How To Make Sushi: A Beginner's Guide

sushi rolls on a bamboo tray with chopsticks

To get started making sushi you need:

A bamboo sushi mat, these are inexpensive and easily found now.
Nori sheets, are sheets of seaweed for making sushi and can be found in most supermarkets.
Sushi seasoning (vinegar), you can make this at home and it’s fairly easy to do. But let’s keep it simple and use shop brought ready-to-go sushi seasoning to start with.
Rice, you can buy sushi rice but you can use medium-grain rice which is cheaper and easier to find.

How to make the perfect sushi rice

Good sushi starts with well-made rice, to do this use the absorption method to cook it. Take 1 cup of your rice, rinse well in cold water. This rice needs to be cooked 1 part rice to 1.5 part water. So place the rice in a pot and add 1.5 cups of water, add the lid and bring to the boil. Once its boiling reduces to simmer for around 8-10 minutes but keep an eye on it. You want the rice to absorb all the water but not burn or stick to the bottom of the pot!
Once the rice is cooked, cool it quickly by spreading it out on a tray, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the sushi seasoning and mix well. Taste and adjust to your preference.

How to roll sushi

Let’s start with a Maki roll, as they are the most simple. Maki is basically rice and filling wrapped in seaweed.
Place your nori sheet's longest edge at the bottom, shiny side facing down. You can place this on the sushi mat to help you roll it but you don’t have to at this stage. Wet your hands to prevent the rice from sticking, then place a thin layer across the sheet leaving about an inch gap at the top.
Add your filling of choice, we love tuna, teriyaki chicken or salmon with avocado and/or cucumber. Or a vegetarian roll with capsicum (peppers), avocado and carrots.
Make sure your ingredients are thinly sliced and a similar length, so they can be lined up on the rice. Place your filling half way up the rice and let it hang over the sides, to make sure the whole roll is filled.
Make sure you have some water to hand. Take the bottom of the sheet and roll it up so that the bottom meets the top line of the rice.
Try to make one full roll of the rice keeping it tight as you do it, hold the roll in place. Wet your fingers with the water and slightly dampen the remaining edge of the nori sheet then continue to roll the sheet, sealing the roll.
Place the roll on the sushi mat, roll the mat around the sushi giving it a gentle yet firm squeeze. You want to compact the roll keeping it round but not squash it.
Once you have made up all your rolls, make sure your knife is sharp and run the edge of the knife under a running tap. Cut the roll in half then keep cutting the pieces in half again until you have 8 pieces. Keep running the knife under a little water in between cuts to prevent the rice from sticking to it.

This recipe has been provided by the team at A Tasty Kitchen:

International award-winning, Kiwi-born Chef, Shane Avant left New Zealand 17 years ago on a culinary journey to some of the world’s most exotic locations and luxury kitchens. To build on his culinary skills, Shane knew he had to travel, exploring kitchens and cuisines. He left Kiwi shores for Sydney’s award-winning GPO Grand fine dining restaurant. Then worked as Chef de Partie at the exclusive Sails Restaurant in the breathtaking Whitsundays, Australia. His career has also taken him to France, Fiji, Japan, the Maldives, and the UK. With a time spent as Executive chef at the beautiful Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki on the West Coast.