Love to eat sushi? If so, you will most likely agree that sushi rolls are one of the most popular variants to be consumed in various parts of the world. If you don't want to spend too much money on sushi at a Japanese restaurant, why not try making your own? Armed with a mix of home-made ingredients that can be easily found in supermarkets, you can actually make several sushi plates with different combinations! For example, you can make traditional-style maki sushi wrapped in nori or dried seaweed, or make a plate of sushi that isn't covered in seaweed. If you want, you can also make hand rolls, which are triangular sushi that are rolled manually. Interested in trying it? Keep on reading this article to find out the various easy tips, yes!
Step
Method 1 of 3: Making Maki Sushi
Step 1. Place a sheet of nori on the bamboo mat
Generally, sushi rolling bamboo mats have both rough and smooth sides. Place the nori on the rough side.
You can easily find nori and sushi rolling bamboo mats in most supermarkets that sell Asian products. If you want, you can also buy both online, especially since the nori is so dry it's safe for long-distance shipping
Step 2. Place one rice ball on top of the nori
Then, flatten the rice so that it spreads over the entire surface of the nori; Leave about 2.5 cm between the farthest edge of the nori and the edge of the bamboo mat.
- Start by placing a lump of rice in the center of the nori, then manually flatten it.
- Use your fingers to spread the rice over the surface of the nori. First of all, wet your hands with a mixture of water and rice vinegar.
- Do not press or mash the rice. If one or both are done, surely the rice will not stick properly when rolled.
Step 3. Start adding other ingredients
Place all the ingredients in a row, starting with the end of the rice closest to you. Remember, each ingredient must be arranged in a separate row side by side. Some popular material combinations:
- The classic tuna roll or salmon roll: Generally, this type of sushi is simply filled with sliced raw tuna or salmon before rolling.
- Ahi roll: sliced yellow tail fish, cucumber, white radish, avocado.
- Shrimp Tempura Roll: Shrimp Tempura, Avocado, Cucumber.
- Phoenix roll: salmon, tuna, crab sticks, avocado, tempura batter (fried).
- If you want to use raw fish as a filling, make sure you only use raw fish that has been cleaned and prepared properly to prevent the risk of food poisoning and tapeworm infection.
Step 4. Grasp the edge of the mat with your index finger and thumb
Then, start rolling the sushi from the side containing the first ingredient. Lift the nori and fold it to cover the first ingredient in the sushi row. Make sure the position of the filling remains neat and sticks to the rice when it is rolled.
Step 5. Keep rolling the sushi
Roll the sushi until the tip of the nori sticks to the rice, then place the curtain and continue the process of rolling the sushi manually. Do this slowly so that the thickness of the sushi remains consistent.
Step 6. Squeeze the sushi
To compact a sushi roll, you just need to roll the sushi back and forth. Make sure the texture of the sushi is dense enough so that the filling doesn't fall apart when you cut it, but it's not too dense either.
Step 7. Let the sushi sit for a few minutes before cutting
Take the moment to make your next sushi roll. In particular, sushi needs to be allowed to sit to soften the texture of the nori and make it less prone to tearing when cut.
Step 8. Cut the sushi into six or eight pieces using a sharp, wet knife
Basically, the thickness of the sushi pieces is very dependent on the amount of ingredients used. The more ingredients for sushi filling, the thinner the diameter of the thickness.
Step 9. Serve the sushi immediately
Remember, sushi will taste best when served fresh. Therefore, don't store it in the refrigerator to eat the following day, and experiment with different types of ingredients until you find the combination you like best.
Method 2 of 3: Making Uramaki Sushi
Step 1. Place a sheet of nori on a sushi rolling mat
Your nori should have both a smooth and a rough side. Place the rough side up.
Step 2. Place the rice balls on top of the nori
Then, flatten the rice until it is evenly distributed over the entire surface of the nori; Leave about 2.5 cm between the farthest edge of the nori and the edge of the bamboo mat. Set aside the sushi rolling mat.
- Start by placing a ball of rice in the center of the nori, then spread it evenly over the entire surface of the nori.
- Flatten the rice with hands that have been moistened with a mixture of water and rice vinegar.
Step 3. Prepare a sheet of plastic wrap that is the same size as the nori sheet
Place the plastic wrap on a flat surface, then dampen the surface with a damp cloth.
Step 4. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface of the rice
Step 5. In very quick motions, flip the pile of nori, rice and plastic wrap
Place one hand on top of the plastic wrap, then use your other hand to lift the sushi rolling mat and flip it over your palm. After that, return the sushi rolling mat to the table, and place the sushi pile with the plastic wrap on the bottom.
Step 6. Start adding the sushi filling
Place all the filling ingredients in a row on the surface of the nori, starting with the tip of the nori closest to you. Remember, each ingredient must be arranged in a separate row side by side. Some of the popular California roll filling combinations on the market:
- Classic California roll: cucumber, crab sticks, avocado.
- Philadelphia roll: fresh or smoked salmon, cream cheese, cucumber.
- Butterfly roll: eel, crab sticks, and cucumber, topped with avocado slices.
