You have the infamous Panda Brand Dipping Soy Sauce lingering in your pantry that is craving some sushi lovin’, but that doesn’t mean you have to lug it to your local sushi place (even if you did, we don’t judge).  

You… (yes you!)... have the ability to whip up your own sushi rolls.  Don’t worry, we kept these recipes minimalistic, making this a breeze for any level of sushi-connoisseur.  

 

Simple Sushi Rolls

Veggie roll galore- perfect place to start for a beginner. 

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups medium-grain sushi rice
• 2 cups water
• 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 large cucumber, peeled and seeds removed
• 2 large carrots, peeled
• Sesame seeds
• 4 - 6 sheets nori

 

Instructions

1. Make the rice following the directions on the back of the rice package.
2. While the rice is cooking, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and 2 teaspoons salt into a small saucepan over medium heat.  Stir mexitrue just until the sugar dissolves; do not boil.Remove from heat and let cool until ready for use. 
3. When the rice is cooked, pour rice vinegar mixture over rice and fluff using a fork.  Allow rice to cool completely by transferring to a baking sheet.
4. Slice veggies into thin matchsticks.
5. Lay the bamboo mat on a flat surface.  Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap allowing a 1-inch overlap from the mat.  Place a nori sheet over plastic wrap with rough side of nori facing up.
6. With wet hands, grab a handful of rice and place in the center of the nori.  Press the rice out towards to edge of the nori sheet, grabbing more rice (and water) as you go.  The rice filling should be 1 cm thick and ½-inch from the border.
7. Sprinkle a bed of sesame seeds over the rice.
8. Add one more sheet of plastic wrap over the rice coated with sesame seeds, overlapping 1” on all sides.  Carefully place one hand on top and flip the sheet so the plain side of the nori is facing up.Then remove the top layer of plastic wrap.
9. Add the desired amount of ingredients to the center of the nori.
10. Fold the nori over the ingredients and tuck the edge underneath.  Continue to roll using firm pressure and peeling back plastic wrap and mat as you go.  Dab cold water on the edge of nori to seal roll.Repeat with remaining nori until you run out of ingredients!
11. Slice roll in half and then cut into 6 - 8 pieces.  Serve with soy sauce.

 

Inspired by Real Mom Nutrition. 

 

Homemade Sushi

Okay, so let’s dabble in the fish realm, ya?

Ingredients 

• 2 cups Sushi Rice (400g/14 ounce)
• 7 ounce Smoked Salmon (200g), See note 1
• 1 large Ripe Avocado
• 1 Small Cucumber
• 1 Small Carrot, optional
• 5 Nori Sheets
• ¼ cup Rice Vinegar (60ml)
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt

 

Optional Condiments 

• Soy Sauce
• Pickled Ginger
• Wasabi Paste

 

Instructions

1. Cook the rice following packet instructions.  In a small bowl, combine vinegar, sugar and salt and mix until the sugar is dissolved.  Pour this over cooked rice and mix well.Let the rice cool down. 
2. In the meantime, cut the veggies into thin strips.  I like cutting the cucumber and carrots into matchsticks, avocado and salmon into chunks (all of them about 4 inch/10cm long).
3. Now place mat onto your worktop (see note 2), top it with nori sheet so that the rough side is facing you.  Spread the rice over the nori sheet, (see note 3) covering it evenly but leaving about 0.5 inch (1.5cm) of the sheet free.  The rice-free end should be farther from you.
4. Place a thin row of salmon, cucumber (or carrot) and avocado in the middle of the rice.
5. Wet the rice-free end with water and roll everything tightly (the mat helps you get a nice round shape and also by applying pressure when rolling, you are making sure the roll stays tight).
6. Slice the serve with soy sauce, wasabi paste and/or pickled ginger. 

 

Notes

1. I used smoked salmon.  You can use fresh salmon or fresh tuna instead.
2. Wrapping the mat in plastic wrap prevents rice from sticking to it.
3. Rice will be sticky so dip your fingers in cold water to avoid excessive sticking.
4. Make sure you don’t put too much rice into each sheet.  There should be a balance between teh rice and fillings.  I use my measuring cut for “measuring”.1.5-2 cups very loosely packed rice should be enough for 1 nori sheet.
5. Wet your hands in cold water to prevent the rice from sticking.
6. You should get 8 pieces out of one roll (without cut offs) = 40 pieces in total.  This should serve 4-5 people.
7. Each sushi roll is 7-inch (17 cm) long.
8. If in doubt, please read the whole post that contained detailed information as well as step-by-step photos.

 

Inspired by Happy Foods Tube.

 

How to Make Sushi Without a Mat

No mat, no problem.

Ingredients

Rice

• 1 cup uncooked white rice (sushi rice if you can get it // or use short-grain)
• 2 cups water
• 3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt

 

Everything Else

• 1 cup chopped veggies (carrot, cucumber, red pepper, avocado)
• 4 sheets nori (dried seaweed)
• Soy sauce/tamari, pickled ginger, wasabi (optional // for serving)

 

Instructions

1. Start by preparing your rice.  Rinse rice in a fine mesh strainer until your water runs clear.  Then add to a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil.Once it boils reduce heat to low, cover and cook until water is completely absorbed - about 15 minutes.
2. In the meantime, add vinegar, sugar and salt to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat stirring occasionally until sugar and salt are dissolved.  Place in a jar or dish and cool in the fridge until rice is ready. 
3. Once the rice is done, turn off the heat and add the cooled vinegar mixture and stir with a rubber spatula or fork as to not overmix.  It will appear wet but will dry up as you lightly stir to release heat.It should be sticky and completely dry once it’s ready.
4. In the meantime, prep your veggies by chopping them into thin pieces.  If they’re too bulky they won’t allow the sushi to roll well.
5. Now it’s time to roll: grab a thick towel and fold it over into a rectangle and place it on a flat surface.  Top with plastic wrap, then with a sheet of nori.Using your hands dipped in water (to avoid sticking), pat a very thin layer of rice all over the nori, making sure it’s not too thick or your roll will be all rice and no filling.
6. Then, arrange a serving of your veggies or preferred filling in a line at the bottom of ¾ of the rice closest to you (see photo).
7. Start to roll the nori and rice over your fingers, and once the veggies are covered, roll over the plastic wrap and towel, using it to mold and compress the roll (see photo).  Continue until it’s all the way rolled up.  
8. Slice with a sharp knife and set aside.
9. To make the inside out roll, follow this awesome tutorial.  See photos for how to apply a layer of avocado on the outside.
10. Serve immediately with pickled ginger, soy sauce and wasabi.

 

Inspired by Minimalist Baker.

 

Sources

https://www.realmomnutrition.com/how-to-make-simple-sushi-rolls/

https://www.happyfoodstube.com/homemade-sushi/

https://minimalistbaker.com/how-to-make-sushi-without-a-mat/