If you have the right tools and ingredients, making your own sushi can be a fun and easy project that will impress your friends or make a tasty home meal.
Place a piece toasted nori, which can be found in most supermarkets, onto a bamboo towel or mat. Moisten your hands then spread a thin layer sushi rice evenly over the nori.
Wet your Hands
It may be intimidating to roll sushi at first but, with the right tools and planning you will succeed!
When making sushi, it is important to water down your hands. This will prevent any rice grains that are sticky from sticking and allow you to form the sushi neatly. This is why many chefs keep a small bowl of water at their workstation.
When creating sushi, it is important to use the right rice. Choose medium-grained stick rice instead of regular white or brown rice, as they will cause the rolls not to hold together properly during assembly.
When assembling sushi, spread the rice evenly over an entire nori strip. Leave a 3-cm-wide bare area near you. It ensures that your final sushi roll is filled to the brim with all of the ingredients you want. Beginners may find it easier to make futomaki-style rolls, which allow them to try more ingredients.
Spread the rice
Spreading the rice is the first thing you should do before rolling sushi. It’s best to use a half-cup, as it leaves space for any later additions. This also helps prevent nori from sticking on your fingers while you work.
After your rice is spread, place a nori piece on top with the rough side facing up. Roll the sushi with your mat until you feel it is tight and compact. Then, give a small squeeze to further compress ingredients and seal your roll.
If desired, before rolling your sushi, sprinkle sesame seeds on top for a crunchy and nutty crunch. This goes perfectly with sushi. This step is optional but adds a touch of texture and flavor to the sushi.
Place the Nori
Place a sheet of nori, (edible seaweed), shiny side down onto the bamboo mat. Cut this sheet into half if you want smaller or standard-size roll.
Then, using your fingers, smooth out and even the rice surface by making thin and even strokes. To prevent your hands from sticking, dip them in water and then use your fingers to even out and smooth the surface of the rice using thin strokes.
After the rice is evenly spread out on the nori, place your filling ingredients in a pleasing pattern along the middle, depending on the type of roll you are making – avocado, sesame seed, fish fillets or tobiko, for example!
Repeat this step until you have a roll that you are happy with. Use a sharp knife and cut the roll into bite-sized pieces. Serve with pickled ginger, soy sauce and wasabi if you like!
Place the Fillings
Place the fillings closest to the edge of your sushi for easy sealing. This is especially important if you have a thicker sushi. It will make rolling the sushi easier.
You can add extras to your sushi based on the type of sushi you choose. These may include sesame seeds or guacamole. Other options are pickled ginger slices, salmon roe, or a slice of ikura (salmon roe). This is called “temori-zushi” and has been a part of Japanese culture for many years when it comes to serving raw fish dishes.
Cling film is a great tool for preserving the shape of uramaki-style sushi, where the rice is on the outside. The finished sushi will keep its shape even when it is cut.
Wet the blade of a sharp knife in cool water before cutting sushi to avoid it sticking to the rice or seaweed. This will prevent your work from being mashed. It is also important to rewet the knife after each cut. This will prevent tears and squished sushi rolls from becoming difficult to handle.
Roll
Once your roll is ready, arrange it on a platter and decorate with pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce (if you are gluten-free). For an additional citrus kick, drizzle ponzu sauce for an extra zesty punch!
The first step in preparing rice for homemade sushi is to rinse it properly. Use five rinses of water with five parts of rice. This will produce firm, sushi-grade grains which roll easily on a bamboo rolling mat!
Try fillings like vegan salads or tuna rolls. Rice is the main ingredient in all sushi rolls.
