How to Roll Sushi Like a Pro
Cole Saladino/Thrillist
I have to be honest with you: you are never going to dream of sushi like Jiro. But as long as you're not preparing uni or making anything more complicated than a basic maki roll, you can absolutely make your own sushi. It only takes three very simple steps (plus quality fish, of course). Seriously. That means you can save your dreams for more complicated things, like whether American is actually the only cheese for a great burger. (It is.)
How to Roll Sushi
INGREDIENTS:
- Bamboo sushi mat
- Gallon-sized Ziploc bag or strong plastic wrap
- 1/2 cup cooked sushi rice
- 1 sheet nori seaweed
- Whatever filling you want
DIRECTIONS:
- Place your bamboo sushi mat in a large plastic Ziploc bag or cover it in plastic wrap.
- Place half a sheet of nori seaweed, shiny side up, on the bamboo mat. With dampened fingers or the back of a spoon, spread ½ cup sushi rice on the nori, covering the whole sheet. Flip it over so the rice is on the bottom.
- Place about ¼ cup of filling in a horizontal line across the lower third of the nori.
- Pull the bottom of the mat up to help roll the nori over the filling. Pull it taught toward you to make a tight roll, release the mat, and do it again a couple more times, until you reach the end.
- With a sharp knife, cut the roll crosswise into 6 even pieces.