Need help with a sushi themed party for my daughter's Sweet 16.?

Question

I want to make some sort of invitation that looks like a sushi roll or something along those lines. I have the cake covered but wanted to do something a little different with the food. Do you think the girls making their own non-raw sushi would be fun for them, i was thinking about ordering a plater of sushi from a local restaurant but at $65 i would hate for it to go to waste. What about decorations? Paper lanterns? I was also thinking of making candy sushi rice=rice treats with marshmallows, seaweed wrap=fruit by the foot, swedish fish, gummy sharks and worms...etc. Any other Ideas????

Answer 1

I hope her friends like sushi. I love seafood, but not into japenese dishes.

Answer 2

The sushi idea is great. Other food/snacks you can have are edemames and the Asian snack mix. You can get a 5lb bag of edemames at Costco for about 5 bucks and the same goes for the snack mix. There's also this Japanese ice cream called Mochi ice cream that you can have as well. They're these little balls of ice cream wrapped in a doughy substance and they're really good. They're a bit hard to find at stores though. And I've made sushi candy before as well, but instead of fruit by the foot I used fruit roll ups. They're much wider and you can roll a big roll and then cut them into the individual rolls, much like actual sushi. And you can also place red vines and sour patch licorice inside with the Swedish fish. You might even want to switch the two concepts, buy inexpensive sushi platters for them to eat and have them roll out the candy sushi themselves. I only say that because real sushi is tough to roll. I've done it a couple of times and the end result is not very pleasant. But its fun to do.

As far as invitations go, I'd suggest personalizing fortune cookies with the party information and sticking them inside small Chinese take-out containers. Then she can personally hand those out to her friends. I know fortune cookies are Chinese oriented and sushi is Japanese, but it's still within the Asian scope. Anyways, it's very inexpensive and something I haven't seen done before.

http://www.personalized-fortune-cookies....

http://asianideas.com/chtaoutbo.html

You can also purchase the containers from craft stores like Michael's and Joann's Fabric or party stores like Party America. Maybe even stick some candy sushi inside the container with the fortune cookie as well.

Decorations can be found at any party supply store. Or you can go to Asian markets to get ideas/supplies from them. I was at Target not too long ago and they have this dollar section at the front of the store. I was browsing through it and they had complete sets of sushi ware, priced individually that is. Everything from the sushi trays to the mats and cups. You might want to check your local Target. That'd be a nice touch. Then each guest could take their set home. Dont forget to get chop sticks as well.

Lastly, I wouldn't encourage the guest  to dress in Japanese attire only because it might discourage some people from attending. Whether because they're not into "dressing up" or they simply can't afford to so they dont attend.

Anyhow, hope this helped. Good Luck!

Answer 3

While ti will cost more to mail a 3 dimensional (not flat) invite would be fun!  Make it look like a sushi roll (paper) that opens up and has the party invitation printed on the inside.  Include pix of JP themes (lanterns, outdoor sushi ~stalls in JP, a JP harbor w/the old boats (junks)....  Cool!!  Inside, it would look like a brochure or flyer, outside like a sushi roll (or something sushi).

WHAT IF the invitation did not say what the theme was..but hinted at it?  

Or, everyone is asked to come dressed in some JP clothing?!!  

Sounds like fun.

HTH.

Answer 4

Have them make their own- at 16, they will  love it- and everything is readily available at the local asian market- have a "sushi bar" You will need- bamboo rolling mats, sushi rice, (and sushi vinegar seasoning) nori (seaweed sheets) avocado, imitation crab, cucumber and whatever they may like- cooked shrimp, spam, pineapple even- STEP1

Start the rice

You can make the sushi rice up to 4 hours ahead; cover and let stand at room temperature.

3/4 cup rice vinegar

3 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

4 1/2 cups short-grain white rice

1. In a small bowl, stir rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until sugar and salt are dissolved.

2. In a fine strainer, rinse rice under cold running water until water runs clear. Drain for 5 to 10 minutes. Put rice in a 4- to 5-quart pan and add 5 1/4 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook until water is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Spread rice out in a shallow 12- by 16-inch baking pan and slowly pour vinegar mixture over it, turning rice gently and fanning it (the Japanese use a traditional fan, but you can use a piece of paper) until it comes to warm room temperature, about 15 minutes.

