How to make tasty sushi at home? Proven recipes

Today we will present some proven recipes for different types of sushi that you can make at home. You will learn how to make maki, nigiri, sashimi, temaki and more. You will also learn about the most common mistakes when making sushi and how to avoid them.

What are the types of sushi?

Sushi is a general name for rice and fish dishes that can come in different forms and ingredients. Here are the most popular types of sushi that you can make at home:

• Poppies - are sushi rolls that consist of rice and other ingredients, such as fish, vegetables or cheese, wrapped in a nori sheet. Maki can be divided into several subtypes depending on the shape and size of the roll, such as hosomaki (thin rolls), futomaki (thick rolls), uramaki (rolls with rice on the outside), and temaki (conical rolls).
• Nigiri - are pieces of rice formed by hand or with a special mold, on which a slice of raw or slightly heated fish is placed. Nigiri can also be garnished with additional ingredients such as wasabi, ginger, sesame or mayonnaise.
• Sashimi - are pieces of raw fish or seafood served without rice. Sashimi requires the highest quality and freshness of the fish, as it is eaten cold and without additives. Sashimi can be served on a plate or on shiso or lettuce leaves.
• Gunkan - are small cups of rice wrapped in nori, filled with a variety of ingredients such as roe, avocado, tuna or clams. Gunkan is a great way to use up ingredients that are too small or too loose to put on nigiri or roll.
• Inari - are pockets of tofu fried in sweet soy sauce and filled with sushi rice. Inari is a vegan and inexpensive sushi option that has a sweet-salty flavor and soft texture.

How to make popsicles?

Maki is the world's best-known and best-loved type of sushi. Maki can be made with different ingredients and in different sizes. Here is a basic recipe for maki:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of sushi rice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 sheets of nori
• Any ingredients for the filling, such as salmon, cucumber, avocado, cheese
• Soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger to serve

Preparation:

1. Cook the sushi rice according to the instructions on the package. Transfer it to a large bowl and cool.
2. In a small pot, boil rice vinegar with sugar and salt. Remove from heat and stir into the rice.
3. Lay the bamboo mat on a flat surface and place the nori sheet on it with the dry side up.
4. Spread a layer of rice evenly over the nori, leaving about 2 cm of free edge on top. Use damp hands to keep the rice from sticking.
5. Arrange the ingredients for the filling in the center of the rice in a strip, without overdoing the amount.
6. Fold the bottom edge of the mat and start rolling the roll from the bottom up, pressing it slightly. Wrap the free edge of the nori and tighten it to the roll.
7. Transfer the roll to a board and cut it into 6-8 pieces with a sharp knife.
8. Repeat steps 3-7 with the remaining nori sheets and ingredients.
9. Serve maki with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.

How to make nigiri?

Nigiri is a simple and elegant sushi that consists of a piece of rice and a slice of fish. Nigiri requires fresh and high-quality fish, which is the main ingredient of this dish. Here is a basic recipe for nigiri:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of sushi rice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 300 g of raw fish, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel
• wasabi
• Soy sauce and pickled ginger to serve

Preparation:

1. Cook the sushi rice according to the instructions on the package. Transfer it to a large bowl and cool.
2. In a small pot, boil rice vinegar with sugar and salt. Remove from heat and stir into the rice.
3. Cut the fish into thin slices about 5 cm long and 2 cm wide. With a sharp knife, make cuts on the skin of the fish if it is tough or flaky.
4. Put a little wasabi on each slice of fish.
5. Form pieces of rice about 3 cm by 2 cm and about 1 cm thick with wet hands.
6. Place a slice of fish on a piece of rice and press gently to combine.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 with the remaining fish slices and rice pieces.
8. Serve nigiri with soy sauce and pickled ginger.

How to make sashimi?

Sashimi is the simplest type of sushi, which involves serving raw fish or seafood without the addition of rice. Sashimi requires the highest quality and freshness of the fish, as it is eaten cold and without additives. Sashimi can be served on a plate or on shiso or lettuce leaves. Here is a basic recipe for sashimi:

Ingredients:

• 300 g of raw fish or seafood, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, oysters, shrimp
• Soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger to serve

Preparation:

1. Cut the fish or seafood into thin slices about 5 cm long and 2 cm wide. With a sharp knife, make cuts in the skin of the fish if it is tough or flaky.
2. Arrange the slices on a plate or on shiso or lettuce leaves in an aesthetically pleasing manner.
3. Serve sashimi

In the previous part of the article, we presented how to make maki and nigiri, the two most popular types of sushi. In this part of the article, we will present how to make gunkan, inari and temaki, three other types of sushi that are easy and interesting to make at home.

How to make gunkan?

