We have shied away from sushi recipes up until now as they tend to be a bit intimidating with all that delicate rolling and slicing. These hand rolls are really easy and by the time you’ve made 14 of them you will have perfected the skill!
Sushi hand rolls (temaki) – makes 14
- 7 sheets nori
FILLINGS (your choice of …)
- 150g salmon or tuna, cut into strips
- ½ an avocado, peeled and cut into strips
- ¼cucumber, seeds removed and cut into strips
- 150g cooked, peeled prawns
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
RICE
- 250g sushi rice
- 50ml Japanese rice vinegar
- 40g golden caster sugar
- 1 tsp salt
SPICY CHILLI MAYONNAISE
- 6 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2-3 tbsp chilli garlic sauce
- ½ lemon, juiced
- soy sauce
- wasabi
- pickled ginger
To make the rice, put it in a sieve and wash in cold running water until the water runs clear. Drain for about 30 minutes to rid of excess water.
Put the rice into a saucepan, add 250ml cold water and bring to the boil on a high heat. Cover tightly and simmer on a low heat for 30 minutes. Take off the heat and leave covered to steam for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, put the rice vinegar, sugar and 1tsp salt in a saucepan. Heat the mixture until the sugar dissolves, then cool to room temperature.
Put the hot rice in a large bowl and add ¼of the sushi rice seasoning. Fold gently and repeat until all of the seasoning is mixed through. Cool the rice by fanning it for 5 minutes (this makes it shine).
To make the mayonnaise, mix all the ingredients together, taste and add extra salt and lemon if necessary.
Now you are ready to make your sushi hand rolls. Use the fillings in different combinations and serve with pickled ginger, soy sauce and wasabi.
- Lay a sheet of nori shiny side down and cut horizontally in half to make 2 strips. Cut a diagonal corner piece from the right hand side of each strip.
- Put one strip in your palm, keeping the shiny side down.
- With a damp hand, take a ping-pong sized ball of rice and spread it over half the nori on the side closest to your thumb.
- Make a diagonal trough in the middle of the rice with your finger to make a space for your filling.
- Add a little drizzle of spicy mayonnaise along the trough (a squeezy bottle makes this easier).
- Add your choice of filling – though not too much or you won’t be able to roll it.
- Start rolling the nori from the rice-covered part by creating a triangle. You can practice this with an empty sheet before beginning. Bring the bottom corner up to enclose the filling.
- Keep rolling until the nori forms a cone – make sure it is rolled tight.
- Use a tiny ball of wasabi as glue to seal the join of your cone at the top. Repeat 14 times!
Wine Suggestion: Go for something delicate and light with some floral and fruit aromas. A dry Riesling worked well for us.
(Original recipe from BBC Good Food)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 