Do you dream of sushi? Spicy salmon, dynamite rolls, avocado, crisp veg… Dining out at your local may be weeks or months away, but the good news is that most grocery stores stock the necessary ingredients to make excellent sushi yourself - and it’s easier than you think.
Once you have the ingredients on hand, I promise you, this is not a difficult dish. In fact, like DIY pizza, it’s highly customizable and super fun to make with your whole family.
DIY SUSHI ROLLS
Ingredients
The must haves for success!
bamboo sushi mat (not an ingredient, per se, but necessary for rolling)
sushi rice
nori seaweed sheets
rice vinegar
low sodium soy sauce or tamari sauce
wasabi
pickled ginger
toasted sesame seeds
mayonaise mixed with Sriracha (adjust your heat)
The following is a list of fillings to get you started. The fun thing about sushi is, there are no rules!! This is where you can explore your creativity and taste buds to create tasty art.
slivered carrots
slivered red pepper
slivered green onion, cut lengthwise
asparagus
avocado
sprouts
lettuce
mango
pear
cooked shrimp
raw sashimi grade salmon (can usually be found in frozen section of fish department in grocery store)
raw sashimi grade tuna (same as salmon)
smoked salmon
lobster (difficult to come by these days, but super tasty)
You get the idea! These are suggestions. Let your creative juices flow and enjoy your culinary artistic adventure! Ok! Now on to the fun part... the prepping and assembly.
Directions
1- Make your rice according to package directions. I usually try to cook about 2 cups of uncooked rice to make 10-12 rolls, which feeds 4-5 people.
2- Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl or dish. Season with rice vinegar to taste. Start with less. Add 1/2 cup vinegar, then adjust... you can always add more. It should be sticky and sweet. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
3- While your rice is cooling, prepare your veggies and other fillings on a plate. You want a plentiful assembly line so that you can focus on combinations and rolling!
4- Lay your bamboo mat on a clean flat surface. Place a sheet of Nori on top. One side of the Nori is shiny, place this side face down.
5- Using a spoon, spread a thin layer of rice on the nori sheet. If you’d prefer a spicy option, spread a little Sriracha mayo horizontally here. Sprinkle a thin layer of sesame seeds (optional).
6- Place toppings of your choice in the centre, lying them horizonally. Don’t overload your roll!! (**This is important. Start small and build up to bigger rolls. In the beginning, keep it simple. For example, start by trying to roll 2-3 ingredients and a minimal amount of rice. Once you get the gist, add a few more ingredients).
7- Ready to roll. Roll approximately 1/4 of the mat and gently squeeze so that it sticks and unfold the bamboo mat. Repeat the process until you’ve rolled the sheet of rice, nori sheet and veggies into a spiral. Give it a last squeeze so it all sticks together. I’ve included this link to demonstrate.
8- Get a sharp knife. Cut your roll in half. Place the two halves side by side and slice your pieces about 3/4-1 inch in thickness. Try not to seesaw, rather try to cut in one fluid motion.
9- Arrange your sushi on a platter. This is fun! You can get artistic by arranging your sushi in linear rows or in a circular design. You can create dimension by stacking one variety on top of one another. Put dollops of wasabi in each corner of the plate. You can even add some small flowers to add a burst of color. Creating this colourful platter is fun. It’s truly culinary art in the making!!
Serve with individual small bowls of soya sauce, and ginger & wasabi as a condiment.
Remember, practice makes perfect AND even if they’re not perfect, they are still delicious to eat. So don’t despair if they aren’t pretty... you’ll get better with every roll!
Bon appetit!
