California Roll Informative Speech

Thanh La

Topic: How to make a California Roll

General Purpose: To inform

Specific purpose: To inform the audience on the history of sushi and the process of how to make a California Roll

Thesis Statement (Central Idea): Knowing the history behind sushi will allow you to appreciate sushi. Also, understanding how a basic California Roll is made further let you enjoy and understand other sushi rolls.

Introduction

Attention getter: (Holding a plate with a traditional Tuna Maki on it) This is a Tuna Maki, a traditional roll with seaweed on the outside and fish on the inside. (Holding another plate with a California Roll on it) This is the Americanized version of a sushi roll with rice on the outside and crab on the inside.

Reveal topic: Sushi has changed in shape and size as it got introduced in the West.
Establish credibility: Sushi is a growing type of food here on the coast, don't you want to understand its history and how its made instead of just eating it?

Thesis statement: Knowing the history behind sushi will allow you to appreciate sushi. Also, understanding how a basic California Roll is made further let you enjoy and understand other sushi rolls.

Preview: Following the history of sushi, I will explain how easy, simple, yet beautiful a California Roll can be. First, I will give you a brief history on sushi and how it changed while coming to the US. After, I will go over the materials needed to make a California Roll.

Body

Transition: Lets familiarize ourselves with what sushi is and how it got introduced into the West.

I. History of Sushi

A. There are many stories and folklores that surround the origin of sushi. However, the real origin of sushi came about was putting salted fish into cooked rice causing it to undergo fermentation.

1. Lactic acid is produced as a byproduct of fermented rice. This process of fermentation is also referred to as "pickling". As a result, tsuke-ba or "pickling place" is also called a sushi

kitchen.
B. Sushi was introduced into Japan in the ninth century as a result of the spread of Buddhism. The practices of Buddhism prohibits a believer from eating meat; therefore, they ate sushi as part of their practice.
C. In 1966 Los Angeles became the first city in America to offer traditional nigiri sushi to Americans.
1. Japanese businessmen offered the sushi to their American colleagues, and in 1970 a sushibar in Hollywood began catering sushi to celebrities.
D. Modern sushi has evolved with new ingredients and serving methods. Although traditional nigiri sushi is still being served, deep-fried rolls and cream cheese filled rolls have gained popularity among many Americans.
Transition: Since we are familiar with sushi and how it became part of an American diet; we can now begin to get the easy ingredients needed to make a simple and delicious California Roll.
II. Ingredients for a California Roll
A. Seaweed or also called in Japanese as "nori" is the base of most sushi rolls. It contains high amounts of vitamin B12. Rice is applied on top the seaweed to form a rice mat.
B. Rice comes in many different shapes called grains. In sushi, we use medium grain rice.
1. Medium-grain rice is translucent when raw, but firm and sticky when it is cooked.
C. Avocado is used in most sushi rolls whether it is traditional Japanese sushi or modern sushi.
1. A bright yellow center and a firm yet soft outer layer is the best option for sushi, because it gives off a delicious color idealy for presentation and taste.
D.

Cucumber is also used in a California roll. Julienning cucumbers into crispy, refreshing sticks give the roll a refreshing crunch and texture

E. Imitation Crab meat is made from processed white fish pushed through an extruder into the shape of a crab stick. It is used in many rolls and also different types of fillings and mixes for sushi.

F. Sesame seed and/or smelt roe (masago) is added to the finished roll as decoration, texture, and taste.

G. All sushi rolls are shaped with a bamboo mat that is wrapped in saran wrap to prevent it from sticking.

Transition: With all the ingredients ready to go, we will now put it all together into a California Roll.

A. The first step of making a California roll or any basic 8-piece roll is apply the rice.

1. Apply 2oz. of sushi ready rice onto half a sheet of seaweed.

2. The rice should lay fluffy and even throughout the whole sheet.

B. The second step is putting all the produce and imitation crab meat on top of the mat.

1. Flip the mat where the rice is on the bottom and the seaweed is facing up.

2. Put 0.5oz of avocado and 0.5oz of julienned cucumber on the

seaweed.
3. Take 1 imitation crab stick and put it end to end where it will spread across the whole mat long ways.
C. The third step is to roll it.
1. Put the mat along with its ingredients on top of the bamboo.
2. Now put your thumbs underneath the bamboo while the rest of your fingers gently holding all the ingredients.
3. Lift the mat and roll it over while holding the ingredients in place.
4. The bamboo mat should roll all the way over the ingredients and touching the seaweed on the other end.
5. Do not squish the rice or squeeze too hard. Gently shape the roll into a square.
6. Sprinkle some sesame and/or smelt roe onto the top of the roll and cut it in half. After, cut each halves further into half. You now have 8 pieces of California roll.
Transition: The process of making sushi may be a bit tedious, but the end result is very rewarding and tasty.
Conclusion
Signal the end/Reinforce central idea: In conclusion, you now understand how sushi came about and also how it became a part of our diet. Also, you know all the ingredients and materials needed to make a simple