Maki-zushi

Simple and tasty homemade rolled sushi or Maki-zushi filled with Nova lox and tender asparagus. Full instructions with step-by-step pictures.

This is the final part on my Sushi Tub posts. It was a fun but hectic morning for me preparing all the Inari-zushi, Maki-zushi, Onigiri, and Oden for lunch. It was worth it though, as my 3 very appreciative taste testers ate them all. I did however, managed to save a few Inari-zushi for the bento boxes, as I had made 16 of them.

I really like this sushi tub which was purchased in Japan some years back. It is the perfect tub for mixing the sushi rice. The tub has a very pale color when new. The color deepens with use and the wood grains become darker and more visible. The tub should be moistened before use so that the cooked rice does not stick to it. The bare wood absorbs excess moisture from the rice and vinegar, leaving the rice perfect for making sushi.

For this much of sushi and rice balls, I cooked 3½ cups (700g) rice grains with 4½ cups (1080ml) water. I reserved about 2 cups of cooked rice (which is roughly 1 cup (200g) rice grains) for the Onigiri. In a small bowl combine 7 tablespoons rice vinegar, 5 tablespoons sugar, and 1½ teaspoon salt. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Then transfer cooked rice to moistened sushi tub. Pour vinegar mixture over rice. Stir gently to mix with a spatula taking care not to mash the rice.

Fan the rice as you mix. This cools the rice slightly so that it can be handled. Fanning also gives the rice a glossy sheen. Cover tub with a wet dishtowel so that rice does not dry out.

I made three Maki-zushi using smoked salmon (lox) and 3 peeled asparagus cooked for 2-3 minutes in lightly salted water. Place nori on makisu (sushi mat). Spread a thin layer of rice on the nori, leaving about one ince nori uncovered at the end furthest away from you. Place filling about a quarter way up length of the nori. Put thumbs behind the sushi mat. Holding the fillings with the other fingers in front, lift sushi mat and start rolling. Use mat to help shape the roll.

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Maki-zushi

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

Simple and tasty homemade rolled sushi or Maki-zushi filled with Nova lox and tender asparagus. Full instructions with step-by-step pictures.

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Japanese

Servings: 3

Calories: 345 kcal

Author: Linda Ooi

Ingredients

• 1 packet Nova lox (sliced into strips) (3 oz/85g)
• 3 asparagus (peeled and cooked in lightly salted water for 2 to 3 minutes)
• 3 sheets nori (toasted seaweed)
• Wasabi for serving (optional)
• Pickled ginger for serving (optional)

Sushi Rice

• 1 cup medium grain rice (200g)
• 1¼ cups water (300ml)
• 1 piece kombu (wiped with damp paper towel) (about 2-in x 2-in)

Vinegar Mixture

• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt

Instructions

Sushi Rice

1. Wash and drain rice 4 to 5 times in a medium sized pot. Cover rice with water and allow it to soak for 20 minutes. Drain rice.

2. Pour in 1¼ cups (300ml) water. Drop the kombu into the pot and place pot on stove over medium heat. Just as water is about to boil, remove kombu.

3. Place the lid back on and allow water to come to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and let rice cook for about 8 to 10 minutes or until all water is absorbed.

4. Turn off heat and remove pot without opening the lid. Allow rice to sit for 10 minutes.

5. Combine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Stir until sugar and salt dissolve.
6. Transfer rice to a moistened sushi barrel or large shallow bowl. Pour vinegar mixture evenly over the rice. Gently mix in the vinegar mixture with a rice paddle in a cutting motion. Do not mash. Turn the rice with the paddle and fan as you go along. This will help the rice absorb the vinegar and give it a glossy look.
   

Making the rolls and serving

1. Place a sushi mat on your work surface. Then place a sheet of nori with shiny side down onto mat, lining with the edge of the mat closest to you.

2. Moistened your hands and spread an even layer of vinegared rice with the help of a rice paddle onto nori, leaving about 1 inch of nori at the far end.

3. Line up one asparagus and several strips of lox about ¼ way up the length of nori.

4. Holding down the filling with your fingers, lift the mat with your thumbs and start rolling forward while retracting the mat backwards. Use the mat to help shape the roll. Repeat until all rice is used up.

5. Moisten knife and slice each sushi roll about ¾ inch thick.

   

6. Serve with a small dollop of wasabi and pickled ginger.

Moisten knife, slice off the edge and then slice rolls about ¾ inch thick. Place on a dish, serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger.

Please do check out my two other posts as seen in the picture above – Inarizushi and Onigiri with Jyuntoro.

Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 😎