No matter your level of experience in sushi cuisine, having the proper tools makes all the difference in achieving success. A bamboo mat for rolling sushi (makisu), and a sharp knife to cut through delicate fish, vegetables and seaweed.

Other essentials include a fan to cool the rice and bamboo or wooden spoon for mixing, spreading or filling purposes. Don’t forget wasabi and soy sauce either!

1. Use a Sharp Knife

At the core of making sushi lies finding an appropriate knife. A sharp sushi knife will allow for seamless cuts through fish without crushing or tearing it, while its durable construction ensures repeated slicing without risk of breakage.

Sushi knives are typically constructed of carbon steel; however, stainless steel is an excellent alternative. Both offer durability and resistance to corrosion; ultimately your choice will come down to personal preferences.

When purchasing a sushi knife, be sure to opt for one with a long narrow blade known as a Yanagiba (). This knife style is frequently employed by Sushi chefs for thinly slicing fish. Due to its narrow design and narrow blade size, pull cutting is also a technique popularly utilized. Pull cutting involves slowly pulling the knife along its full path from its heel through to its tip in one smooth movement in order to achieve thinnest and most precise cuts.

As part of your fish slicing technique, it’s also important to remember to cut at a slight angle to avoid squashing it and achieve the best result. Wipe down your knife regularly – as sushi chefs know how essential this step is in removing moisture, enzymes and other contaminants which could potentially rust or corrode its blade – in order to maintain an accurate cut and get a great end product.

2. Keep Your Hands Wet

Sushi chefs keep a bowl of water near their work station during the assembly process to wet their hands. This keeps the rice from sticking to fingers, making assembly simpler.

Slicing fish for sushi should follow the same principle. A Japanese yanagiba knife designed specifically for cutting raw fish should be your go-to knife, thanks to its super sharp edge and long length; its supersharpness ensures effortless cuts without creating friction, thus maintaining texture preservation of your raw fish. Alternatively, for tougher or connective tissue-laden species a deba knife may work better.

Wetting your knife helps prevent it from crushing the sushi roll when cutting it. To wet the blade, dip it in a bowl of water. Tap the handle of the knife on the countertop so the water drains down onto it, and be sure to wet your blade prior to every slice for clean cuts with straight lines.

One of the more frequent mistakes people make when creating sushi rolls is overfilling them with ingredients, particularly rice. A good rule of thumb when adding fillings such as sushi fillings is to add just enough rice to cover the area between your fillings and edge of nori – too much will cause your roll to disintegrate when cutting it!

3. Use a Bamboo Mat

As tempting as it can be to visit a sushi restaurant when cravings strike, rolling your own sushi at home can be equally enjoyable and delectable. With some practice and the proper tools at hand, unleashing your inner sushi chef can produce unique rolls that will impress family and friends alike! Bamboo mats provide natural non-stick surfaces that help the roll maintain its shape as it forms.

To use a bamboo mat, start by placing a sheet of nori on its flat side with its shiny side facing away from you and the glossy side facing down. Moisten your hands before spreading a thin layer of rice over it – stopping about two inches from its edge – using moistened hands and spreading a thin layer evenly across. Use your fingertips to gently toss this rice so it spreads out evenly before placing any filling you like on top.

When you are ready to roll your sushi, pull the edge of the bamboo mat toward you to fold it under your hands and roll away from you until you have reached past the far edge of the seaweed sheet.

Once your sushi is complete, transfer it from its bamboo mat and transfer to a cutting board. Cut bite-sized pieces using a sharp knife before plating up for serving! Make sure you serve your creation alongside soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger for maximum flavor combinations!

4. Cover Your Rolls in Plastic Wrap

Plastic wrap can help make sushi making easier by providing a barrier between the rice and nori layers, and helping keep the roll together as you shape it. Plastic can also help protect finished rolls once cut so they won’t disintegrate while in transit to their final destinations.

If your knife keeps getting caught on sushi, try dipping it in water first before beginning cutting. This will prevent fish from adhering to it while making clean cuts much simpler.

As part of your preparation, remember that sushi doesn’t require many ingredients for an impressive dish – even store-bought sushi can give your friends the impression you are an accomplished sushi chef!

Be sure to use fresh, high-quality fish when making sushi. For best results, choose sushi-grade salmon or tuna, which will taste more authentically like real sushi than canned or smoked varieties and is more readily available at most markets. However, do not go out of your way to purchase expensive Otoro or Caviar varieties; pick a more common and easily accessible species instead; this will save money while still giving friends a delicious gourmet treat!