Temaki Sushi - Easy Hand Roll Sushi

A hand holds up a hand rolled sushi cone.

Temaki Sushi - Easy Hand Roll Sushi

Temaki sushi is the EASIEST way to make hand roll sushi at home, no bamboo mat or rolling skills required. All you need is sushi rice, seaweed wrappers and your favourite fillings, and you'll be ready to enjoy a sushi party in no time!

Course Dinner, Lunch, Snack

Cuisine Japanese

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 0

Total Time 5

Servings sushi rolls

Calories 120kcal

Author Wandercooks

Cost $10-$15

Equipment

Ingredients

For the rice:

6 cups cooked sushi rice this equals 2 cups of uncooked sushi rice if you need to cook a fresh batch
2 tbsp sushi vinegar Sub with 1½ tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp sugar and a pinch of salt

For the wrapper:

2 nori sheets / seaweed sheets per person, sliced in half

For the fillings:

200 g tuna canned, in brine
2-3 tbsp kewpie mayonnaise
1 carrot finely sliced
1 cucumber sliced into strips

For dipping (optional):

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Transfer cooked sushi rice to a wide, flat-bottomed pan or dish.
6 cups cooked sushi rice
Pour the sushi vinegar over the cooked rice and mix gently with a flat rice paddle to avoid breaking any of the grains. Allow the rice to cool completely before serving. Optional: Stir through some Japanese rice seasoning / nori komi furikake for extra flavour.
2 tbsp sushi vinegar
Mix tuna and kewpie mayo in a small bowl until well combined. Add more kewpie mayo as required until you have a smooth texture and delicious flavour.
200 g tuna, 2-3 tbsp kewpie mayonnaise

To Assemble Your Temaki Sushi:

Take up a sheet of nori (sliced or broken it in half into a rectangle shape) and place it in your hand or on a plate. Top with a scoop of rice in the top left corner in a roughly triangular shape.
2 nori sheets / seaweed sheets
Layer on your chosen fillings (such as the tuna with kewpie mayo, carrot and cucumber). Fold the bottom left corner up and over the fillings, then continue to roll into a cone shape. If you’re unsure how to do this, see out our temaki sushi video tutorial. Optional: Serve with soy sauce and wasabi.
1 carrot, 1 cucumber, soy sauce, wasabi

Video

Notes

Cooked Sushi Rice – Short grain sushi rice such as nishiki or koshihikari will give your sushi cones the most authentic flavour and texture. See our full guide for how to cook sushi rice using a rice cooker, instant pot or stove-top. Rinse the rice a few times before cooking to remove excess starch. This will give you the best and fluffiest texture once cooked. Never use a metal spoon when handling the rice. It could damage the rice grains (not to mention the rice cooker bowl) and it could react with the rice vinegar. Don’t be tempted to cool the rice in the fridge to save time – it can damage the rice texture and change the flavour.
Sushi Vinegar – Adds a subtle flavour to the rice. Feel free to experiment with the amount of rice vinegar. Add it in gradually and taste test the rice until you’re happy with the strength of flavour. Substitute with 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp sugar and a pinch of salt if you need, or just leave it out.
Nori Seaweed Sheets – Can be labelled as nori, yakinori or roasted seaweed sheets. They’re becoming more widely available in supermarkets as well as import stores, or you can buy yakinori online. If you can’t source them (or don’t like the taste) sub with large lettuce leaves or spinach leaves.
Fillings – No need to source sashimi-grade fish (unless you want to, of course!). We’ve put together our favourite list of super simple temaki sushi ingredients, so you can pick and choose the ones you like best.
Shape – Roll up into the traditional temaki cone shape, or just roll up into regular sushi rolls by hand.
Storage – These sushi rolls are best enjoyed immediately while fresh. You could possibly make them a few hours in advance and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve, but the textures of the rice and seaweed wrapper will change.
Condiments – Some people like to serve condiments like soy sauce and kewpie in small dipping bowls per person. Others like to pour a little of each in the sushi rolls before wrapping them up. It’s completely up to you!

Nutrition