Sushi Rice This recipe makes enough rice to make around 4 maki rolls. Or roughly enough sushi for 3-4 people.

Ingredients: 3 rice maker cups of Japanese short-grain rice 1/3 cup rice vinegar 2 tbsp sugar or 1 1/2 tbsp monk fruit 1 tsp salt

I like to use half white rice, half short grain brown rice, or rose rice. You can use whichever rice you prefer. These are instructions for making one batch of sushi rice using a rice maker. If you do not have a rice maker, you can find stovetop instructions online. Be sure to search for “.”

Use three rice-maker-cups of rice. Wash the rice in a rice washing bowl or a regular bowl, using a sieve to drain the water. Use your hands to wash the rice grains against each other gently. The water will get cloudy. If you’re using a rice washing bowl, wash it until the water drains clear. If you’re using a bowl and sieve, drain the water when it gets too cloudy to see the rice and repeat. End when the water is clear (4-6 times). Follow your rice maker’s instructions for preparing rice. Usually, it is as simple as filling water up to the place marked on the bowl and pressing the appropriate button for white or brown rice. Before you turn on the rice maker, let it sit in the water for 1/2 an hour. You can skip this step if you’re in a hurry, but it does make a better batch of rice. Heat the rice vinegar, salt, and sugar in a small pan over low heat until the salt and sugar dissolve. Transfer your hot rice to a large mixing bowl. A wide wooden bowl is best, but make sure you have enough room to stir your rice around without being crowded. Take a rice paddle or wide spoon and section the rice into eight pie slices. Pour the vinegar mixture over the rice, evenly distributing it over the wedges. Use your rice paddle to mix the rice; careful not to break the grains by smooshing them. The rice should be nice and hot to start with, but you’ll want to mix it until it’s cool enough to handle. If you have a helper or are dexterous enough to do it yourself, you can speed up this process by fanning the rice as you stir. Cover the rice with a damp towel while you make your sushi so it doesn’t dry out, and make sure to wet your hands while working with it so it doesn’t become a sticky mess. Tamagoyaki Tamagoyaki is a great option for a vegetarian sushi filling or on nigirizushi. It looks intimidating but is quite easy once you get the hang of it.

Ingredients: 3 eggs 1 tsp 1 tsp pinch of sugar or monk fruit oil for pan

Tamagoyaki is best made in a tamagoyaki pan, but you can also make them in a regular medium-sized cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan. I use long cooking chopsticks, but a spatula also works.

I like to make the egg mixture in a 2-cup glass measure, so it’s easy to pour. Beat together the eggs, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Heat your pan over low heat and around a tablespoon of oil into it. Take a piece of paper towel and fold into a 1 and 1/2-inch square; spread the oil around so it’s evenly coated, including a little up the pan sides, and the paper towel is oily. Set the paper towel to the side, as you will use it to grease the pan between layers. To test the pan, drizzle a tiny amount of egg onto the pan. If it cooks right away without sizzling, the pan is the right temp. If it sizzles and burns, the pan is too hot and should be turned down. Once the pan is the right temp, pour enough of the egg to make a thin crepe, tilting the pan to make an even spread. Let it cook enough, so the bottom is solid. If any bubbles develop, pop them with your chopsticks or spatula. Once it’s cooked enough, roll up the crepe from one side of the pan to the other, using your spatula or chopsticks. It’s all right if it looks a little messy, as this will be the inside of the tamagoyaki. Use your paper towel to grease the pan, then push the rolled-up egg to the other side of the pan and grease the spot where it sat. Pour out another thin layer of egg and tilt the pan to spread it evenly. Lift the first roll and tilt to spread the egg under it. Let the crepe cook as before, popping any bubbles. When it’s solid enough, roll the first part up in the second crepe, using your spatula or chopsticks. Use your paper towel to grease the pan, then push the rolled-up egg to the other side of the pan and grease the spot where it sat. Repeat until you have used all the egg mixture. In a medium-sized skillet, this will take roughly four layers. Remove the tamagoyaki from the pan and roll it up in a bamboo sushi mat. Put a rubber band around the roll and let it sit for ten minutes before slicing it for the sushi or choice. Egg Crepe or Kinshi Tamago Egg crepes can be used to wrap certain types of sushi. Kinshi tamago are egg threads made from crepes that are used as sushi toppings. This recipe makes two crepes.

