If you don’t have a rice cooker, you can also boil your sushi rice on the stovetop until all the water has cooked out of it. This method is typically a little slower, and may take 20-25 minutes. [3] X Research source Cooking 1 cup (190 g) of rice will give you enough for 1-3 rolls. If you’re using Japanese short grain rice, the proportion to water should be one to one.
Look for the sugar and salt to dissolve completely before you remove the mixture from the stovetop. Be careful not to use more than the recommended amount of vinegar. Doing so could make your rice soupy and cause it to fall apart when you attempt to roll it.
The addition of the seasoning mixture will both flavor your rice and give it the perfect sticky texture for rolling.
The tuna used for spicy tuna rolls, for example, is typically diced into tiny cubes and combined with spicy mayo or other condiments. [7] X Research source Bulky pieces of fish or veggies will make it harder to close your roll.
You can find nori, along with the other ingredients you need to make homemade sushi, at any major supermarket or Asian grocery store. Make sure your mat is positioned so that the bamboo slats are lying horizontal to you. If you don’t own a sushi rolling mat, a kitchen towel topped with a sheet of plastic wrap can serve as a useful substitute. [9] X Research source
Don’t forget to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before you begin, since they’ll be coming into direct contact with your food. If you don’t wet your hands, you’ll quickly find them covered in sticky rice, which can make it next to impossible to roll your sushi successfully.
Be careful not to spread the rice too thick, as this will make it difficult to roll the sushi, and could even cause the nori to break. After your first few attempts, you’ll start to get a sense of how much rice to use. [12] X Research source Avoid smashing or handling the rice too roughly, as this may affect the texture of the finished roll and throw off your rice-to-filling ratio.
This step is more or less optional, but it can be helpful if you’re working with multiple ingredients or especially small pieces.
A classic California roll, for example, contains kanikama (imitation crab meat), avocado, and cucumber. Other sushi staples include the Philly roll, which consists of salmon and cream cheese, and the spider roll, which is made with soft-shell crab meat, cucumber, avocado, and spicy mayo. [14] X Research source To make uramaki-style rolls with the rice on the outside, simply turn the nori over after spreading on the rice and add your ingredients the same way.
Be careful not to roll your mat or towel up in your sushi by mistake! Rewet your fingers as often as needed to keep the rice from sticking to them.
If possible, use a knife designed specifically for cutting sushi, such as a yanagiba, deba, or usuba. These knives boast thin blades with incredibly sharp edges that will slice effortlessly through even the most overstuffed rolls. [17] X Research source Assuming you can’t get your hands on a special sushi knife, an ordinary paring knife should work just fine, as long as it’s recently been sharpened. Wet the knife from time to time, to keep it from sticking.
Wet your knife again before each cut to keep the blade from mashing the roll out of shape. There’s no need to get too wrapped up in the particulars of different styles of sushi. Just go with a size that works for you.
For the full sushi bar experience, plate your roll with a dollop of wasabi, a few slices of pickled ginger, and a dish of shoyu (soy sauce). If you tried your hand at uramaki, sprinkle a pinch of toasted sesame seeds over the top of the roll to add the finishing touches.
