How to make sushi at home
Don’t be intimidated, making homemade sushi rolls are a lot easier than you may think. I’m going to show you how you can re-create these simple and yummy Japanese sushi rolls at home.
Sushi is perfect for a delicious and healthy lunch, dinner or snack. I could eat sushi every day!
Because it can be sliced into bite size pieces It’s also ideal for parties and entertaining.
The filling combos are endless, from tempura prawn to crispy chicken and everything in between. Everyone seems to have their favourite type of sushi.
Whats better is the kids love it too!
Countless times when I’m shopping with the kids It’s been a quick stop for lunch or a treat promised if they be good for long enough to let me get the supermarket shop done.
One thing I have discovered whilst we have been in iso is that making homemade sushi rolls is a great activity to keep the littles ones busy. It’s also a lot easier than you may think!
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Sushi
Sushi rolls, otherwise known as Maki sushi consists of cooked sushi rice and other fresh ingredients which is then rolled in sheets made of seaweed (nori)
There are 5 different types of sushi:
Sashimi: sushi grade raw fish which is thinly cut
Nigiri: Sashimi served on top of sushi rice
Maki: What I am blogging about today, sushi rolls
Uramaki: This is basically Maki but inside out so the rice is on the outside.
Temaki: Similar again to sushi rolls but in a cone shape.
What you will need to make homemade sushi rolls
- Bamboo mat
- Nori Sheets
- Sushi rice; If you can’t get sushi rice you can substitute for short grain rice.
- Rice wine vinegar
- Caster Sugar; It’s super fine and easy to dissolve
- Salt
- Assortment of veggies such as cucumber, carrot, avocado and capsicum
- Tuna
- Kewpie Mayonnaise
- Soy sauce
The rice
The first step for your homemade sushi rolls is to prepare the rice. It needs time to cool so get this step done first, that way by the time you have finished preparing your fillings the rice should be cool enough to handle.
The general rule of thumb for how much water to add when cooking rice is 2 cups of water for the first cup of rice and then a further 1 cup of water for every additional cup of rice.
So if you are cooking 2 cups of rice you would use 3 cups of water.
Start by ringing the rice in a fine mesh strainer until you see the water is running clear.
Place the rice and water in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to low. Cover with a lid and cook for 10-15 mins or until rice is tender and the water is absorbed.
While the rice is cooking place the vinegar, sugar and salt to a small saucepan over medium heat stirring occasionally until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Allow to cool until the rice is ready.
Once the rice is ready, remove from heat and add the vinegar mixture, gently stirring through with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until combined.
Spread your rice out onto a large try and allow to cool.
The Filling
Step two is to prepare your delicious fillings.
There are so many different combinations when it comes to sushi fillings. You can make it as simple or as fancy as you like. Here are some of my favourite combinations
- Tuna and cucumber
- Smoked salmon and avocado
- Avocado and cucumber
- Grated carrot, avocado and shredded chicken
- carrot, cucumber and avocado
As you can see I REALLY love avocado in my sushi 😂
How to roll your sushi rolls
Place a bamboo sushi mat on a clean work surface with the slats running horizontally.
Place a nori sheet, shiny-side down, on the mat. Use a rubber spatular or wet hands to spread one-sixth of the rice over the nori sheet, leaving a 3cm-wide border along the edge furthest from you. as shown above.
Place your filling along the centre of the rice.
Next, lift the end of the bamboo mat closest to you and fold it over your sushi ingredient.
With the bamboo mat, tuck the end of the nori into the rice and ingredients. Make sure that you have a tight roll.
Gently lift the mat away from you and using your finger or silicone pastry brush dab some water along the exposed edge of nori.
Use your bamboo mat again to roll your sushi over to enclose the rice and the filling.
Repeat with remaining nori, rice and fillings.
Homemade Sushi Rolls: Tips and Tricks
Get the right tools; Iv’e added a list below of some tools to make the job a lot easier. I bet, just like us, once you make sushi once your going to make it time and time again. So a small investment to getting the right tools will make the job a lot faster and easier too.
Use a sharp, wet knife; make slicing your shushi rolls really easy. Use a sharp knife thats slightly wet to help it easily glide through the sushi without crushing it.
Make it healthy; A great way to make sushi even healthier and also add a really nice texture is to add 50/50 sushi rice and quinoa. Use the same cooking technique as you would if it was just rice.
Experiment; Do not be shy, theres no need to stick to the rules, make the sushi rolls your own. This is why I love making sushi rolls with the family so everyone can play a part and experiment with ingredients that they love.
Don’t give up; Making homemade sushi is one of those things where practice makes perfect. Don’t worry if your sushi rolls don’t come perfectly rolled on the first attempt. They will still taste great and it will get easier every time.
Have fun!!!
How to serve your sushi rolls
We love our sushi rolls served with some soy sauce because it has that wonderful salty, sweet flavour. Here are some more options for you:
- Wasabi (if you love that big hit of heat)
- Pickled ginger it has a sweet and tangy taste
- Kewpie mayonnaise
- Sriracha spicy mayonnaise
Thats a wrap! Or should I say roll
Whether you have made sushi before or are thinking of trying it out hopefully you have learned a thing or two.
Sushi really is such a fun and simple way to get the family involved with cooking.
I hope you make lots of new memories together in the kitchen.
Make sure to leave a comment and let me know what you think!
MFM XX
Tools to make the job easier
You may also like these recipes
- Chicken dumplings
- Chicken and broccoli stir fry with soba noodles
- Beef pad seuw
- Singapore noodles
- Pad Thai noodles
Homemade Sushi Rolls
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups sushi rice rinced
- ½ cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbs caster sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 nori sheets
- 1 Lebanese cucumber julienned
- 1 carrot julienned
- 1 avocado sliced
- 400 g can tuna drained
- 2 tbs kewpie mayonnaise
- soy sauce to serve
Instructions
For the rice
- Place the rice and 3 and ½ cups water in a large saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to low. Cover with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes or until rice is tender and the water is absorbed.
- While the rice is cooking place the vinegar, sugar and salt to a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Allow to cool until the rice is ready.
- Once the rice is ready, remove from heat and add the vinegar mixture, gently stirring through with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until combined.
- Spread your rice out onto a large try and allow to cool.
Filling
- In a small bowl add the tuna and mayonnaise and mix together until combined. Set asideHave your veggies chopped and ready to go.
How to roll your sushi
- Place a bamboo sushi mat on a clean work surface with the slats running horizontally. Place a nori sheet, shiny-side down, on the mat. Use wet hands or a rubber spatula to spread one-sixth of the rice over the nori sheet. Leave a 3cm-wide border along the edge furthest from you.
- Place some cucumber, carrot, avocado and tuna mix along the centre of the rice. Roll the mat over to the middle to enclose the rice and filling. Gently remove the mat from over the top and using your finger dab some water on the exposed part of the nori sheet. Use the bamboo mat to contine to roll the sushi so that the rice and the filling is enclosed. Repeat with remaining nori, rice and fillings.
- using a sharp knife cut each roll into 8 slices. Serve with soy sauce for dipping.
I forgot about how fun sushi is to make at home! I’m going to have to have a sushi night sometime soon. Thanks for sharing your sushi techniques and fave combos!
Thanks Kendra! My pleasure 🙂
These look so yummy!!
Thank you!!
I love sushi! I have to try this out.
Definitely!!!
Sushi at home is just what we need for 2020!!!
So true right!!