Maki Sushi
By Desiree Brassert
These are surprisingly easy to make. The key is in the sweet vinegar rice. Sushi rice should stickier then usual so don’t fret if it looks like too much cooking liquid.
Makes 4 maki or 32 bite size pieces
Ingredients
- 2 cups of uncooked short grain rice (calrose, nishiki, or kokuho)
- 3 cups of water
- A splash of sake or white wine (optional, but a great enhancer)
- 1/2 cup of rice vinegar
- 1 tbs of vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup of white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Seaweed or nori wrappers
- 1/2 package of “surimi” crab, or 3 cups of a different cooked seafood such as peeled shrimp.
- 2 tablespoons of mayonaise
- 1 thinly sliced scallion or chive (optional)
- Thin sticks of peeled and seede cucumber
- 1 avocado
Directions
- Wash rice and allow to soak for a few minutes. Cook it in a pot or rice cooker in the water and sake. Stir occasionally to prevent from sticking to bottom. When liquid is absorbed, lower the heat and place lid on. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile heat the vinegar, oil, sugar and salt until it becomes syrupy. Pour over rice and mix well allowing the steam to dissipate. Rice must be cool for the next steps.
- Chop the surimi or cooked shrimp and mix with the mayo. Add chopped scallion or chive. Mix well.
- Take one sheet of sushi wrapper and place on dry surface. Spread rice thinly over 2/3rds of its surface making sure that it reaches the end of three of its sides. Spread 3 tablespoons of the seafood along the bottom side that doesn’t contain rice. Place 2 sticks of cucumber and 2 thin slices of avocado on top of seafood and start rolling towards the opposite edge, jelly-roll style.
- A bamboo mat can be used to squeeze the roll tightly, but a clean towel works well too.
- Cut the maki crosswise in halves, then quarters, and then eights. Wipe the knife after each cut for best results.
- Serve with wasabi, pickled ginger, and good quality soy sauce.