Since I've been making a lot of sushi rolls for my school bentos, I decided to feature the basic ways to make it. So you can make yours too. It's a little bit tricky at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's easy as tying a shoelace.
- It's mess-free.
- Perfect as finger foods - no need to pack for utensils.
- Easy to make & prepare.
- It's packed with meat, seafood, fruits per slice.
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I make use of different kinds of fillings. I mix and match and see what tastes really good. If I'm in a rush, I make use of Spam or Hotdogs with crab sticks and shredded carrots or cucumbers. But if I want to make it really special, I make use of thin slices of BBQ meat. Beef Bulgogi or Rotisserie Chicken is good too. Then I add shredded carrots, sliced cucumber, avocado or ripe manggoes. It will be a big roll but a more satisfying meal. Just make sure that your rice is warm enough and not too sticky. Cover your bowl of rice with a moist towel on top to keep it warm while you're making your rolls, so as to prevent the rice from turning sticky.
I mix about 1/2 tbsp of sushi vinegar and 1/2 tabsp sesame oil per cup of rice. This is just to flavor your rice. You may add more if it's too sticky. You should be able to spread it to the seaweed sheet with ease. Do not press down while spreading.
- TIP: If you don't have a sushi vinegar, you can make one by using a rice vinegar and add a bit of sugar to sweeten it. I don't have an exact measurement to that. Just trust your taste buds. It should be sweet-sour.
Once done, you may start rolling your sushi. Make sure that you start at the end, where the fillings are. Start with a tight roll, and glide through until you completely roll it. Just before unrolling the mat, try to squeeze lightly to help the sheet and rice form and hold together.
Once formed and rolled, unroll the bamboo mat, lay the sushi roll on a cutting board, and start slicing your sushi rolls. About an inch or 1-1/2" apart depending on how much fillings you've got.
- TIP: Moisten your knife for hassle-free slicing.
This is my version of sushi rolls, and what worked with my kids. You may also try other fillings like raw salmon and tuna. But make sure they are fresh and are of good quality. Pair it up with Wasabi and Kikkoman soy sauce.
For more informations & recipes, you may want to visit Make My Sushi site. I have stumbled through this website on my quest of more sushi recipes. They have detailed instructions on how to make your sushi rolls, too.