E Z HOME SUSHI
Where home chefs learn the art of sushi
Beginner Sushi
When getting started it takes time to get a feel for placing the rice, rolling, and cutting. Many spend a fortune on meats and other fillings before they become proficient. We recommend starting with basic hosomaki rolls. The term “maki” means “roll”. When you see the word maki on a sushi menu it means it’s a roll. The simplest maki is hosomaki. This type of roll uses a half-sheet of nori, sushi rice, and one ingredient. The rolls are small and are commonly eaten as a snack. The most common hosomaki are made with cucumber, tuna, or salmon but can be made with anything you like in a roll. With hosomaki rolls you can make simple rolls for little money while gaining experience needed to naturally place the rice, roll the sushi and make proper cuts. The reason we recommend buying large amounts of rice and nori is so you have an abundance of them and don’t mind making roll after roll for the sake of experience. If it takes 200 rolls before you develop the ability to make beautiful rolls consistently, you will want to reach that milestone sooner rather than later. Hosomaki rolls are quick and easy (and cheap) to make so we recommend making a bunch of hosomaki rolls first. Begin with a half sheet of nori and place it with the rough side of the nori facing up (shiny side down). The rough side is always the side you apply the rice to. The shiny side won’t adhere to the rice very well. Wet your hands a bit before applying rice or the rice will stick to your hands making it very difficult to assemble the roll. Apply sushi rice to the nori with enough rice that you either can’t see the nori through the rice or can only see through a small amount.
Best Starter Sushi Knife
Having a proper sushi knife makes all the difference in the world. This knife is fully-functional and won’t break the bank. Many sushi knives cost hundreds of dollars. Most good ones start around $60. You can pick this up through us for roughly $40. Just click the picture above for details.
Rolling mats and rice paddles are an absolute must for making sushi. Typically you can get both the round bamboo and slatted bamboo mats for about $8. This supplier will also throw in a bamboo rice paddle and spatula. Click pic above for details.
Sushinoko rice seasoning is commonly used by japanese families when making sushi. With this dry seasoning mix you do not need to make your own seasoned rice vinegar. This seasoning can be used inside rolls and in sauces to bring out a more authentic restaurant-style flavor. This should be in the pantry of any sushi chef.
Ideally you want a layer of rice that is just more than one grain of rice in thickness. Leave a strip at the end with no rice on it. The reason for doing this is you are going to lightly dampen this portion just prior to rolling the sushi and the wet nori will stick to the dry portion it comes in contact with and will “glue” the roll together. It is important to wet the nori just before rolling. If you don’t roll immediately after wetting the nori, the end will start to curl and you won’t get a good seal. This is why we recommend having a small bowl of water next to you when you start making your rolls. After applying the rice, add your cucumber, tuna, salmon, or whatever else you chose as your ingredient. The optimal rolling mat for hosomaki is the round bamboo style. The flat-slat rolling mats are a bit cumbersome to use on small rolls. Flat-slats are optimal for large rolls such as fotomaki (fat rolls). As you start rolling, make sure it is tight before you make the first revolution. If the roll isn’t tight it isn’t going to cut well. Use the rolling mat to roll the entire maki. Keep rolling until you’ve used the whole mat. This is the point where you can shape the roll if you want (round or square). Now remove the mat and prepare to cut the roll. Before cutting the roll there are a few things you should have. Ideally a long, sharp knife with a single blade edge. Sushi knives are flat on one side and beveled on the right side. Since most people are right-handed most knives are also right-handed. Left-handed knives are rare or impossible to find and generally need to be custom made. If you are left-handed you may just want to learn to use a right-handed knife. Before you start you will want your knife, a bowl of water, and a cloth ready.
A Few Essentials
Sushi just isn’t the same without wasabi. You can buy wasabi in a bottle but it’s just not the same as the powdered version.
Japanese mayo. Many sauces made for sushi are based on Japanese mayo. Mix with sriracha and sesame oil to make spicy mayo.
Nanami togarashi is the most popular of the togarashi blends. This seven-pepper blend has a unique flavor and is used in many types of sushi.
Tri-color sesame seeds are a common topping which gives texture and taste as well as being visually appealing on rolls.