Ingredients: 2 eggs 1 tsp 2 tsp potato starch 1 tsp sugar or monk fruit oil for pan

I like to make the egg mixture in a 2-cup class measure, so it’s easy to pour. Make a slurry with the sake and potato starch. Beat together the eggs, slurry, and sugar. Pour the mixture through a sieve to get out any stubborn portions of the egg whites; this way, your crepe with have a nice even color. Heat your pan over low heat and around a tablespoon of oil into it. Take a piece of paper towel and fold into a 1 and 1/2-inch square; spread the oil around so it’s evenly coated, including a little up the pan sides, and the paper towel is oily. Set the paper towel to the side, as you will use it to grease the pan between crepes. To test the pan, drizzle a tiny amount of egg onto the pan. If it cooks right away without sizzling, the pan is the right temp. If it sizzles and burns, the pan is too hot and should be turned down. Once the pan is the right temp, pour enough of the egg to make a thin crepe (should be half the egg mixture), tilting the pan to make an even spread. Let it cook enough, so the bottom is solid. If any bubbles develop, pop them with your chopsticks or spatula. Once it is cooked enough, carefully flip it over and cook for another couple of seconds. Remove from the heat. Repeat for the second crepe. To make kinshi tamago, fold a crepe in half, like a quesadilla, and slice into thin ribbons with a sharp knife. Vegetable Tempura is delicious on its own but is also a great ingredient for maki rolls. You can also use this basic recipe for shrimp, other seafood, or chicken.

Tempura batter ingredients: 2 egg yolks 2 cups cold water 1/4 cup ice 2 flour Vegetables Tempura: 1 lb of vegetables (sliced at a diagonal into bite- sized pieces) 1 cup flour 2 quarts of vegetable oil 1/4 cup sesame oil

Select and prepare your vegetables. My favorite vegetables for sushi are asparagus and sweet potato. Heat your oil in a fryer or a large pot with a flat bottom, such as a deep skillet or dutch oven. Evenly heated oil that is the right temperature is essential for getting the classic, light, lacy tempura. Heat the oil to 360°. The trick to good tempura is cold water and not over-stirring it. In fact, you don’t want it thoroughly mixed. Use two bowls, one with the flour and the other with a mix of cold water, ice, and egg yolks. Combine them only when your oil is up to temperature and you are ready to go. Put the flour into the wet mixture and use four chopsticks held together in your hand to combine, making a stabbing motion into the batter. This is a very inefficient way to mix, which is the point. When the batter is the consistency of cream, with some clumps of flour still present, stop mixing. Lightly dredge a piece of vegetable in the flour, then dip into the batter. Immediately place in the hot oil. Repeat, working in small batches, so you don’t overload the oil and cool it down. For harder vegetables like sweet potatoes or carrots, fry for 3 minutes. For softer vegetables, like asparagus, broccoli, and pumpkin, fry for 2 minutes. Drain the excess oil on a tray lined with a paper towel. Unagi Kabayaki Eel broiled in a sweet sauce is an excellent ingredient for maki rolls and lovely for nigirizushi. The sauce itself is also great for drizzling on fancy maki rolls, so be sure to save your leftovers. This recipe uses a half-pound of unagi fillet, which should be enough for four maki rolls. The packages come in one pound, so you can save the rest for another meal or double the recipe and have lots of sushi.

Tempura batter ingredients: 1/2 lb unagi eel fillets from American Unagi 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup mirin 1 tbsp sake 1/2 cup rice vinegar 1/3 cup brown sugar or 1/4 cup monk fruit sweetener (If using monk fruit, add a tsp of potato starch)