STEP 2

Prepare sushi fillings

Choose five to seven items from this list of favorites. You can get them ready up to 4 hours ahead; chill airtight until you're ready to roll.

Ahi

Rinse 3 ounces sashimi-grade ahi tuna (yellowfin or bigeye; for bacteria safety, buy it from a good seafood purveyor); pat dry. Cut tuna into 1/4-inch-thick strips about 1/2 inch wide and 3 1/2 inches long. Just before serving, arrange raw fish on a bed of crushed ice on a rimmed plate.

Caviar

Place 2 ounces salmon roe in a wire strainer and rinse gently under cold running water; mound in a small bowl.

Crab

In a small bowl, mix 8 ounces shelled cooked crab or drained canned crab (squeeze out liquid) with 1/4 cup mayonnaise and soy sauce to taste (about 2 teaspoons). Makes about 1 cup.

Smoked salmon

Cut 3 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon into 1/2-inch-wide strips.

Asparagus

In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring about 1 quart water to a boil. Snap off and discard tough stem ends from 8 ounces asparagus. Rinse asparagus and add to boiling water; cook until barely tender when pierced, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and immediately immerse in a bowl of ice water. When cool, lift out and cut into 3 1/2-inch lengths.

Avocado

Pit and peel 1 firm-ripe avocado (8 oz.); slice lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick, 1/2-inch-wide strips about 3 1/2 inches long. Place in a bowl with 2 tablespoons lemon juice; turn to coat.

Carrot

Peel and shred 3 ounces carrot, or use 3/4 cup shredded carrot.

Cucumber

Rinse 6 ounces Japanese or English cucumber; cut into 3 1/2-inch lengths. Cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, then stack 2 or 3 slices at a time and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick sticks.

Mushrooms

Trim woody stem ends from 3 ounces enoki mushrooms. Rinse mushrooms briefly, drain, and gently pat dry.

Spinach

In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring about 3 quarts water to a boil. Add 6 ounces rinsed spinach leaves and cook just until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain and immerse in a large bowl of ice water until cool. Drain again and spread on a clean kitchen towel. Roll towel up and twist and squeeze tightly to remove as much liquid as possible.

Sprouts

Gently rinse and drain 2 oz. (1 1/2 cups) radish or broccoli sprouts; trim off root ends, if present.

STEP 3

Set up a rolling station

Arrange sushi components on the table, or set up a station on a nearby counter.

1. Mix 1/4 cup rice vinegar with 4 cups water. Pour into small bowls for guests to moisten their hands while rolling sushi, so rice doesn't stick.

2. Put 6 precut sheets of nori (7 1/2 by 8 in.) in a covered serving container to keep dry; mound sushi rice and fillings on platters or in bowls (vegetables together, seafood separately). Put condiments — soy sauce, pickled ginger (1 cup), and wasabi (about 3 tablespoons prepared wasabi or 4 tablespoons powdered wasabi mixed with about 2 1/2 tablespoons water) — in separate bowls.

3. Arrange ingredients, along with bamboo mats or plastic wrap, on the table or station.

Roll your sushi

Here are two different styles of rolls to try — the traditional maki and the free-form hand roll, which is even easier.

Maki:

Place a sheet of nori, shiny side down, on a bamboo rolling mat (with slats running parallel to you) or a piece of plastic wrap (about 10 by 12 in.), aligning nori with the bottom edge of mat. Dip your hands in vinegar-water mixture and scatter 1 1/2 cups rice over nori; pat into an even layer, spreading out to the sides and bottom of nori, but leaving a 2-inch-wide strip bare along the top edge.

  

Hand Rolled

With scissors, cut nori into quarters (about 4 in. square). Dot a square of nori with wasabi if desired, then spoon a rounded tablespoon of sushi rice diagonally down the center. Top with two or three sushi fillings.

Answer 5

At party stores they have these boxes that look like rice boxes.. you could print the invite on fun paper and place them in the boxes.. they have them in all sort of colors and patterns... :) sounds fun.. my 16th was a western themed.