Sushi Rolls Recipe

Rinse

Place the 2 cups of short-grain rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water, stirring with your hand, until the water runs nearly clear (about 3–5 minutes). Drain thoroughly.

Cook

Combine rinsed rice and 480 ml water in a medium saucepan. Cover, bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Season

While rice cooks, combine 4 tbs rice vinegar, 2 tbs sugar, and 1 tsp salt in a small saucepan and warm gently just until sugar dissolves; do not boil. Transfer hot cooked rice to a large wooden or heatproof bowl. Pour the seasoned vinegar evenly over the rice and fold with a wooden spatula or rice paddle using slicing motions to mix and cool. Fan the rice while folding to help it gloss and cool to room temperature (about 10–12 minutes).

Prepare workspace: place bamboo mat on counter and wrap with plastic film to prevent rice sticking. Have a small bowl of water nearby to wet hands and knife between cuts.

Prepare fillings

Cut fish into long thin strips (about 1 cm thick). Slice avocado and cucumber into long thin strips. Shred imitation crab or chop cooked shrimp into thin pieces. In a small bowl mix 3 tbs mayonnaise with 1 tsp sriracha to make a mild spicy mayo; adjust heat to taste.

Assemble roll (x4)

For each roll: place one nori sheet shiny-side down on the bamboo mat. Wet hands and spread about 3/4 cup of prepared sushi rice evenly over the nori, leaving a 1.5–2 cm border at the far edge. Sprinkle a few sesame seeds over the rice if desired. Carefully flip the nori so rice side is down (for inside-out roll) OR keep rice up (for traditional roll) depending on preference. Place a line of filling ingredients across the near edge: about 40–50 g fish, a few strips of avocado, cucumber, and 35–40 g crab. Add a small drizzle (about 1 tsp) of spicy mayo across the fillings.

Roll

Use the bamboo mat to lift the near edge and roll tightly away from you, tucking the fillings in and applying gentle even pressure to form a firm cylinder. Once rolled, press the mat around the roll to shape it for 10–15 seconds. Repeat to make 4 rolls total.

Cutting

Wet a sharp knife with water and wipe clean between slices. Cut each roll in half lengthwise if desired, then into 8 equal pieces (for 4 rolls × 8 pieces = 32 pieces total — if you want exactly 4 rolls / 8 pieces total, cut each roll into 2 pieces; adjust here to your portioning). Recommended: cut each full roll into 8 pieces by halving then quartering each half for uniform 8–10 piece rolls. Clean and wet knife between cuts to prevent sticking.

Arrange sushi pieces on a serving platter. Garnish with pickled ginger and a small dollop of wasabi on the side. Lightly drizzle sesame oil over rolls if desired and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top. Serve with soy sauce for dipping.

Storage: consume fresh within a few hours for best texture. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 24 hours; rice will begin to harden and nori will soften.