Divide it into two portions and set it on a rack over a tin foil-lined cookie sheet. In a small pot, combine a 1/2 cup of soy sauce, a 1/2 cup of mirin, a tablespoon of sake, a half a cup of rice vinegar, and a third of a cup of brown sugar. Alternatively, use a quarter cup of monk fruit with a tsp of potato starch mixed in. Over low heat, reduce the sauce while stirring. It should take five minutes at a simmer. The sauce should be roughly the consistency of Worcestershire or a little thicker. Brush the sauce on both sides of the eel fillets and turn the broiler on high. Cook the unagi for three minutes, remove from the heat, brush it again, flip, and brush. Return to broiler and cook for three minutes. Repeat five to six times until the fillets are cooked through, with slightly crispy edges. Futomaki Futomaki is a classic type of maki roll that is especially popular for vegetarian sushi. It generally has 5-7 fillings, which are up to individual preference. On Setsubun, a Japanese festival in early February, futomaki (called ehomaki only on this day) with seven fillings is considered good luck, representing the Seven Gods of Good Fortune. Ehomaki is the only maki roll not sliced, eaten more like a burrito. Ingredients: sushi rice sheets 5-7 fillings tezu (1/2 cup cold water mixed with 4 tsp rice vinegar) Fillings used: Other possible fillings: carrots crab salad cucumber scallions unagi kabayaki purple cabbage spring greens or micro greens cream cheese parsley sautéed fish roe tamagoyaki avocado Prep all your fillings by slicing them into long narrow pieces. If they’re too bulky, you’ll have a hard time fitting all of them. Take a sheet of nori and place it shiny side down on your bamboo mat. Wet your hands and a 1/2 and a 1/4 cup measure with the tezu (this will keep the rice from sticking to you) and scoop 1 & 1/4 cups onto the nori. Use your hands to spread it evenly across the nori, leaving a 1/2- inch strip at the top (the side away from you). Place each ingredient in a row starting about an inch from the bottom edge. Start with the ingredients that are harder to hold, like cream cheese or sautéed mushrooms, and put easier ones towards the top. The fillings should take up about 2 1/2 to 3-inches, leaving plenty of rice area to wrap around them. From the bottom end (closest to you), begin to roll the nori sheet over the filling, using the bamboo mat to keep it firm and tight, holding the fillings in place with your fingers as you roll. Hold the top of the bamboo mat with one hand, hold the rolled bamboo mat with the other hand, and pull against each other to tighten the roll. Lift the bamboo mat and continue to roll. Place the bamboo mat over the roll and tightly squeeze, connecting the overlapping nori to the roll and sealing it. If it’s not sealed, wet the nori edge with the tezu. Use a very sharp knife to slice the futomaki into six even pieces, wiping the knife on a damp cloth between cuts to keep it clean. Repeat to make more maki rolls. One batch of sushi rice should make 4 futomaki rolls. Hosomaki Hosomaki is a common maki roll type, usually made with one or two fillings. It’s much skinnier than futomaki. If you use one batch of the sushi rice recipe and use it all for hosomaki, you will have roughly 10 rolls.

Ingredients: sushi rice nori sheets (cut in half) tezu (1/2 cup cold water mixed with 4 tsp rice vinegar) possible fillings: carrots cucumber scallions natto sushi-grade fish

Prep your fillings by slicing them into long narrow pieces. If they’re too bulky, you’ll have a hard time fitting them. Take a 1/2 sheet of nori and place it shiny side down on your bamboo mat. Wet your hands and a 1/2 cup measure with the tezu (this will keep the rice from sticking to you) and scoop a 1/2 cup of rice onto the nori. Use your hands to spread it evenly across the nori, leaving a 1-inch strip at the top (the side away from you). Place your ingredient in thin a row down the center. With one swift movement, roll the sushi rice over the filling, landing right where the rice’s edge is. You should still see the 1-inch of nori poking out. Gently shape and tighten the roll using your fingers. It can either be round or square. Then lift the sushi mat and rotate the roll once to seal the edge of the nori. Gently squeeze the roll with your hands again to tighten. Use a very sharp knife to slice the hosomaki into six even pieces, wiping the knife on a damp cloth between cuts to keep it clean. Repeat to make more maki rolls. The Dragon Roll The dragon roll is one of the most popular uramaki (inside-out rolls) served in the US. You won’t find it in a traditional sushi place in , but it’s pretty ubiquitous in American restaurants along with the California roll. The dragon roll combines unagi (eel), tempura, and avocado for a delicious tour de force of flavor and texture. It’s also quite easy to make at home. It’s usually made with shrimp tempura, but here we use asparagus tempura.

Ingredients: sushi rice nori sheets (trimmed of 1/3) unagi kabayaki kabayaki sauce tempura asparagus cucumber avocado tezu (1/2 cup cold water mixed with 4 tsp rice vinegar) optional: (fish eggs) spicy mayo ( and sriracha)

