Salmon Teriyaki Roll (6 Pcs) Recipe

Rinse and Cook Rice

Place 1 cup short-grain sushi rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water, stirring with your hand, until the water runs almost clear (about 2–3 minutes). Drain for 10 minutes. Combine rinsed rice and 120 ml water in a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 12–14 minutes until water is absorbed.

Steam Rest

Remove from heat and keep covered; let rice steam 10 minutes off the heat (do not lift the lid).

Season Rice

While rice cooks, warm 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt in a small bowl or pan just until sugar dissolves. Transfer cooked rice to a shallow wooden or wide bowl if available. Pour the vinegar mixture over the rice and gently fold with a wooden spatula or rice paddle to coat and cool. Fan the rice as you fold to give it a glossy texture. Let cool to just above room temperature (30–40 minutes is fine); rice should be slightly warm, not hot.

Make the glaze while rice is cooling. Combine 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 1.5 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sake, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp grated ginger and 1/2 tsp minced garlic in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low and simmer 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened to a glossy syrup consistency. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Reserve about 1 tsp of glaze for brushing on rice after assembly if desired.

Prepare the salmon: using a sharp knife, cut the sushi-grade salmon into 6 long strips about 1–1.5 cm (1/3–1/2 in) wide and the length of the nori. Lightly toss the salmon strips with 1/2 tsp of the teriyaki glaze (from the glaze batch) to season and set aside for 5 minutes so the glaze adheres.

Prepare vegetables: julienne cucumber and slice avocado into long strips. Lightly sprinkle the avocado slices with a few drops of rice vinegar or a tiny pinch of salt to prevent browning if not assembling immediately.

Set up: place a bamboo sushi mat on a work surface and top with a sheet of plastic wrap. Place 1 full nori sheet, rough side up, on the plastic (shiny side down). With wet fingers, take about 3/4 cup of seasoned sushi rice and evenly spread it over the nori leaving a 1.5 cm (about 1/2 in) strip at the far edge free of rice to seal. Keep rice thickness even and do not compress too hard.

Fill: Sprinkle 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds over the rice. Flip the nori so rice side is facing down on the plastic (this makes an inside-out roll with rice on the outside). On the nori (now facing up), arrange 2–3 strips of teriyaki-coated salmon, a few cucumber julienne, and 2–3 avocado slices lengthwise across the center.

Roll: Use the bamboo mat to carefully roll the nori away from you, tucking the filling tightly and pulling the mat to shape. Press gently to form a firm log. When you reach the far edge with the 1.5 cm margin, wet the margin with a little water to seal the roll.

Finish rice outside (optional): if you prefer rice on the outside, while rolling has been done rice-side out already; otherwise, if you want the nori outside, assemble inversely. For this recipe the roll is rice-out (uramaki style). If rice is outside and a neater finish is desired, sprinkle remaining toasted sesame seeds and gently press to adhere.

For a warm teriyaki finish: heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Lightly brush the outside of the rolled sushi with a little of the reserved teriyaki glaze and quickly sear the rice side for 8–12 seconds to caramelize glaze (work quickly to avoid melting rice). Flip and briefly sear the other side if desired. Alternatively, use a kitchen torch to caramelize the glaze evenly on the roll. Let cool 1 minute before slicing.

Slice: using a very sharp knife moistened with water and wiped between cuts, cut the roll into 6 even pieces. Clean and wet the knife between each cut to get clean edges.

Plate: arrange the 6 pieces on a serving plate. Lightly brush a little extra teriyaki glaze over each piece for shine and extra flavor. Garnish with pickled ginger, a small dab of wasabi (if using) and serve with soy sauce for dipping.