One of my first memories in the Kitchen was watching my Mom cook. I can recall asking her if I could help her. Whether it be just to stir a sauce, chop an onion or peel a carrot. The answer was usually that we should “just watch”. As you know, “watching” isn’t half as interesting as “doing” which is why we really didn’t develop that interest in cooking until much later on.
The latest range of Junior MasterChef products is a great way to encourage children to get interested in cooking at an early age. When Kath from Be.Interactive and Fiona from Mark Communications offered that I test drive one of the kits available, I immediately jumped at the chance and asked for the Rice Kit. Being Filipino, rice is very much considered a staple in our culture, as well as most Asian cultures. I am glad that the new range also catered to all those that love rice!!
The Rice Kit contains a microwaveable rice cooker, rice bowl, serving spoon, chopsticks, measuring cup and recipe cards. I thought that it would be fun to get my nephew Ben and one of his best friend’s Jack to come over this weekend and road test the rice kit and have a sushi party! The idea was to make the rice ahead of time and provide the boys with a selection of sushi fillings and get them to make their own rolls.
I was a bit apprehensive to use the microwave to make “sushi” rice but I am happy to report it turned out fine. The technique I used to microwave the rice can be found here. The recipe for the sushi dressing for the rice was given to me by Jack’s Mom (who is Japanese) and it was so simple to prepare and came out perfect – just like what I would have in any top Japanese restaurant.
Recipe
- 3 1/2 cups short grain rice, washed
- 4 cups water
- 3 inch square konbu (optional)
Vinegar Dressing Recipe
- 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
When cooking the rice in the microwave, place the konbu on top of the rice. Prepare the vinegar dressing by dissolving the sugar and salt on the rice vinegar over low heat. Force cool to room temperature by pouring the hot vinegar mixture over the rice and place this on top of another bowl of water and ice. Twirl the rice using the serving spoon provided until the rice comes to room temperature.
The fillings we used for the rolls were as follows – seaweed, salmon roe, tuna, king fish, salmon, cucumbers, prawns, tamago yaki (egg) and crab sticks.
Recipe Tamago Yaki
Put two five year olds in a room with some sushi rice, sushi roll fillings and a little bit of imagination and you get loads of fun !! I asked Ben what the best part of the sushi party was and he said “putting fillings in the rice and rolling them up!” Would he want to do it again? “Yes please!” he said.
The Junior MasterChef kits are available to purchase from here. They are also available at all the leading retailers such as Myer, K-Mart, Target and Big W. It’s the perfect Christmas present so hurry while stocks last.
[…] a few hours of babysitting! I previously wrote about my eldest nephew when I did a post on making sushi rolls a few years ago. Since then, two other little boys, James and William, have come into our family. […]
This is an excellent post! N what a fun thing to do with your boys 🙂 N may I say, I love your kitchen already!
So adorable!!
Very cute and they look fab with their outfit. That sushi kit make s a great gift. I might even use it.
Your photos of the boys are stunning! They are such good-looking five-years old! I love how you dressed them up! It seemed like a lot of fun. Everything is so picture perfect!
Oh wow. The product itself is a cute idea, but add adorable boys and the full outfits? I couldn’t help but say “aww” out loud when I saw this. Happy holidays to your whole family, Trissa! And thanks for being so supportive of my site as well :).
This is too cute for words. Those boys are gorgeous and you did a wonderful job capturing all the moments. Great job with this post.
Ooooh,…how cute the boys are,…not to mention the lovely shoes,…hahahahaha!
Even the food, the sushi’s look fab!
I’ve got the biggest smile! Haha, it looks like they (and you) had so much fun! I love this post Trissa =D.
Gorgeous post Triss, and gorgeous pictures! WOW!!
Tris, can’t thank you enough for this, Ben had a blast! and so did Jack! Me? I had a blast eating the sushi! Yum!!!
gosh! this is quite funny. i love the whole outfit and post. merry xmas!
awww the boys dressed up even with the wooden shoes! so cute!
Hehehe – great post, they look like they thoroughly enjoyed themselves.
How come you came up with this creative idea of throwing this sushi party for Ben and Jack to test run the rice kit with you? Great!
The young boys enjoyed rolling up the sushi. Participation evolves interest in cooking! I think you’re very successful to bring up two would-be-chefs.
i wholeheartedly agree this is your best post! what loveable sushi chefs they are!
Looks like they had a lot of fun Trissa – you ARE a good Tita to them!
From when he could walk, my son’s always reached for a spoon…and used it to stir, eat, play morning till night. While his 2 older sisters didn’t do this, they’ve plagued me to cook…and still do daily….to cook with me. Sometimes I let them, other times I say the magic words,..just like your mum – ‘watch’. The boys look cute and I’m sure they had great fun and learning!
Ang cuuuute! ang galing ng product na to,Hopefully paglaki-laki ng daughter ko maibili ko ng ganyan..
Adorable!
I love their little toes too!
Or, did you want me to comment on the sushi?
The sushi is so cute! I mean the boys!!!
I’m dying from the cuteness, it’s too much! I want their slippers!! And the sushi looks so yum, forget doing it for kids, can I come to your house and do it with you too??
What an absolutely fabulous post Trissa! And such cute models too. They looked very well behaved to boot, not sure my little ones would have been as neat 🙂
My gosh! Those 2 boys are waaaaay too cute! And the last pic is hilarious!!!! I was laughing my socks off that one (pun intended). Move over Tetsuya, here comes competition – younger and cuter too!! 🙂
Oh wow….the boys are SO ADORABLE in the Japanese costumes! I’m sure they had awesome fun time making the sushi. I would have loved to join in.
I like the authenticity of it from head to toe. I can’t believe you got the wooden sandals too!
O what cute little darlings!! I love ALL the shots of the boys in the kitchen and their outfits are just hilarious! Fantastic and good looking food that they produced too! Future master chefs; I can tell!
Supercute post Trissa, love the outfits! You are the coolest aunty ever.
Oh my goodness this is too cute! How fun seeing two little boys actually enjoy themselves in the kitchen!
And this is such a great gift idea. My niece would love this..
Hahaha oh goody this looks so much fun! And eventhough it does say Junior Masterchef, I’m having rice cooker envy with that one!!! This is indeed a great way of getting kids to start cooking while young – cooking made fun (and I’m sure fun-ner with Trissa by your side!!!).
Trissa this is so good. What a way to get the kids involved in cooking. I love the little wooden slippers they have on ehehehe so funny.
Gorgeous Trissa, just adorable!
I can’t stop laughing!!! You made them all dress-up from head to toes….. It’s a fantabulous post 🙂 Very very very very well done!!!