Cover your sushi mat with a piece of plastic wrap. Take a sheet of trimmed nori and place it shiny side down on your bamboo mat. Wet your hands and a 1/2 cup measure with the tezu (this will keep the rice from sticking to you) and scoop a 1/2 cup of rice onto the nori. Use your hands to spread it evenly across the nori, edge to edge. Carefully pick up the nori and flip it over so the rice is facing down against the plastic wrap. Put two asparagus sprigs tempura at the bottom of the nori (closest to you) so that the pointed tip is sticking out on either end. Then add a few strips of cucumber and slices of unagi kabayaki nest to the tempura. From the bottom end, start rolling the nori sheet over the filling tightly and firmly with the bamboo mat until the bottom end reaches the nori sheet. Lift the bamboo mat and roll over. Tightly squeeze the roll. Uncover the roll and cover the top with sliced avocado. Slice another piece of plastic wrap over the avocado and cover with the bamboo mat. Be Gentle but tightly squeeze with your hands so the avocado forms to the roll. Carefully peel the plastic wrap off the roll. Use a very sharp knife to slice the maki into 8 even pieces, wiping the knife on a damp cloth between cuts to keep it clean. Transfer to a plate and drizzle with kabayaki sauce. Optionally, garnish with tobiko and spicy mayo. Repeat to make more maki rolls. The California Roll The California roll is probably the most popular uramaki (inside-out rolls) served in the US. It uses crab meat, avocado, and cucumber. At most run-of-the-mill sushi restaurants, the crabmeat is actually imitation crab (kanikama), a type of . But, for this recipe, we’re using real Maine crabmeat. The California roll is very easy to make at home.

Ingredients: sushi rice nori sheets (trimmed of 1/3) toasted sesame seeds crabmeat mayonnaise cucumber avocado tezu (1/2 cup cold water mixed with 4 tsp rice vinegar)

Prepare your crabmeat by mixing it with a bit of mayo to make a crab salad. Set aside. Cover your sushi mat with a piece of plastic wrap. Take a sheet of trimmed nori and place it shiny side down on your bamboo mat. Wet your hands and a 1/2 cup measure with the tezu (this will keep the rice from sticking to you) and scoop a 1/2 cup of rice onto the nori. Use your hands to spread it evenly across the nori, edge to edge. Cover it with sesame seeds. Carefully pick up the nori and flip it over, so the rice and sesame seeds face down against the plastic wrap. Put a row of cucumber near the bottom (nearest you) them a row of crab salad, and a row of avocado. From the bottom end, start rolling the nori sheet over the filling tightly and firmly with the bamboo mat until the bottom end reaches the nori sheet. Lift the bamboo mat and roll over. Tightly squeeze the roll. Use a very sharp knife to slice the maki into 6 even pieces, wiping the knife on a damp cloth between cuts to keep it clean. Repeat to make more maki rolls. The Washoku Day Roll It’s pretty common for sushi restaurants in America to have their one signature uramaki (inside-out rolls). I’m not a sushi restaurant, but I came up with my own signature uramaki.

Ingredients: sushi rice nori sheets (trimmed of 1/3) sweet potato tempura cucumber cream cheese avocado mango tezu (1/2 cup cold water mixed with 4 tsp rice vinegar)

Cover your sushi mat with a piece of plastic wrap. Take a sheet of trimmed nori and place it shiny side down on your bamboo mat. Wet your hands and a 1/2 cup measure with the tezu (this will keep the rice from sticking to you) and scoop a 1/2 cup of rice onto the nori. Use your hands to spread it evenly across the nori, edge to edge. Carefully pick up the nori and flip it over so the rice is facing down against the plastic wrap. Put a row of cucumber at the bottom of the nori (closest to you). Then a line of cream cheese and a row of sweet potato tempura strips. From the bottom end, start rolling the nori sheet over the filling tightly and firmly with the bamboo mat until the bottom end reaches the nori sheet. Lift the bamboo mat and roll over. Tightly squeeze the roll. Uncover the roll and cover the top with alternating slices of mango and avocado. Slice another piece of plastic wrap over the avocado and cover with the bamboo mat. Be Gentle but tightly squeeze with your hands so the avocado forms to the roll. Carefully peel the plastic wrap off the roll. Use a very sharp knife to slice the maki into 6 even pieces, wiping the knife on a damp cloth between cuts to keep it clean. Repeat to make more maki rolls. Temaki This is definitely my favorite type of sushi because it’s the perfect way to have sushi together as a family. Temaki is made right at the dinner table, with a platter of ingredients, a bowl of sushi rice, and your hands! In fact, “temaki” means “hand rolls.”

