed. The only other consideration is mercury. Indeed, some fish pose a threat because of their high levels of mercury when served raw. The mercury level abates when cooked. These fish include mackerel (one of my favorite to eat at restaurants) and swordfish. These I will avoid before buying my sushi at the asian market.
Will there be any time-savings making my own?
I thought this would be a possibility, but the more research I do, the less I think that it's possible. I know for a fact that I will not save time on the first batch of sushi that I make. I've already, for instance, spent several hours just researching how to make it, what to buy, where to buy it what tools I need to make it, etc. Perhaps when I own the tools and much of the supplies (e.g., nori and rice will store well in my pantry) I may eventually save time. Still, I'll need to cook rice (30 min), dress it (5), and then roll the sushi (20ish). I will be able to chop and julienne my fish and vegetables while the rice cooks, so I do believe it's possible for me to save time once I become practiced and efficient. I estimate that a sushi night at the restaurant takes 60-90 minutes.