Easy Japanese hand-roll sushi made with seasoned sushi rice, roasted nori and a choice of fresh, creamy and crunchy fillings including crabsticks, avocado, pickled radish and cucumber.
Ingredients
For the Sushi Rice
- 150g uncooked Japanese sushi rice, approximately 350g when cooked
- 2 tbsp sushi vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- 4–5 sheets roasted nori seaweed
For the Japanese Mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp salad cream
- ¼ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- Or use Kewpie mayonnaise
Filling Ideas
- 10 crabsticks
- 1 fresh avocado, cut into strips
- Japanese pickled radish (takuan), cut into strips
- ½ cucumber, cut into strips
- 100g smoked salmon
- Roasted white sesame seeds
- Cream cheese
To Serve
- Soy sauce
- Wasabi
- Sushi ginger
Method
1. Prepare the sushi rice
Cook the sushi rice according to the packet instructions.
While the rice is still hot, add the sushi vinegar, salt and sugar.
Mix gently using a flat rice paddle, taking care not to crush or break the rice grains.
Transfer the seasoned rice to a wide, flat-bottomed dish and allow it to cool completely.
2. Make the Japanese mayonnaise
Combine the mayonnaise, salad cream, sugar and salt in a small bowl.
Mix well and set aside. Alternatively, use Kewpie mayonnaise.
3. Prepare the fillings
Cut the crabsticks into thin strips.
Mix half of the crabsticks with some of the Japanese mayonnaise until well combined.
Peel and remove the stone from the avocado, then cut it into strips.
Cut the cucumber into medium-sized strips.
Prepare the pickled radish, smoked salmon and any other fillings you plan to use.
4. Prepare the nori
Take one sheet of nori and fold it in half.
Cut it into two pieces.
Place one piece of nori on a plate.
5. Add the rice and fillings
Place a scoop of cooled sushi rice in the top-left corner of the nori, forming a rough triangular shape.
Flatten the rice gently with a spoon.
Add your chosen fillings, such as pickled radish, Japanese mayonnaise, crabsticks and avocado.
6. Roll the temaki
Fold the bottom-left corner of the nori up and over the fillings.
Continue rolling the nori around the fillings to form a cone shape.
Repeat with the remaining nori and fillings.
7. Garnish and serve
Sprinkle the hand rolls with roasted white sesame seeds.
Serve immediately with soy sauce, wasabi and sushi ginger.
Notes
- Cool the rice completely: Warm rice can make the nori soft and difficult to roll.
- Don't overfill: Use a moderate amount of rice and filling so the temaki can be rolled easily into a cone.
- Use fresh fillings: Avocado, cucumber and smoked salmon work particularly well for easy homemade hand rolls.
- Eat immediately: Temaki is best served straight after assembling while the nori is still crisp.
- Make it your own: Use any combination of crabsticks, salmon, avocado, pickled radish, cucumber and cream cheese.
