📝 About This Recipe
Futomaki is the soul-satisfying 'fat roll' of Japan, traditionally served during festivals and celebrations to represent good fortune. This vibrant roll features a harmonious balance of sweet, salty, and acidic flavors, wrapping a colorful mosaic of simmered vegetables, fluffy egg, and seasoned rice in crisp nori. It is a masterpiece of texture and visual artistry that celebrates the humble beauty of traditional washoku cuisine.
🥗 Ingredients
Sushi Rice (Shari)
- 3 cups Short-grain Japanese rice (rinsed until water runs clear)
- 1/3 cup Rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Sea salt
Simmered Fillings
- 6 pieces Dried Shiitake mushrooms (rehydrated in 1 cup warm water)
- 15 grams Dried Kanpyo (gourd strips) (soaked and rubbed with salt)
- 3 tablespoons Soy sauce (divided use)
- 2 tablespoons Mirin
- 2 tablespoons Sugar (for simmering liquid)
Fresh & Prepared Fillings
- 4 large Eggs (for Tamagoyaki omelet)
- 1 piece Japanese cucumber (Kyuri) (sliced into long, thin batons)
- 4 tablespoons Sakura Denbu (pink fish flakes) (adds sweetness and color)
- 1 bunch Spinach (blanched and squeezed dry)
- 4 sheets Nori (seaweed sheets) (high quality, toasted)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Cook the rinsed rice with slightly less water than usual (about 10% less) to ensure a firm texture. Once cooked, let it steam for 10 minutes.
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2
While rice cooks, mix rice vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar, and salt in a small pan over low heat until dissolved. Transfer hot rice to a wide wooden bowl (hangiri) and fold in the vinegar mixture using a slicing motion with a rice paddle while fanning to cool.
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3
Squeeze the soaked shiitake mushrooms (reserve the soaking liquid). Slice them thinly. In a small pot, combine shiitake, kanpyo, 1/2 cup soaking liquid, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, and 1 tbsp sugar. Simmer until liquid is nearly gone, about 15 minutes.
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4
Whisk eggs with a pinch of salt and a splash of mirin. Prepare a Tamagoyaki (rolled omelet) in a rectangular pan. Once cooled, slice into long 1/2-inch thick strips.
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5
Blanch the spinach in boiling water for 30 seconds, immediately shock in ice water, squeeze out all moisture, and season lightly with a drop of soy sauce.
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6
Place a bamboo rolling mat (makisu) on a flat surface. Lay one sheet of nori, shiny side down, on the mat.
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7
Moisten your hands with 'tezu' (water and vinegar mix). Spread about 1.5 cups of rice evenly over the nori, leaving a 1-inch border at the top edge.
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8
Create a small groove in the center of the rice. Lay your fillings horizontally: a line of spinach, a strip of tamagoyaki, cucumber batons, simmered shiitake/kanpyo, and a generous sprinkle of pink sakura denbu.
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9
Lift the edge of the mat closest to you. Using your fingers to hold the fillings in place, roll the nori over the fillings until the bottom edge meets the top edge of the rice.
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10
Apply firm, even pressure to the mat to shape the roll into a uniform cylinder. Give it a final squeeze to ensure it is tight.
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11
Let the roll sit for 5 minutes with the seam side down; the moisture from the rice will seal the nori perfectly.
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12
Use a very sharp knife wiped with a damp cloth to slice the roll. Cut the roll in half, then each half into four equal pieces to yield 8 thick slices.
💡 Chef's Tips
Use a damp towel to wipe your knife between every single cut to prevent the rice from sticking and tearing the nori. Do not overstuff the roll; leave enough space for the nori to seal or the roll will burst during slicing. Ensure all simmered ingredients are cooled to room temperature before rolling to prevent the nori from becoming soggy. When spreading rice, use a light touch; 'pressing' the rice down will result in a heavy, gummy texture rather than a light, airy roll. If you cannot find kanpyo, seasoned pickled radish (takuan) provides a wonderful crunch and acidity as a substitute.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of pickled ginger (gari) and high-quality soy sauce for dipping. Pair with a warm bowl of red miso soup to contrast the cold temperature of the sushi. A chilled glass of dry Junmai Ginjo sake complements the sweet and savory notes of the fillings. Serve alongside a small mound of fresh wasabi for those who prefer an extra kick. For a complete meal, pair with a light Sunomono (cucumber salad) with toasted sesame seeds.