The starches on the rice want to stick to the edge of the blade and can deform the roll while cutting. Wetting the knife prior to cutting and wiping with a wet cloth after each slice will help. As your skill improves you should be able to make cuts without cleaning the blade every time. Don’t beat yourself up if it takes you a while to make clean cuts on a consistent basis. If you are having difficulty you can spray olive oil on the blade before cutting to reduce the friction as you cut. You can also place saran wrap over the roll to help hold it together while cutting. These are beginner cheats that should be abandoned as soon as you are developing the skill and have proper knives to make great cuts.
While actually cutting the roll you want to place the tip of the knife over the roll and ideally slice the roll with one cut. Press down on the knife as little as possible. Pressing too hard can deform the roll. Ideally your knife will have the proper weight, length, and sharpness to perfectly cut the roll. This is why we recommend an actual “sushi” knife that is over 8.5 inches long. You should only have to press down slightly while cutting. This you will get a feel for over time. Place your forefinger on the spine to apply any needed pressure. Congratulations! you are making sushi rolls! Repeat making these hosomaki rolls until it feels natural. Repetition of fundamental skills is critical to making great sushi. Don’t develop bad habits making beginner rolls because you will then have great difficulty making larger and more complicated rolls.
Hosomaki (Small Rolls)
The beginner sushi chef should start off making small rolls. Hosomaki means “small roll”. A hosomaki roll uses half a sheet of nori, has a thin layer of rice, and one ingredient. These are the simplest rolls to make and for that reason are the place to start developing basic skills. Once you are proficient making hosomaki rolls it is time to start making makizushi rolls.
Start with a half-sheet of nori. Place the nori on your mat with the shiny side facing downwards. Use the round bamboo mat for hosomaki rolls. Slatted mats are too thick to properly form the smaller rolls. Dampen your hands slightly so that the rice won’t stick to your hands as you place the rice. Lay a thin layer of rice on the nori (just enough that you can’t see the nori through the rice). Too much rice drowns out the flavor of the ingredient. For a cucumber roll we recommend using small cucumbers, however you may use thin-cut slices from a larger cucumber. When you place the rice on the nori make sure you leave about a half-inch on the end which doesn’t have any rice on it. This is the part we will moisten just before rolling so that the end seals the roll. Place your cucumber on the nori then start rolling with your hands alone. Bring the edge around so that it makes the first revolution. Use the sushi mat to tighten the roll. Now dip your finger in a small bowl of water and moisten the end. Use the mat once again to finish the roll and seal it. Use the mat to shape the roll if you want it round or square. You are now ready to cut your roll. For beginners we recommend using plastic wrap around the roll prior to cutting. This will help the edges of the roll stay in place. One of the most common problems nearly every novice sushi chef encounters is the edges of pieces deforming upon cutting, causing ingredients to fall out when picked up from the plate. Friction and mis-applied pressure on the knife are the two things that cause rolls to deform. Having a proper sushi knife (single-sided blade with a length over 8.5 inches) will help enormously. Wet your blade before cutting. This helps reduce friction. You can even spray olive oil on the blade if that helps when you are new to cutting rolls. Place the tip of the blade over where you intend to cut. As you begin cutting, hold the roll with your fingers on the opposite side. Slide the blade away from you slowly and use little to no pressure. You should feel the blade slicing into the roll. Let the weight of the blade do the work. There will be a small portion on the bottom near you which still needs to be cut. Bring the knife back towards you and let the blade finish the cut. Wipe the blade with a wet cloth prior to each cut. Starches from the rice adhere to the blade and cause friction. If you do not wet the blade after each cut the roll will likely deform on the next cut. Cut roll into six or eight pieces. Congratulations! You are making hosomaki rolls now
Makizushi (Rolled Sushi) aka Standard Roll
Now that you are making your hosomaki rolls with ease, it is time to start learning some more advanced skills. This is where we get into making popular rolls such as the spicy tuna roll and California roll. These rolls are the first to learn because most other, more complicated rolls require the same skills as these. Many rolls use one of these two rolls as a base or are a variation of one of them, so mastering these will save you much time in the future. They are also relatively cheap to make.
