I Could Eat This, Like, Every Day Sushi Rolls
Oh, sushi. My love for it knows no bounds. In fact, I am pretty sure I could eat it every day if there wasn’t a legitimate fear of dying from mercury poisoning. I actually googled what mercury poisoning does to your body and it’s like, not the worst way to go. Sure, you’ll have some delayed motor skills and potential organ failure, but you get to eat sushi every day, so meh? I’m willing to take the risk, especially after realizing how easy it is to make within the comfort of my own closet-size Manhattan studio.
Ingredients
FOR THE SUSHI RICE
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons sake
- 2 cups short-grain sushi rice rinsed well
- 2 cups water
FOR THE CALIFORNIA ROLL
- 2 sheets dark green nori seaweed cut in half crosswise
- ⅓ cup toasted sesame seeds
- 4 sticks imitation crabmeat
- 1 avocado thinly sliced
- 1 small seedless cucumber julienned
FOR THE SPICY TUNA ROLL
- 8 ounces sashimi-grade tuna cut into ¼-inch cubes
- 3 tablespoons sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 scallions finely chopped
- ¼ cup Japanese mayonnaise
- 2 sheets dark green nori seaweed cut in half crosswise
- ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- First make the sushi rice: In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar, sugar, and sake just until the sugar dissolves.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Place the rinsed rice in a rice cooker with the water.
- Cook according to the manufacturer’s directions for sushi rice.
- Transfer the cooked rice to a large bowl.
- Pour the vinegar-sake mixture over the rice and fold to ensure the rice is evenly coated.
- Let sit for 10 minutes, covered with a warm, damp towel to keep warm.
- Make the California roll: Cover a sushi mat with plastic wrap.
- Place a sheet of nori on the sushi mat.
- Add ½ to ¾ cup of the sushi rice and spread it evenly over the nori.
- Sprinkle with a quarter of the sesame seeds.
- Flip the nori over so the rice is facing the sushi mat and is lined up with the bottom edge of the mat.
- On the bottom third of the nori, add 1 stick of the imitation crabmeat and one quarter each of the avocado and cucumber.
- Using your fingers to hold the filling in place, pull up on the sushi mat and begin to roll until your nori sheet becomes a cylinder.
- Remove the sushi mat and, using a very sharp knife, cut the roll crosswise into 6 equal portions.
- Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more rolls.
- Make the spicy tuna roll: In a medium bowl, combine the tuna, 2 tablespoons of the sriracha sauce, the sesame oil, and the scallions.
- Mix to combine and keep chilled until ready to use.
- In a small bowl, combine the Japanese mayonnaise and the remaining 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce.
- Set the spicy mayo aside until ready to use.
- Cover the sushi mat with plastic wrap.
- Place a sheet of nori on the sushi mat.
- Add ½ to ¾ cup of the sushi rice and spread it evenly over the nori.
- Sprinkle with a quarter of the sesame seeds.
- Flip the nori over so the rice is facing the sushi mat and is lined up with the bottom edge of the mat.
- On the bottom third of the nori, add a quarter of the tuna in a line.
- Using your fingers to hold the tuna in place, pull up on the sushi mat and begin to roll until your nori sheet becomes a cylinder.
- Remove the sushi mat and, using a very sharp knife, cut the roll crosswise into 6 equal portions.
- Add a dollop of spicy mayo to the top of each roll.
- Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more rolls.
- Serve with wasabi, pickled ginger, and soy sauce.
Notes & Wine Advice
BASIC BASICS
The vinegar-sake mixture you add to the sushi rice is called awase-zu.
Sashimi is an assortment of thinly sliced raw fish without rice.
Nigiri is a style of sushi where the fish is placed on top of a pillow of rice; not to be confused with classic sushi rolls.
Maki is a type of roll where the seaweed wrap is on the outside.
Rolls are when the rice is on the outside and the seaweed is wrapped inside.
Traditionally, you should never mix your wasabi and soy sauce unless you’re eating sashimi.
The pickled ginger is used as a palate cleanser, not as an additional topping for your sushi. JUST THE TIPS It is very important to wash your rice before cooking it. If you don’t, the rice will be too sticky and become a ball. You will know it’s ready when the water runs clear.
Don’t cook your rice on the stovetop. You should use a rice cooker for your sushi rice to achieve the right consistency.
You will need a bamboo rolling mat to make sushi. Pro tip: Carefully wrap your bamboo mat in plastic wrap to avoid getting sushi rice stuck in it.
Sashimi is an assortment of thinly sliced raw fish without rice.
Nigiri is a style of sushi where the fish is placed on top of a pillow of rice; not to be confused with classic sushi rolls.
Maki is a type of roll where the seaweed wrap is on the outside.
Rolls are when the rice is on the outside and the seaweed is wrapped inside.
Traditionally, you should never mix your wasabi and soy sauce unless you’re eating sashimi.
The pickled ginger is used as a palate cleanser, not as an additional topping for your sushi. JUST THE TIPS It is very important to wash your rice before cooking it. If you don’t, the rice will be too sticky and become a ball. You will know it’s ready when the water runs clear.
Don’t cook your rice on the stovetop. You should use a rice cooker for your sushi rice to achieve the right consistency.
You will need a bamboo rolling mat to make sushi. Pro tip: Carefully wrap your bamboo mat in plastic wrap to avoid getting sushi rice stuck in it.