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Intro: |
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| When you slice maki, you may need to use a slight sawing motion to start the cut. When you get through the top of the nori, slice down firmly to finish the cut cleanly. If you can't use all your nori, store it in an airtight bag in a dark, cool cupboard to preserve its crispness, and try to use it as soon as possible. It will stay fresh for about a week. |
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Rolling maki sushi is slightly trickier to master, but once you become adept at the technique, you won't ever want to stop (except briefly, to eat what you've just made). Prepare. Set the sushi mat down on the counter in front of you, placed so you can roll it away from you. Place a sheet of nori (or a half-sheet if you like), shiny side down, on top of the mat with the shorter axis facing you. Moisten your hands in su and clap or shake them once.
Spread rice. Scoop up about a cup (150 grams) of rice (or half that amount for a half-sheet) and place it on the nori. Gently spread it with your hands in a thin, even layer, leaving a 1/4-inch (6-millimeter) border of nori at the bottom and sides and a 3/4-inch (1.8-centimeter) border at the top.
Fill. Take a little wasabi and spread it in a thin line across the center of the rice, from one side to the other. (Omit the wasabi if you prefer.) On top of the wasabi, lay strips of fish, vegetables, or omelet in a line. If you're using a half-sheet of nori, the filling should be no more than 1/2 inch (1.25 centimeters) thick; if you're using a full sheet, it can be more than 3/4 inch (1.8 centimeters).
Roll. Lift the edge of the bamboo mat closest to you and fold it (and the rice-covered nori inside it) up over the filling in the middle. Picture the mat and nori as a small wave breaking over the top of the filling. When the rice-covered nori touches down on the other side of the filling, the rice will adhere to the rice and nori there.
If you're using a half-sheet, this one fold will probably have met the top edge of the nori, and you'll have a cylinder of sushi. If there's more rice and nori showing at the top of the mat, keep hold of the edge of the bamboo mat. Don't tuck it under the roll, but keep guiding it parallel to the mat and countertop in a straight line (so it keeps a U-shaped curve). Press your other hand lightly on top of the curve of the mat as you roll the sushi cylinder over the remaining nori.
When the nori is all rolled up and adhered together, unroll the mat so it lies flat with the sushi cylinder on top of it. Then re-roll the mat around the sushi cylinder. Encircle the mat-wrapped cylinder with a hand at either end, squeeze gently, and hold for a few seconds. This solidifies the roll. Unroll the mat, and place the sushi cylinder on a cutting board. Slice. First, trim the ends of the cylinder and eat the trimmings. (Chef's privilege--yum!) Now cut the cylinder in half, and slice each half into three or four pieces of equal size. Arrange on a small serving plate.
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Roll maki sushi