- Sushi is a food that places great emphasis on visual aesthetics. Therefore, feel free to experiment with different colored ingredients to produce a plate of sushi that is not only delicious, but also pleasing to the eye.
Step 7. Start rolling the sushi
Grasp the ends of the mat with your index finger and thumb, then begin to lift and roll the plastic wrap to cover the first ingredient. Make sure the position of the material remains neat when rolled, yes! Continue this process until the rice has rolled up and sticks to the surface of the nori.
Step 8. Peel off the plastic layer
Once the rice sticks to the surface of the nori, gently pull the plastic wrap while continuing to roll the sushi until it is completely removed.
Continue to compact the sushi as it rolls so that the filling doesn't fall apart when serving and/or eating
Step 9. Perfect the sushi with a variety of favorite accompaniments
Although it really depends on the recipe used, various accompaniments can be added to enhance the taste of the filling, such as avocado slices, sesame seeds, fish pieces, fish roe, or any of your favorite ingredients.
Step 10. Cut the sushi into six to eight pieces using a sharp, wet knife
In particular, the thickness of the sushi will depend largely on the amount of ingredients used. The more materials used, the thinner the diameter of the thickness.
Step 11. Serve the sushi immediately
Method 3 of 3: Making a Hand Roll
Step 1. Place a sheet of nori on the palm of your dominant hand
Make sure the glossy surface is facing down, okay?
In particular, arrange the nori so that half of it rests on the palm of your hand, while the rest rests on your bottom knuckle
Step 2. Place the rice balls on top of the nori
Previously, dip your fingers in the water and rice vinegar mixture to prevent the rice from sticking. Then, flatten the rice to cover 1/3 of the nori sheet.
Preferably, use about 100 grams of rice for each hand roll
Step 3. Make a small recess or hole in the middle of the rice
Then, place all the sushi filling ingredients in the hole. Make sure you don't use too many ingredients to make the sushi easier to roll. Some popular hand roll filling combinations:
- Spicy tuna roll: tuna slices, mayonnaise, chili sauce, cucumber, carrots
- Rock 'n Roll: eel, cream cheese, avocado
- Tamago roll: omelet roll, lettuce, avocado.
Step 4. Start rolling the sushi
Lift the bottom end of the nori, then fold it to cover the sushi filling. Then, manually roll the sushi until it's dense and shaped like a cone. Make sure there are no open parts so that the filling doesn't fall out when served.
- Use a few grains of rice to "glue" the nori to make the sushi look neater when served.
- No need to cut the hand roll. When you're eating, just dip the bits you want to bite into a bowl of soy sauce instead of pouring soy sauce all over the sushi, so the filling doesn't fall apart.
Step 5. Done
Tips
- No need to use a special knife commonly used by sushi experts. In fact, even a sharp, moistened bread knife will give the same good results.
- Experiment with the ingredients used, especially fish. Ideally, always use vegetables that are firm in texture, rather than juicy and softer ones like tomatoes.
- It's best to use Japanese soy sauce that is not too salty in taste, instead of the typical Chinese soy sauce which has a stronger taste and risks masking the natural delicacy of sushi.
- For best results, make sure you use only good quality sushi rice. Also make sure the rice is cooked in a rice cooker according to the instructions on the package.
- Generally, wasabi is sold in powder form. To use it, 1 tbsp. wasabi powder only needs to be mixed with a few drops of water, then stir until completely dissolved. The amount of water will depend on how thick you want the wasabi to be.
- To avoid the risk of food poisoning, please use cooked fish. In fact, quite a lot of sushi contains cooked sea animals, such as shrimp, eels, and octopus. Smoked salmon is not counted raw, yes!
- If you want to flatten the rice with your hands, try wetting your palms with a little rice vinegar to prevent the rice from sticking. On the other hand, if you don't want to get your hands dirty, you can also use a non-stick spatula to spread the rice evenly across the mat.
- Serve sushi with wasabi (Japanese horseradish), soy sauce, and pickled ginger.
- Sushi rice is a type of rice that has a sticky texture and is fluffier when cooked. When making sushi, always use this type of rice to maximize your dining experience. Sushi rice can be easily found in supermarkets selling Japanese, Chinese and Korean products.
Warning
- Make sure you use short-grained rice and don't add oil to the rice cooker so that the rice has a sticky texture afterwards.
- Use the freshest and best ingredients you can find. Do not be too stingy or frugal in eating raw fish.
- Be careful when handling raw fish, and don't forget to wash your hands regularly while you're at it.
- Crab meat and other shelled animal meat (such as shellfish) should not be consumed raw! Other types of raw fish should also be properly cut and cleaned before consumption to avoid the risk of bacterial and parasitic infections. To ensure the safety of the ingredients used, try buying raw fish pieces at specialty supermarkets that sell Japanese products, and look for products labeled with the words “to be processed into sushi”. If necessary, do some research to ensure your safety.
- Ideally, you should only use "fresh fish that is properly cut and cleaned, and frozen immediately after." Remember, freezing at very low temperatures is one of the steps that must be taken to maintain food safety, especially because the process is able to kill tapeworm spores in fish.
- Use a very sharp knife to cut the sushi to keep it in a neat shape when served.
