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JAPANESE STYLE Vol. 26 No. 1  April 2012

Making Nori-maki

Hoso-maki filled with tuna and cucumber

Nori-maki is a handy, easy-to-eat sushi roll. A sheet of roasted nori seaweed is tightly wrapped around rice and fillings, such as fish or vegetables. Basically, there are two types of nori-maki: hoso-maki, thin rolls with a single filling; and futo-maki, thicker rolls with several fillings. Nori-maki are served at sushi restaurants and also prepared and enjoyed at home. The following recipe explains how to make single-filling hoso-maki.

Makes 8 hoso-maki
  • 2 Japanese cucumbers, quartered lengthwise (average 18-20 cm / 7-8 in. long)
  • 4 sheets of roasted nori seaweed
  • 3 1/2 C hot cooked rice

Vinegar mixture

  • 2 T rice vinegar
  • 2 t sugar
  • 4/5 t salt
  1. 1Mix hot cooked rice with the vinegar mixture and cool.
  2. 2Cut a sheet of roasted nori seaweed in half (on the longer end) and place it on a bamboo mat. Hold the vinegared rice gently in your palms so that the rice grains do not scatter. Spread rice out evenly on the nori sheet from left to right, but leave uncovered the top and bottom of the sheet. Lay out a strip of cucumber or selected filling, centered atop the rice (photos a, b).
  3. 3Tightly roll up the nori sheet using the bamboo mat (photo c). Remove the mat from around the roll (photo d).
  4. 4Slice the roll in half. Lay the halves side by side, parallel, and cut together to create 6 equal bite-size pieces.

If wasabi is preferred, spread desired amount alongside the filling in Step 2 or add a bit to individual pieces when eating.

Vol. 26

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