Salmon Avocado Roll
This is a simple roll which is quick and easy to make. The Addition of cream cheese makes this a Philly Roll. Salmon along with rich and creamy ripe avocado make this a “melt-in-your-mouth” roll which has become a favorite of many sushi lovers.
Spicy Shrimp Maki
A spicy and salty treat, the spicy shrimp maki roll is a great beginner roll which utilizes fillings along with some basic ingredients. This is definitely the roll to learn after making salmon and avocado rolls.
Uramaki (Inside-Out Rolls)
When most people think of sushi, they think of uramaki rolls. Ura means “inside out”. Uramaki rolls are very popular because they can be decorated in many ways. You can use colored rice, sesame seeds, tobiko, masago, sauces and many other toppings to give your uramaki rolls an artistic appearance. The most popular uramaki rolls are the spicy tuna and the California roll. This is where we recommend learning uramaki. Spicy tuna and California rolls are easy and inexpensive to make (and taste great). Once you get great at making these rolls, you can move into learning toppings and preparation of more complicated ingredients in order to make advanced sushi.
The spicy tuna roll is a beginner roll that never gets old. There are a few variations on these rolls that you can play with to find the ideal version. You will start with 1/2 to 3/4 sheet nori (depending on the size roll you want). This is an inside-out roll so you first want to make sure you are using a plastic-covered rolling mat. The mat should have saran wrap around it so that the rice doesn’t stick to it. Cover the entire nori sheet with rice. Since this is an inside-out roll there is no need to leave space at the end of the roll for the nori to seal. After you apply the rice, cover it with a dusting of sesame seeds. We recommend using two-colored blend of seeds. Now flip the nori over. First you want to spread some spicy mayo across the nori. Add some sriracha or other type of chili if you wish to make it spicier. Nanami togarashi is a great pepper blend to add. You should have prepped some thinly sliced or chopped green onions. Lay a layer of the onions across the nori then place the tuna. Tightly roll the sushi. You may want to cover the roll in saran wrap prior to cutting if you are new to cutting larger rolls. Now simply cut in half and then cut each half into 3 pieces. There is another variation on this roll using chopped tuna instead of strips. In this variation you mix the mayo, tuna, and onions together in a bowl and then simply place the mixture on the nori and roll it. Keep in mind that this recipe is just a basic recipe. You can always add ingredients, or toppings to make it an even more intricate type of sushi. We will get more into additional fillings and toppings later. For now, let’s move on to another classic beginner roll.
Probably the most commonly made roll in America and most likely the first roll most people ever try. Probably because it was the first roll that became popular in sushi restaurants in California. Considering most people think that sushi is raw fish they typically have an aversion to trying any at all. This roll is easy to convince a tentative person to try. Once people get the flavors of the sushi rice, the soy, wasabi and sesame oil they quickly become fans and begin trying more adventurous rolls. To make a California roll you will start with 1/2 to 3/4 sheet of nori depending on the size of the roll you wish to make. Just like the tuna roll you will cover the entire nori with rice, cover with sesame seeds and flip over on the plastic-wrap covered rolling mat. Then simply add imitation crab (Kani Kama) some thinly sliced cucmbers, and slices of avocado. Tightly roll the sushi just like the tuna roll, cut and serve.
The California roll is commonly used as a base for more complex rolls. The “Boston roll” and “New York” roll are just California rolls with shrimp instead of imitation crab. You can always replace imitation crab with cooked king crab or cooked snow crab. As you learn to make more advanced rolls you can build a California roll and top it with salmon or tuna. You can make a caterpillar roll with avocado on top or other variations. We recommend covering with fried onion crisps and unagi sauce. Any way you cut it, these are quick and easy rolls which can be converted into stunning and impressive rolls with a few simply additions. Get good at making these and your friends are sure to be impressed.
Beginner
Store
When you are just starting you have a few basic tools/items you will need to begin. This shop has the basics at prices that won’t break the bank.
Best Bang-for-the-Buck Store
After you get your basics, you will want to start upgrading and getting other items to make more advanced sushi.
Ideal Products Store
If you don’t have to check your bank account before going shopping, this store has the best of best options.
