Description
Homemade sushi is a customizable and creative way to enjoy fresh, flavorful rolls with your favorite ingredients right from your own kitchen.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup Japanese short-grain or medium-grain rice, uncooked – makes about 2 regular sushi rolls (known as chumaki), or 3 rolls with rice on the outside (known as uramaki)
- Water
- 3 tablespoons sushi seasoning
- 1–2 sheets of nori (Japanese seaweed sheets)
- Dipping Options: soy sauce, wasabi, chili crisp, gari (sushi ginger), roasted sesame seeds sriracha mayo, eel sauce (these last two aren’t typical to eat in Japan, but rather more a Westernized ingredient. Still yummy!)
- Optional: tobiko (fish roe) for topping
- Fillings of your choice, cut into strips (lengthwise):
- 1 avocado
- 1 cucumber (1 cucumber is enough to make several rolls of sushi; I recommend cucumbers with lower water content such as Persian or Japanese)
- 1 carrot (similar to cucumber, will make several rolls of sushi)
- 6–8 oz. fresh salmon or tuna
- Takuan (pickled daikon radish)
To Make Sushi Seasoning:
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Begin by giving your rice a good rinse to clean it. Then pour it into the rice cooker, along with the appropriate amount of water. Be sure to follow the instructions on your rice’s package for the correct water amount depending on the type of rice you are using. I used medium-grain rice, which requires 2 cups of water for every 1.5 cups of rice.
- Keep the rice covered and warm until you are ready to begin rolling. I do this by keeping it in my rice cooker and turning on the “Keep Warm” function. If you do not have this function, simply keep your rice covered with a damp cloth to maintain moisture.
- On a flat, clean surface, lay down your nori sheet. It should be a slight rectangle. Fold it in half lengthwise, cutting down the middle.
- Using your nori sheet as a length reference, cut each of your fillings lengthwise into long strips so that they are the same length as the nori.
- Place the sheet of nori, shiny side down, on a bamboo mat. You can either wet your hands, or for maximum stick prevention, wear plastic gloves and lightly coat them with a neutral oil.
- For Chumaki: Spread a thin layer of sushi rice evenly over the nori, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the top. Place your desired fillings in a line across the center of the rice. Using the bamboo mat, start rolling from the bottom, applying gentle pressure to keep the roll tight. Roll until the nori is sealed.
- For Uramaki: Spread a layer of sushi rice evenly over the nori, completely covering it (if you would like, you can sprinkle roasted sesame seeds to the rice after covering the nori sheet). Turn the nori over so the rice is facing down, then add your desired fillings in a line along the center. Using the bamboo mat, roll the sushi away from you, applying gentle pressure. Ensure the fillings are rolled inside the nori. If desired, you can press more rice on the outside of the roll.
- Use a sharp, wet knife to slice the roll into bite-sized pieces. Feel free to also add about 1/2 teaspoon of tobiko to each individual sushi. Serve with your desired condiments.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes