How to Make Maki Sushi Rolls

Recipes by Ariana

I’ll admit it. The idea of making sushi at home has always intimidated me. I always thought it required too much prep work, too many ingredients, too much time, and too much technical skill. While there might be some truth to all of that, once I understood the steps a bit more, it felt very doable. Especially now that I’m less active due to the pandemic and days are hotter, sushi is the perfect food because it’s light and cold. Without further ado, here’s a simple sushi roll recipe.

To keep this recipe simple, I decided to make an avocado, tuna, and Dungeness crab maki roll. Let’s get right to it!

Recipe (makes 5 rolls):

  • 2 cups sushi rice
  • 2 large avocados
  • 1/4 pound Dungeness crab meat
  • 1/3 pound sushi-grade tuna
  • 5 sheets nori
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Soy sauce
  • Wasabi

Instructions:

  1. Make the vinegar solution.

    Combine vinegar, sugar and salt into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave (1.5 mins) then stir the solution until everything is completely dissolved. Set it aside and let it cool.

  2. Make the rice (with a rice cooker).

    Soak the rice for 30 minutes. Dump the water then rinse the rice a couple of times until most of the starch is washed off and the water runs clear. Add water and level out the rice. Place your pinky finger in the rice so that the tip of your pinky is touching the surface of the rice. The amount of water you add should come up to your first knuckle. Then, let the rice cooker do its thing. Once the rice is cooked, transfer it to a large bowl, fluff it, add the vinegar solution, and gently fold the rice to make sure the vinegar is well incorporated. Let the rice cool before assembly.

  3. Prep the ingredients.

    Slice the avocados lengthwise (not too thinly). Cut the tuna block into strips. Pull apart the crab meat.

  4. Time to roll!

    Place a sheet of nori on the bamboo sushi mat. Press the rice onto the nori in an even layer, leaving a 1-inch border. Then, place your filling evenly and horizontally onto the rice. (See picture above.) Lift the mat up and over the filling. Tuck your fingers into the mat and gently press along the length of the sushi roll (this prevents the roll from being too loose). Then continue to roll the sushi away from you until the entire sheet of nori is rolled up. Slice and serve.

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