Two months ago, the community members were asked HERE about their favorite food. 🍕Pizza was the clear winner! But nobody said anything about 🍣sushi. Because it's expensive and far too complicated? No, sushi is not that complicated! 🤩

A few years ago, I bought a “sushi box” with all the basic ingredients. Just buy some vegetables and fish and you're good to go. So I dared to try it with two friends and... the result was pretty adventurous. There were no instructions or tips in the box, just ingredients and tools. Although we did almost everything wrong, I didn't let that daunt me. I picked up tips here and there and experimented myself.

Anyone can prepare good sushi - with a little patience. With a little practice, perhaps even at the first attempt, you can make much better sushi than what you can buy in the supermarket.

This guide will focus on Maki and California rolls (“inside-out rolls”).

Main ingredients and tools

The ingredients often keep for several months. The spiciness of wasabi decreases over time. The packaging of nori sheets often contains silicate packets to prevent the nori from attracting moisture after opening.

If you buy “sushi rice” in the supermarket, you are on the safe side.  But it should mainly be short-grain rice. Pudding rice is therefore also very suitable. 💡

On the left is pudding rice, on the right sushi rice.

You need to cut the nori in half for maki and California rolls. The best way to do this is with clean kitchen scissors. 💡

The nori have a flat and a rough side. The rough side is for the rice.

Popular, fresh ingredients

I definitely recommend Japanese mayonnaise from Kewpie. It gives maki with avocado or cucumber an extra kick. I also much prefer to use this mayonnaise in California rolls instead of cream cheese. 💡

Cucumbers are a classic for maki! Quarter the cucumber lengthwise. (1)
Then remove the inner, softer part (2) and cut the quarter in half again. (3)

The diameter of these eighths is ideal for maki!

Avocados are perfect for makis and especially in combination with salmon.

Salmon is great for makis and California rolls. You can also experiment with other types of fish. Personally, I sometimes find tuna too sour.

Cook and flavor the rice

If you have a rice cooker, sushi is even easier (and faster!). The rice/water ratio for a rice cooker is 1x rice to 1.5x water. If you have to use a cooking pot, it is best to follow the instructions on the rice pack.

You should rinse the rice 2-3 times before cooking

Sushi rice is cooked without salt. 

How much rice you need to cook depends on the number of people and how hungry you are. These are my approximate recommendations per person:

• Small 100g rice
• Medium 150g rice
• Large 200g rice

As soon as your rice is cooking, you should take care of the most important part of sushi: The seasoning for the rice. After all, sushi directly translates as “sour rice”. 💡 The seasoning really plays a key role in whether the sushi tastes good or bland. You can experiment with more or less flavor, but the amount is my personal recommendation. 😃

Simply place the ingredients in a bowl and mix for a few minutes until the salt and sugar have dissolved in the vinegar.

Add the liquid to the rice as soon as the rice is done and stir everything very well.

The rice must now cool down. Do not try it in the fridge! (This does not work well 💡😅)

Spread the rice evenly on wooden or cutting boards. The rice will then cool down relatively quickly. As soon as the rice is no longer warm, it can be used.

Let's roll!

Maki

1. Lay the mat down so that the cords are pointing upwards.
2. Place the nori almost at the bottom of the mat.
3. Place the rice on the rough side of the nori.
4. Prepare a bowl of water. You can use the water to moisten your hands so that the rice doesn't stick to them as much.

1. Spread the rice thinly and evenly over the nori
2. The upper edge must remain free at least as thick as a finger
3. Now add the filling to about the middle of the rice. (If you fill the maki too full, you won't be able to close it! 😀 )

Tip for fish: Take some wasabi on your finger and spread it on  the rice where the fish is lying

Tip for vegetables: Add a little mayonnaise

Wet your finger and moisten the nori on the top edge where no rice has been spread.

Now roll up from the bottom with both hands. Fold in to where the rice ends. (So don't roll it up completely!)

Then carefully press the maki tight.

Then roll the pressed part over the moistened area.

California Rolls

In a California roll, the whole nori is covered with rice. Additional rice is added to the top edge. Then turn the nori over. If rice falls off the top edge, you can stick it back on.

You can easily get three times the content of a maki in a California roll.

Now roll up from the bottom with both hands. 

Then carefully press the roll tight.

Then let it roll in the mat, to get a round shape.

You can then roll the roll in sesame or sprinkle it with a teaspoon.

Cut it!

No matter if Maki or California Roll:

• Cut the roll in half
• Lay the two pieces parallel
• divide the pieces by three and then place them upright

That's it!

The process may seem like a lot, but it's actually quite simple:

1. Cook the rice
2. Flavor the rice
3. Cut the fresh ingredients
4. roll
5. cut

You need the most patience when rolling because of the sticky rice. And with a little practice, you will become more skillful and faster 😀

150g of rice is enough for about 3 maki and one California roll. 🍣

Have fun trying it out. 😎