Satisfy your sushi cravings with these tasty and luxurious hand rolls!
If you’re craving sushi but don’t want to go through the hassle of making rolls, you should definitely consider making temaki (hand rolls). These hand-held rolls are a fun and convenient way to enjoy sushi, and they’re even perfect for an on-the-go meal! I grew up eating temaki sushi, but I usually preferred maki rolls since I didn’t like eating with my hands. Nowadays, however, I often come up with quick recipes so I can enjoy delicious meals in a short amount of time, hence why I make more hand rolls now.
Temaki sushi consists of nori (seaweed) filled with seasoned short-grain rice. The choice of filling is virtually limitless, often including seafood such as raw tuna, salmon, yellowtail, or fish roe, and vegetables for a vegetarian option. Fillings are frequently accompanied by garnishes to make the rolls more visually appealing; I’ve seen people use edible flowers, sprouts, and perilla leaves as garnishes.
You can find most or all ingredients at a Japanese grocery store or East Asian grocery store such as 99 Ranch or H-Mart. You can also find the ingredients at some high-end grocery stores like Whole Foods or Erewhon, although only select Whole Foods locations sell sashimi fish.
How to purchase safe tuna?
Consuming raw fish always carries some risk, and high-risk individuals should avoid it. Be cautious about the source of your tuna and make sure you purchase sashimi-grade fish. “Sashimi-grade” is an unofficial term, meaning the seller claims the fish is safe for raw consumption based on FDA guidelines. The fish should be frozen for a specific period immediately after it is caught to kill any parasites. Wild fish are more likely to have parasites than farmed fish. The best tip for purchasing fish intended for raw consumption is to buy from a reliable source and read reviews. I did extensive research on my supplier before purchasing the tuna.
How to prepare ahi tuna at home: If the tuna steak arrives frozen, thaw the fish without packaging in an airtight ice water bath in the fridge. Sanitize cutting boards and knives with boiled water.
Tuna Hand Roll (Temaki)
Fresh tuna, seasoned rice, and a kick of wasabi wrapped in nori.
Cooking Method: None
Cuisine: Japanese
Course: Lunch, Dinner
Dietary: Dairy-Free, Nut-Free
Prep Time: 30 min.
Cook Time: 0 min.
Total Time: 30 min.
Servings:
Ingredients
Directions
- Roughly chop the ahi tuna steak into bite-sized pieces.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together wasabi, mayo, and soy sauce. Add the chopped tuna in and mix until combined. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the rice, rice vinegar, and sugar.
- Split the 2 nori sheets in half to yield 4 rectangular sheets.
- To assemble one roll, lay out one half nori sheet horizontally. Add sushi rice to the left half side of the sheet and a few bits of rice on the right edge of the sheet. The few bits of rice will act as glue when the sushi is rolled into a cone shape. (WATCH VIDEO ON HOW TO ASSEMBLE)
- Add some of the wasabi tuna mixture, cucumber, and sprouts on the tuna. Wrap the left side of the nori over and wrap the right side of the nori over the left to form a cone shape. Top with fish roe, if using. Repeat the assembly steps for the remaining 3 rolls.
Recipe Notes
- Gluten-free option is included in the recipe.
- The rolls are best when served immediately. Do not let the rolls sit out for more than two hours.
- You cannot use long grain rice as it does not have enough starch to hold it together.
