Sushi rolls (maki rolls) come in many shapes and sizes. Hosomaki are small, 1-inch-wide rolls that use half of a sheet of nori and contain only one ingredient. Chumaki are slightly wider and use several ingredients, and futomaki are the largest — about 2-inches across — and use quite a lot of ingredients. Both chumaki and futomaki use a full sheet of nori. Feel free to experiment with fillings.
Ingredients
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1½ cups (10 ounces) sushi rice
4 full-size sheets of toasted nori (Japanese seaweed)
6 to 8 ounces skinless, sushi quality, boneless salmon or tuna fillet or 1 cup picked crabmeat Available in Our Premium Subscription Box
Toasted sesame seeds
Wasabi paste, to taste
2 scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, cut into fine matchsticks
2 Persian cucumbers, cut into ¼-inch matchsticks
1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into ¼-inch slices
Soy sauce and pickled ginger for serving
Directions
Prep the Vinegar
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of salt, stirring to dissolve.
Make the Rice
Rinse the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain well and transfer to a medium saucepan. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, covered, for 10 minutes. Spread the rice out on a large platter, sprinkle with the seasoned vinegar, then toss so that all of the rice grains are coated. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and refrigerate briefly or let sit at room temperature just until no longer hot.
Prep the Nori and Fish
Cut the salmon or tuna lengthwise into ½-inch-wide strips. If making small maki rolls (hosomaki), cut the nori in half horizontally. Wrap a sushi mat in plastic (a resealable bag is a good option), pressing out any air bubbles.
Assemble the Maki
Working with 1 piece at a time, set the nori, shiny side down, on the mat, with the long edge facing the bottom. Using lightly moistened hands, spread a scant ½ cup of the rice over the bottom three-quarters of the sheet, leaving a strip of nori at the top. Crush a few cooked rice grains across the top (this will help seal the roll). Sprinkle the rice all over with sesame seeds. If desired, spread a tiny bit of wasabi horizontally across the center of the rice. Top with a strip of fish or vegetables for a vegetable maki.
If making larger maki rolls (chumaki or futomaki), spread 1 scant cup of rice across the bottom three-quarters of a full sheet of nori. Add a strip of fish along with scallions, carrots, cucumbers, and avocado before rolling up
Roll the Maki
To form the maki roll, use the bamboo mat as a guide. Gently lift the side closest to you up and over the filling, using your fingers to keep the filling in place. Use the bamboo mat to roll up the maki into a tight cylinder. Gently press and squeeze to seal the roll.
Slice and Serve
Moisten a sharp knife with water and cut the rolls crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Wipe the knife with a damp cloth in between slices. Serve right away with wasabi, soy sauce, and pickled ginger alongside.
Pro Tips
Pair it Up
Dry sake or Japanese beer pairs well with sushi.
Chef's Tip
For inside-out sushi rolls, set the rice-covered side directly on the plastic-wrapped bamboo mat and fill with fish and vegetables before rolling up.