Ingredients: hot sushi rice nori sheets (cut in half)

Fillings used: tobiko carrot cucumber green onions smoked salmon avocado microgreens mango cream cheese

Other possible fillings: sashimi (raw fish) unagi kabayaki tuna salad bell peppers

Prep your fillings by slicing them into small pieces. Arrange them on a platter, with the messier ones like tobiko and cream cheese in their own dishes. Set the fillings out on the dinner table, along with a communal bowl of sushi rice and some soy sauce, pickled ginger, and as well. Each person should also have a pair of chopsticks and a small plate. Place the seaweed on your hand’s palm (shiny side down) and put a thin layer of rice on the left third of the nori. Place fillings of choice vertically across the middle of the rice. Fold the bottom left corner of nori over and begin folding into a cone shape. Keep rolling until the cone is formed. Put a piece of rice at the bottom right corner to use as glue and close tightly. Continue until full or out of ingredients, whichever happens first. Chirashizushi Chirashizushi is probably the easiest type of sushi you make at home. I sometimes call it the sushi salad because it involves a bowl of sushi rice with the toppings scattered across the top. It’s a great way to pack sushi for lunch or feed kids sushi.

Ingredients: hot sushi rice tezu (1/2 cup cold water mixed with 4 tsp rice vinegar)

Toppings used: tobiko shredded carrot cucumber green onions salmon salad (canned salmon and mayo) avocado bean sprouts alfalfa sprouts

Other possible toppings: kinshi tamago (egg ribbons) spring greens pea shoots smoked salmon mango

Put your sushi rice into a bowl and decoratively arrange a selection of ingredients. That’s it! Tamagoyaki Nigirizushi While most American restaurants, maki (especially uramaki) might reign supreme, nigiri or nigirizushi is the most common type of sushi in Japan. It features a pillow of rice topped with an ingredient (usually sashimi). It takes a lot of skill to make professional nigiri, but you can also make less proficient ones are home. I like to make it with tamagoyaki, which is easy to work with than raw fish and makes an attractive piece of sushi.

Ingredients: sushi rice nori (cut into 3” x 1/3” belts) 1 tamagoyaki roll (cut into 1/3” slices) tezu (1/2 cup cold water mixed with 4 tsp rice vinegar)

Wet your hands with tezu and pick up a tablespoon-sized ball of sushi rice. Gently squeeze the rice in your right hand to form a rectangular block with rounded edges and slides. Apply some pressure to the rice while forming it into a sturdy base for the tamagoyaki. Place a slice of tamagoyaki on top of the rice pillow and wrap a belt of nori around it. Repeat to make more nigiri. Chakinzushi This super easy type of sushi is wrapped with egg rather than nori. There are many ways to do it, but this recipe works especially well for a packed lunch ().

Ingredients: 1 cups of hot sushi rice 2 egg crepes tezu (1/2 cup cold water mixed with 4 tsp rice vinegar)

Wet your hands and a 1/2 cup measure with tezu and pick up a 1/2 cup of sushi rice. Gently squeeze the with both hands to form a rice ball (), then shape it into a round-edged square. Set it down on an egg crepe and carefully wrap the onigiri with crepe, tucking in the corners to keep it neat. Slice the top with a decorative cross. Repeat to make a second chakinzushi. Temarizushi These circular sushi are named for temari balls, a traditional toy made of beautiful and colorful embroidered designs. They’re quite attractive and make great appetizers for potlucks. In fact, this is my go-to party dish. The best way to make temari is to use plastic wrap to press the toppings down to make a smooth ball. But, you can also place them on top if you want.

Ingredients: hot sushi rice tezu (1/2 cup cold water mixed with 4 tsp rice vinegar)

Possible toppings: smoked salmon avocado mango kinshi tamago cucumber tobiko blanched carrot grilled meat sashimi salami prosciutto

Start by thinly slicing your ingredients. The harder things like cucumbers, mango, and salami will have to be quite thin. Wet your hands with tezu and pick up about 2 tablespoons of sushi rice. Gently squeeze the with both hands to form a rice ball (onigiri). Continue making balls until you’ve used up your rice. Cover the onigiri with a drop towel as you add to them to keep them from drying out. Put a piece of plastic wrap down and set your chosen topping on it. Set a ball on the topping and pull the plastic wrap around them, twisting the gathered ends to press the topping down. Unwrap and arrange on a plate. Continue for the rest of the temari, using a variety of toppings. Or you can pick a uniform look too. I usually make all smoked salmon with a garnish of wasabi mayo and chive. But, it’s hard to beat the beauty of a well-made selection.