Maki Sushi (Homemade Sushi Rolls)
How to make sushi rice and roll your own maki at home: thin cucumber and salmon rolls plus thicker salmon and avocado rolls. Easier than you think, with step-by-step rolling tips.
Ingredients
Pantry bits
- 2 cups (400g) Japanese short-grain sushi rice
- 520ml water
- Sushi vinegar: 75ml rice vinegar, 2 tbsp caster sugar and 1 tsp salt
- 5 sheets nori seaweed
- 200g sashimi-grade salmon, cut into 1cm-thick sticks
- 1 Lebanese cucumber, seeds removed, cut into 1cm-thick sticks
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
- Wasabi, to taste
- Pickled ginger (gari), to serve
- Soy sauce, to serve
Instructions
- Put the rice in a bowl, cover with cold water, swirl and drain. Repeat 4-5 times until the water is almost clear, then leave the rice to drain in a sieve for 15 minutes.
- Cook the rice with the 520ml water in a rice cooker, or in a saucepan with a tight lid: bring to the boil, then cook on the lowest heat for 12 minutes. Take it off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes. Don't lift the lid.
- While the rice cooks, warm the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan until dissolved. Let it cool.
- Tip the hot rice into a wide bowl. Pour the sushi vinegar over a rice paddle or spatula onto the rice, then mix with cutting and folding strokes so the grains don't get mashed. Fan the rice as you go and keep folding until it is glossy and about body temperature, around 10 minutes. Cover with a damp tea towel.
- Cut 3 nori sheets in half along the long side. Mix a small bowl of water with 1 tbsp rice vinegar for wetting your hands. Lay a bamboo mat on the bench with the slats running across, and wrap it in cling film to stop the rice sticking.
- For thin rolls, lay a half sheet of nori on the mat, shiny side down, long edge towards you. Wet your hands and spread about 90g rice (a small handful) evenly over the nori, leaving a 1cm strip bare along the far edge. Smear a little wasabi across the middle and lay a line of cucumber or salmon on top.
- Lift the edge of the mat nearest you and roll it over the filling so the near edge of rice meets the rice on the other side. Press gently along the roll, then lift the mat and roll forward to seal. Squeeze lightly through the mat to firm it up.
- For thick rolls, use a full nori sheet with about 180g rice and fill with salmon and avocado. Roll the same way.
- Slice with a sharp, wet knife, wiping it between cuts. Cut each thin roll in half and each half into thirds; cut thick rolls into 8. Serve with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.
About this dish
Maki sushi (巻き寿司) simply means rolled sushi. Thin rolls with one filling are called hosomaki, and fatter rolls with several fillings are futomaki. Once you have well-seasoned sushi rice, rolling is a skill you pick up in two or three goes.
The rice does most of the work. Japanese short-grain rice holds together without turning to paste, and seasoning it with rice vinegar, sugar and salt gives it the gentle tang that defines sushi. For more ideas with the same rice, try inari sushi, a chirashi don or a salmon poke bowl.
Tips for the best result
- Don't overload the nori. A thin, even layer of rice and a single line of filling make rolls that close neatly.
- Keep your hands wet with the vinegar water so the rice doesn't stick to you, but don't drip water onto the nori.
- Place nori rough side up so the rice grips it.
- Buy fish labelled sashimi-grade from a fishmonger you trust, keep it cold and use it on the day.
Substitutions
- Rice: if you can't find sushi rice, Australian-grown Calrose medium-grain rice is a good substitute. Long-grain rice like jasmine won't hold together.
- Fillings: cooked options work well, such as canned tuna mixed with Kewpie mayonnaise, cooked prawns, tamagoyaki strips or teriyaki chicken.
- No bamboo mat: a clean tea towel covered with cling film does the job.
Storage
Sushi is best eaten within a few hours of making it. Keep it cool and covered, and don't leave it out for more than 2 hours. Rolls with raw fish should be eaten the same day. Refrigerating makes the rice hard, so if you must, wrap rolls with cooked fillings tightly and let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before eating.
Maki sushi FAQs
Can I use normal rice for sushi?
You need a short or medium-grain rice that is sticky when cooked. Japanese sushi rice is best and Calrose is a good everyday option. Long-grain rice won't stick together.
How much sushi vinegar do I need?
About 75ml rice vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt for 400g uncooked rice. Bottled sushi seasoning is fine too; use about 80ml.
Why do my sushi rolls fall apart?
Usually too much filling, rice spread too thick, or a roll that wasn't pressed firmly enough. A sharp, wet knife also stops the rolls being squashed as you slice.
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