As sushi becomes more popular than ever, many people consider it a staple of Japanese home cooking. The truth is, we typically don’t make sushi at home, especially when it comes to nigiri or sushi rolls that require time and refined skills. We much prefer to enjoy them at a sushi restaurant. But, we do make exceptions for the less fussy ones like Temaki Sushi (Hand-Rolled Sushi). Growing up, Temaki Sushi was our favorite party meal. My mom would make them once every couple of months because they’re very forgiving, and we all love this easy DIY sushi at home.
What is Temaki Sushi?
Temaki Sushi (手巻き寿司) is sometimes called a ‘hand roll’ because it consists of a rolled cone of seaweed wrapped around rice and fillings. The best part, for me as a cook, is that this is a meal where everyone helps themselves. You just need to prepare a platter of sushi rice, nori (seaweed sheet), and fillings such as sashimi-grade fish and veggie sticks. Then, at the table, each person makes hand-rolled sushi based on their favorite mix of ingredients.
3 Main Ingredients for Temaki Sushi
1. Sushi Rice
To make Temaki Sushi, you need to prepare the seasoned rice called Sushi Rice or Sumeshi (酢飯). The rice should be white short-grain, making it stickier and better able to hold together when you wrap the seaweed cone around it. Sushi Rice is essentially steamed rice seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Japanese only make this rice when preparing sushi; for all other Japanese meals, we eat regular steamed rice. To learn how to make sushi rice, see How To Make Sushi Rice. Why not brown rice? Please read my post on why brown rice is not ideal for sushi.
2. Various Ingredients for Hand Roll Sushi
The world is your oyster when it comes to choosing the ingredients. Pick what you and your family enjoy! If you’re curious, here are some popular options in Japan:
Sashimi Choice (Raw Fish)
Amaebi (sweet shrimp) Hamachi (yellowtail) Hotate (scallop) Ikura (salmon roe) Kanpachi (amberjack) Maguro (tuna) Salmon Tai (sea bream/red snapper) Tobiko (flying fish roe) Toro (fatty tuna) or Chutoro (medium fatty tuna) Uni (sea urchin)
How much sashimi do we need? We order sashimi at Suruki Supermarket in San Mateo. Our typical order for temaki (for 4) is the following: 3/4 lb salmon (we all love salmon), 1/3 lb. chutoro, 2 packages of amaebi, 2 packages of hotate, 1/4 lb. of hirame or other white fish, 1 box of uni, and 2 oz of ikura.
Veggies
Avocado Cucumber Lettuce Radish sprout (kaiware daikon) Shiso leaves Yellow daikon pickles (takuan)
Cooked and Creative Ingredients
If you are vegetarian or do not eat raw fish, you can still make Temaki Sushi with vegetables and cooked items. It’s fun to make your fillings, so get creative!
Chicken Teriyaki Chicken Kaarage Chicken Katsu Corn Ebi Fry Grilled Unagi Ground Chicken Soboro Imitation crab sticks (kanikama) Mango Natto (fermented soybean) Sausages Shrimp (boiled) Shrimp Tempura Sweet Rolled Omelet (Atsuyaki Tamago) Tuna mayo Umeboshi (pickled plums) or Neri Ume (pickled plum paste)
3. Nori (Seaweed)
You will need good quality nori (seaweed) for Temaki Sushi. Some of you have asked me why their nori is chewy and gummy. That’s a sign of poor quality nori. High-quality nori has an amazing fragrance and taste to it. Unfortunately, it’s challenging to find good nori outside of Japan. My recommendation is to get nori harvested from Ariake Sea (有明海), known for its superior quality seaweed, and choose the most expensive nori available in the grocery store. Still, the quality tends to be less on par with the Japanese standard. If you get a chance to visit Japan, you must bring some back (It’s light and flat!!).
How to Roll the Temaki Sushi
DIY Temaki Sushi Party Video
Whether it’s for a small gathering or a bigger crowd, Temaki Sushi is truly the best type of sushi to serve at home. In this video, you can see how we set up the table with sushi rice, ingredients, small plates, salad, and side dishes for a fun yet casual sushi party. Also, check out our post on The Ultimate Sushi Party Guide: Tips, Recipes, and Ideas!
Learn More About Sushi
Read our Ultimate Sushi Guide to learn about the origin, sushi types, etiquette, and more. Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram. Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on May 16, 2013. It’s been republished on January 26, 2024 with a new video, images, and more helpful content.
