📝 About This Recipe
Temaki is the soulful, communal heart of Japanese home cooking, designed to be assembled by hand and eaten immediately. Unlike the precise geometry of maki rolls, Temaki celebrates the tactile beauty of crisp nori, vinegared shari rice, and the freshest sashimi-grade seafood. This recipe brings the interactive 'Temaki-zushi' party to your kitchen, offering a vibrant palette of textures and flavors that range from buttery fatty tuna to the crisp snap of fresh cucumber.
🥗 Ingredients
Sushi Rice (Shari)
- 3 cups Short-grain Japanese rice (Preferably Koshikari or Sasanishiki)
- 1/3 cup Rice vinegar (High quality)
- 2 tablespoons Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Sea salt (Fine grain)
- 1 piece Kombu (2-inch square, wiped with a damp cloth)
Proteins and Fillings
- 1/2 lb Sashimi-grade Salmon or Tuna (Sliced into 4-inch long matchsticks)
- 1/4 lb Yellowtail (Hamachi) (Sliced into long strips)
- 1/2 cup Imitation crab or real crab meat (Shredded and mixed with a touch of mayo)
- 1 large Japanese Cucumber (Kyuri) (De-seeded and julienned into long slivers)
- 2 ripe Avocado (Pitted and sliced into thin wedges)
- 1 pack Kaiware (Daikon radish sprouts)
- 10-12 pieces Shiso leaves (Fresh Japanese basil)
Assembly and Condiments
- 10 sheets Nori (Seaweed sheets) (High-quality roasted gold grade, cut in half crosswise)
- 2 tablespoons Wasabi paste (Freshly grated or high-quality paste)
- 1/2 cup Pickled Ginger (Gari) (For palate cleansing)
- 1/2 cup Soy Sauce (Shoyu) (For dipping)
- 2 tablespoons Toasted Sesame Seeds (White or black)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Rinse the sushi rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water, swirling with your hand until the water runs clear. Drain and let the rice sit for 15 minutes.
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2
Place the rice and 3.25 cups of water in a rice cooker or heavy-bottomed pot. Add the kombu on top. Cook according to manufacturer instructions or simmer on low for 15 minutes after reaching a boil.
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3
While the rice cooks, prepare the 'Sushi-zu' (vinegar seasoning). In a small saucepan, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt over low heat just until the sugar dissolves. Do not let it boil. Remove from heat and cool.
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4
Transfer the hot cooked rice to a large, flat-bottomed wooden bowl (Hangiri) or a non-metallic tray. Remove the kombu.
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5
Pour the vinegar mixture over the rice. Using a rice paddle (shamoji), use a 'cutting' motion to fold the vinegar into the rice. Simultaneously fan the rice with a hand fan to cool it quickly; this gives the rice its signature glossy finish.
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6
Cover the seasoned rice with a damp cloth to keep it moist and let it rest at room temperature. Never refrigerate sushi rice.
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7
Prepare your fillings. Slice the fish into uniform strips roughly 1/2 inch thick and 4 inches long. Julienne the cucumber and avocado to match the length of the fish.
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8
Prepare the nori by cutting the large square sheets in half to create 4x7 inch rectangles. Keep them in a sealed bag until the very moment of assembly to maintain crispness.
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9
Arrange all ingredients—rice, fish, vegetables, nori, and condiments—on various platters in the center of the table for easy access.
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10
To assemble: Place a half-sheet of nori vertically in your left palm (shiny side down). Dampen your right fingers with 'Tezu' (vinegar water) to prevent sticking.
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11
Spread about 1/3 cup of rice over the left third of the nori sheet. Do not mash the rice; keep it light and airy. Spread a tiny dab of wasabi across the center of the rice.
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12
Lay your fillings (fish, shiso, cucumber, etc.) diagonally across the rice, pointing toward the top-left corner of the nori.
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13
Fold the bottom-left corner of the nori up and over the fillings, then continue rolling to the right to form a cone shape. Use a single grain of rice as 'glue' to seal the edge of the nori.
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14
Serve immediately! A hand roll must be eaten within seconds of being made so the nori remains shatteringly crisp against the warm rice.
💡 Chef's Tips
Use a damp towel to keep your hands clean and moist while handling rice to prevent sticking. Always buy 'sashimi-grade' fish from a reputable fishmonger; never use standard grocery store fish for raw consumption. Toast your nori sheets briefly over an open flame for 2-3 seconds if they feel slightly soft; this restores the 'snap'. Don't overfill the roll; less is more to ensure the cone stays closed and the flavors remain balanced. If you are vegan, substitute the fish with pickled radish (takuan), blanched asparagus, or fermented soybeans (natto).
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Pair with a hot bowl of Miso Soup to contrast the cold fish and warm rice. Serve with chilled Junmai Ginjo Sake or a crisp Japanese lager like Sapporo. A side of Edamame with sea salt makes for a perfect starter while the rice cools. Offer a small bowl of spicy mayo (kewpie mayo + sriracha) for those who like a modern kick. End the meal with a light Matcha Green Tea ice cream or fresh seasonal fruit.