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How to Make Sushi at Home
Home sushi rolls (maki) cost about $3 per roll in ingredients vs $12-15 at a restaurant. The key skills are short-grain rice (seasoned properly) and rolling technique — both are easy to nail after one practice session. About 40 minutes once you have the rice cooked.
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0 of 7 steps completedStep-by-Step Instructions
1 Step 1: Get a bamboo rolling mat (makisu)
Step 1: Get a bamboo rolling mat (makisu)
The bamboo mat is the only non-substitutable tool. Wrap it in plastic wrap to prevent rice from sticking and to keep the mat clean.
Bamboo sushi rolling mat (9.5×9.5)
Standard size. Get two — one for rolling, one as backup. ~$5-10.
Silicone sushi mat (modern alternative)
Non-stick, dishwasher-safe. Slightly different feel. ~$10-15.
2 Step 2: Get short-grain sushi rice
Step 2: Get short-grain sushi rice
Use short-grain (sometimes labeled 'sushi rice' or 'Japanese rice') — NOT jasmine or basmati. Short-grain has the starch profile that holds the roll together.
Tamanishiki short-grain sushi rice, 15 lb
California-grown short-grain. The most common premium home brand. ~$25-32.
Nishiki short-grain rice, 10 lb (mid)
Widely available at any Asian grocery and many supermarkets. ~$18-25.
Calrose medium-grain (acceptable substitute)
If short-grain is unavailable, Calrose works — slightly less sticky but acceptable. ~$8-12 for 5 lb.
3 Step 3: Make the rice (with rice vinegar seasoning)
Step 3: Make the rice (with rice vinegar seasoning)
Rinse rice until water runs clear (removes excess starch). Cook 1.5 cups rice : 1.5 cups water in a rice cooker. While hot, season with 3 Tbsp rice vinegar + 2 Tbsp sugar + 1 tsp salt mixed together. Fold gently with rice paddle. Let cool to body temperature before rolling.
Zojirushi NS-LGC05 rice cooker
Best rice cooker for sushi rice. Perfect texture every time, lasts 15+ years. ~$160-200.
Aroma 8-cup digital rice cooker (budget)
Acceptable for sushi rice. ~$30-45.
Marukan rice vinegar, 24 oz
The seasoning vinegar. 24 oz lasts many batches. ~$5-8.
Stovetop method (acceptable)
Heavy-bottomed pot. Bring rice + water to boil, cover, simmer 18 minutes on lowest heat, rest 10 min off heat. Less foolproof than rice cooker.
4 Step 4: Get nori (toasted seaweed sheets)
Step 4: Get nori (toasted seaweed sheets)
Nori comes in pre-toasted sheets. Most major grocery stores carry it now. Cut sheets in half for thinner rolls or use whole for fatter rolls.
Nagai Nori roasted seaweed, 50 sheets
Premium grade. Crisp texture, deep umami. ~$15-20.
Wel-Pac yaki sushi nori, 50 sheets
Mid-tier — widely available. ~$10-15.
5 Step 5: Pick fillings (sashimi-grade fish OR veggie)
Step 5: Pick fillings (sashimi-grade fish OR veggie)
Raw fish for sushi MUST be 'sashimi-grade' (frozen at -4°F for parasite control). Whole Foods, Asian markets, or Catalina Offshore Products online. Veggie fillings — avocado, cucumber, carrot — skip the food-safety concern entirely.
Warning: Never use grocery-store 'fresh' fish for raw applications — it hasn't been frozen long enough to kill parasites. Buy sashimi-grade or use cooked/smoked fish only.
Sashimi-grade salmon (Whole Foods, Catalina Offshore)
Look for 'sashimi grade' or 'sushi grade' specifically labeled. ~$20-30 per lb.
Avocado, cucumber, carrot (veggie rolls)
Skip the raw fish concern entirely. Ripe Hass avocado, English cucumber, julienned carrot. ~$5-8 total for 4 rolls.
Cooked shrimp (tempura or boiled)
Pre-cooked, no food safety issue. Tail-on shrimp for classic dragon rolls. ~$10-15 per lb.
Smoked salmon (lox)
Cured/smoked, also no food safety issue. The 'Philadelphia roll' classic. ~$8-12 per package.
6 Step 6: Roll: nori, rice, fillings, tight squeeze
Step 6: Roll: nori, rice, fillings, tight squeeze
Wrap rolling mat in plastic wrap. Lay nori shiny-side DOWN. Wet hands (sticky rice trick — water keeps it from gluing to you), spread thin layer of rice over nori leaving 1/2" gap at top edge. Lay fillings in a horizontal line across the bottom 1/3. Lift the mat at the bottom edge, roll over the fillings, squeeze gently, continue rolling. Wet the top edge of nori to seal.
Wet hands constantly (rice sticky-trick)
Bowl of water with a splash of rice vinegar next to your station. Dip hands often — rice slides off wet hands instead of sticking.
Thin even layer of rice (1/4" max)
Too much rice = roll won't close. About 3/4 cup cooked rice per full nori sheet.
Fillings in a tight horizontal line across bottom third
Don't overload — 2-3 fillings max per roll. Bigger rolls fall apart.
Squeeze the mat while rolling (gentle pressure)
Even pressure compacts the roll. Stop squeezing when you feel the nori under your fingers — too hard and you'll burst it.
Sharp wet knife for slicing
Damp blade slides through rice. Dry blade tears. Wipe between each cut. ~$30-50 for a decent santoku.
7 Step 7: Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger
Step 7: Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger
The traditional accompaniments. Don't dunk fish-side down in soy — it overwhelms the flavor and the rice falls apart. Touch only the fish/nori side to the sauce.
Kikkoman soy sauce
Universal sushi soy. Get the low-sodium version if you dip heavily. ~$5-8.
S&B prepared wasabi paste (tube)
Real wasabi is expensive and rare. S&B is horseradish-tinted wasabi — what most restaurants serve. ~$5-7.
Pickled ginger (gari)
Palate cleanser between rolls. Don't put it ON the sushi — eat between bites. ~$5-8.
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