Gunkan are small cups of rice wrapped in nori, filled with a variety of ingredients such as roe, avocado, tuna or clams. Gunkan is a great way to use up ingredients that are too small or too loose to put on nigiri or roll. Here is a basic recipe for gunkan:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of sushi rice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sheets of nori
• Any ingredients for the filling, such as roe, avocado, tuna, clams
• Soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger to serve

Preparation:

1. Cook the sushi rice according to the instructions on the package. Transfer it to a large bowl and cool.
2. In a small pot, boil rice vinegar with sugar and salt. Remove from heat and stir into the rice.
3. Cut nori into strips about 3 cm wide and about 10 cm long.
4. Form pieces of rice about 3 cm by 2 cm and about 1 cm thick with wet hands.
5. Wrap each piece of rice with a nori strip, forming a cup. Wrap the end of the nori and glue it to the cup.
6. Fill the cups with any ingredients for the filling.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 with the remaining rice pieces and nori strips.
8. Serve gunkan with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.

How to make inari?

Inari are pockets of tofu fried in sweet soy sauce and filled with sushi rice. Inari is a vegan and inexpensive sushi option that has a sweet-salty flavor and soft texture. Here's a basic recipe for inari:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of sushi rice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 10 tofu pockets (aburaage)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar
• Soy sauce and pickled ginger to serve

Preparation:

1. Cook the sushi rice according to the instructions on the package. Transfer it to a large bowl and cool.
2. In a small pot, boil rice vinegar with sugar and salt. Remove from heat and stir into the rice.
3. In a large pot, boil water and add the tofu pockets. Boil them for about 5 minutes, then drain and cool.
4. Gently press the tofu pockets with a paper towel to remove excess water and oil.
5. In a small pot, bring water, soy sauce and sugar to a boil. Add the tofu pockets and cook them over low heat for about 15 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and absorbed into the tofu.
6. Remove the tofu pockets from the pot and cool.
7. Open the tofu pockets and fill them with sushi rice, without filling them too full.
8. Repeat step 7 with the remaining tofu pockets and rice.
9. Serve the inari with soy sauce and pickled ginger.

How to make temaki?

Temaki are cone-shaped sushi rolls that consist of rice and other ingredients, such as fish, vegetables or cheese, wrapped in a nori sheet. Temaki are easy and fun to make, as everyone can choose their favorite ingredients and roll the roll as they see fit. Here is a basic recipe for temaki:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of sushi rice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 sheets of nori
• Any ingredients for the filling, such as salmon, cucumber, avocado, cheese
• Soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger to serve

Preparation:

1. Cook the sushi rice according to the instructions on the package. Transfer it to a large bowl and cool.
2. In a small pot, boil rice vinegar with sugar and salt. Remove from heat and stir into the rice.
3. Cut the ingredients for the filling into thin strips or cubes.
4. Place a sheet of nori on the palm of your hand and put a layer of rice on it, taking up about 1/4 of the sheet.
5. Arrange the ingredients for the filling in the center of the rice in a strip, without overdoing the amount.
6. Roll the nori sheet into a cone, starting at the bottom left corner and ending at the top right corner. Wet the end of the nori and glue it to the cone.
7. Repeat steps 4-6 with the remaining nori sheets and ingredients.
8. Serve temaki with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.

What are the most common mistakes when making sushi?

Making sushi at home is not difficult, but it does require some skill and practice. Here are some of the most common mistakes you can make when making sushi and how to avoid them:

• Using the wrong kind of rice - Rice for sushi should be short-grained and sticky so that it forms well and holds the ingredients. Do not use long-grain or brown rice, as they are not suitable for this purpose.
• Preparing too much rice - Rice for sushi should be fresh and warm, as it becomes hard and dry when cooled. Do not cook more rice than you need for a single use, as it is not suitable for storage or reheating.
• Seasoning the rice too much or too little - sushi rice should have a delicate sweet and sour flavor that accentuates the taste of the fish and other ingredients
• Sushi rice should have a delicate sweet and sour flavor that enhances the taste of the fish and other ingredients. Use rice vinegar, sugar and salt in the right proportions to season the rice. Don't add too much vinegar, as this can spoil the taste and texture of the rice. Don't add too little either, as the rice can be bland and unpalatable.
• Filling the rolls with too many ingredients - sushi rolls should be compact and even so that they are easy to cut and eat. Don't fill the rolls with too many ingredients, as they may fall apart or fall out of the roll. Use only as many ingredients as will fit in one strip in the center of the rice. Also, don't put too much rice on the nori, as this can make it difficult to roll the roll and make it too thick and heavy.
• Unskillful rolling of rolls - rolling sushi rolls requires some skill and practice. Don't roll the rolls too loosely, as they may fall apart or unravel, nor roll them too tightly, as they may get crushed or damaged. Use a bamboo mat to help you form the roll and press it lightly.It is a good idea to 
• Unsharp cut rolls - cutting sushi rolls requires a sharp and large knife to ensure a clean and even cut. Don't use a dull or small knife, as this can tear or crush the roll. Wet the knife with water before each cut to prevent the rice from sticking to the blade. Cut the rolls with a quick and steady motion, without sawing or pressing on the roll.

If you like the flavors of Asian cuisine, be sure to also check out our ramen recipe. We wish you a delicious meal!