Tabla De Hosomaki Mixtos Recipe

Rinse rice

Place 2 cups sushi rice in a fine-mesh sieve or bowl and rinse under cold water, stirring with your hand, until the water runs mostly clear (about 4–6 rinses). Drain well.

Cook rice

Combine rinsed rice and 2.25 cups water in a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid (or rice cooker). Let rice soak 30 minutes at room temperature if possible. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer 12–15 minutes (or follow rice cooker instructions) until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and rest, covered, 10 minutes.

Prepare sushi vinegar

While rice cooks, whisk together 4 tbs rice vinegar, 2 tbs granulated sugar and 1 tsp salt in a small bowl until dissolved. Warm slightly (microwave 10–15 seconds) if needed to dissolve sugar—do not boil.

Season rice

Transfer hot rice to a large shallow nonreactive bowl (preferably a hangiri) and evenly pour the seasoned vinegar over the rice. Use a cutting-and-folding motion with a rice paddle or wooden spatula to mix—avoid mashing. Fan the rice while mixing to cool to near room temperature (this gives the rice a glossy finish). Cover with a damp cloth to keep moist.

Prepare and portion the fillings so they are ready to roll: slice salmon and tuna into long thin strips roughly 1/3-inch wide and 3–4 inches long. Peel, pit and slice avocado into similar strips. Cut cucumber into thin batons and julienne the scallions. If using tobiko/masago, keep it in a small bowl for easy sprinkling. Keep all fillings chilled until ready to assemble.

Set up

Place a bamboo mat on a clean work surface and cover it with plastic wrap. Position a sheet of nori shiny side down (or rough side up) with the long edge toward you. Wet your hands with the small bowl of water to prevent rice from sticking.

Spread rice on nori

Take about 3/4 cup seasoned sushi rice (adjust slightly so you can make 5 hosomaki) and evenly spread a thin layer over the right half (or center lengthwise) of the nori, leaving a 1/2-inch strip of nori bare at the far edge to seal. For hosomaki (thin rolls), keep rice layer thin—about 1/4-inch thick. If making different varieties, divide rice portions and set alternate fillings per roll.

Add fillings

Place a single kind of filling (salmon, tuna, cucumber, avocado or scallion mixed with tobiko) in a thin line across the rice about 1 inch from the near edge. For avocado rolls, brush a light squeeze of lemon (optional) to prevent browning. Do not overfill—these are hosomaki (thin maki).

Roll tightly

Lift the near edge of the mat and nori and fold it over the fillings, using your fingers to hold the filling in place. Press and roll away from you to form a tight cylinder, pulling the mat away as you roll. Wet the bare nori edge with a little water and finish the seam to seal the roll. Repeat for each sheet/roll, making different filling combinations so you have a mixed platter.

Trim and finish

Using a very sharp, wet knife, cut each roll into 6–8 equal pieces (for hosomaki, 6 pieces per roll is common). Wipe the knife clean and wet between cuts to get clean slices. Optionally, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on avocado or cucumber rolls, or top salmon/tuna pieces lightly with tobiko.

Arrange the assorted hosomaki pieces on a wooden sushi board (tabla) or serving platter, grouping by variety to show the mix. Serve with small dishes of soy sauce, a dab of wasabi, and pickled ginger on the side. Offer chopsticks. Consume within 1–2 hours for best texture; keep chilled but not refrigerated tightly (room temperature is traditional).