Everybody loves sushi!
Actually, lots of people don’t. But I do. And I have found making my own sushi rolls (or maki, if you want to sound fancy) to be a fun, easy and creative way to wow dinner guests. Preparing sushi in any form is an art, and there’s a reason why professional sushi chefs undergo extensive training. But like all art forms, it is still accessible to the commoner.
You can be as traditional or as creative as you want- for this demonstration, I made the sushi-neophyte friendly teriyaki chicken rolls, but this method works equally well for tuna or salmon rolls. You could also make the ubiquitous California roll (crab, avocado, and cucumber), but to do so you’ll want to flip the nori over after spreading the rice so that the rice is on the outside of the roll (this is technically a uramaki). If you are using raw fish, it is imperative that it be of the highest quality and freshness- it should be firm and not smell at all “fishy”.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Calrose rice
- 2 T seasoned rice vinegar (prepared, or make your own)
- 2 sheets of nori
- Your choice of fillings, thinly sliced- possibilities include crab, tuna, salmon, avocado, cucumber, peppers, carrot, chicken, beef or just about anything else you can imagine. Be creative!
- Soy sauce
- Wasabi (optional, but not really :))
- Pickled Ginger (optional)
Equipment:
- A bamboo mat for rolling; cover in saran wrap to prevent sticking and to keep things clean.
- A very sharp knife (careful!)
Method:
- Prepare rice according to directions. While still hot, spread rice thinly in a wooden bowl (traditional method) or on a plate (white guy improvised method). Pour seasoned rice vinegar over rice a little at a time, folding rice inwards to mix and distribute. Leave rice to cool.
- Lay one sheet of nori on the rolling mat, shiny side down. Cover nori with rice, spreading thinly with your hands. To keep the rice from sticking to your fingers, keep your hands moist using a small bowl of water. Leave the top 1-1.5 inches of nori uncovered.
- Place your ingredients in thin strips along bottom of nori.
- Moisten top edge of nori. Using both hands, begin to roll the mat forward a little at a time, applying even pressure.
- Admire your beautiful roll! Using a very sharp knife, cut the roll in half, and then in even thirds. Keep your knife wet to prevent sticking.
- Serve maki with a good quality soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger.
That’s it! You’re ready to enjoy your own delicious, custom sushi. Enjoy!
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The seasoned rice vinegar is the key to good rice. First few times I tried making sticky rice and it just wasn’t working without that rice vinegar. Peppers would be a great idea for Maki. Looks great!
Thanks for the comment, Scott. Seasoned rice vinegar is definitely the key. You can make your own, but I found the pre-made stuff to work just as well, especially when time is tight.
My wife is a big sushi fan, but I’ve not found any I like. I try to like it, but guess the steak and potatoes background I came from won’t let go. This might be a good surprise for the lady one night though! Thanks!