Best Hillbilly Sushi Rolls Recipes

SUSHI ROLLS

Steps:

• Place a nori sheet lengthwise on a bamboo rolling mat, shiny-side down. Position the sheet about 1-inch from the edge of the mat closest to you and leave some of the bamboo mat exposed on either side of the nori sheet. Wet your hands in cool water and take a handful of sushi rice. Place the rice in the center of the nori and use your fingers to spread the rice evenly over the nori. Be sure to leave a 3/4-inch strip of nori uncovered on the far side. Place tuna strips and some julienne vegetable, cucumber or avocado along the center of the rice. Be careful not to overfill the nori. Place your fingertips over the fillings to hold them in place. Then, use your thumbs to lift up the edge of the bamboo rolling mat closest to you. Begin rolling the mat away from you, while applying pressure to the fillings to keep the roll firm. Roll the mat over slowly until it covers the rice and the near and far sides of rice join, still leaving the 3/4-inch strip of nori, rice-free, exposed. While holding the bamboo mat in position, apply pressure to the roll with your fingers to make the roll firm. Slice the roll in half, then cut both rolls twice to make 6 equal sized pieces. Repeat this process with the salmon and various fillings, nori and rice.
• Rinse the rice in cold water while stirring briskly to remove any dirt. Drain the rice completely. Place the rice and the 6 cups of water in a medium sized saucepan and cover it with a tight fitting lid. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Allow the water to boil for 3 minutes and then reduce the heat to low and continue cooking 15 minutes without removing the lid. Remove the rice from the heat and remove the lid (the water should no longer be visible). Turn the rice out evenly on a well-greased cookie sheet using a spatula or rice paddle. Sprinkle the rice with the vinegar, sugar, and salt while mixing with a spatula or rice paddle until the rice reaches body temperature. Keep the rice covered with damp paper towels or napkin until the rice is ready to use.

VEGETABLE SUSHI ROLLS FOR ALL AGES

Steps:

• For the rice:
• Mix together vinegar, sugar, and salt.
• Rinse the rice in colander and drain. Put the rice and water in medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to very low and simmer, tightly covered. (For a good seal wrap the pan's lid tightly with a small kitchen towel and cover the saucepan. Make sure the towel's edges are folded up well away from the heat.) Cook until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat (don't uncover) and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Fluff the rice with a fork and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the vinegar mixture and toss with the rice, using a wooden spoon. Spread it out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Fan the rice continuously with a fan or magazine until cooled. Cover the rice with a damp towel.
• To assemble rolls:
• Place the sushi mat with the slats running crosswise directly in front of you on a clean work space. Lay a sheet of nori shiny-side down and lined up with the closest edge of the mat. Lightly moisten fingers with water, and evenly press about 1/4 of the rice onto the nori, with 1 1/2-inches uncovered at the far edge. Line up the fillings about 1-inch from the closest near edge, evenly across the rice. Leave 1-inch of rice uncovered at the far edge.
• Beginning with the near edge of the mat, tightly roll up the nori, rice, and fillings into a cylinder. Firmly tug on the rounded mat over the roll as you pull on the far edge of the mat to tighten the roll. Open the mat, dab unsealed edge of nori with a bit of water and roll the sushi forward to seal. Transfer the sushi to a plate and cover with damp paper towels. Repeat with remaining rice and fillings.
• Cut each sushi roll, crosswise, into 8 pieces with a sharp wet knife.
• Serve with bowl of soy sauce for dipping.

SPECIALTY ROLLS

Steps:

• For the citrus ponzu: Mix the soy sauce, vinegar, lemon juice and orange juice in a small bowl until combined. Add the kombu. Set aside. (The kombu can be removed once it is soft or can be left in depending on the desired level of flavor; I typically leave mine in.)
• For the rolls: Seed the cucumber and slice into thin strips about 1/8 inch wide and 7 1/2 inches long. Cut the kaiware from the sponge base and rinse the sprouts under cold water.
• Squeeze excess water from the crab and divide into 4 equal portions.
• Lay a half nori sheet textured-side up (smooth/shiny-side down) on a cutting board with one of the longer sides closest to you. Dip your fingertips into ice water to just moisten them. Gently spread 3/4 cup of prepared sushi rice evenly over the entire sheet. Flip over the nori so it is rice-side down, keeping the long side of the sheet closest to you. Lay 1 1/2 ounces of the Dungeness crab lengthwise in the center of the nori sheet. Place 2 to 3 small (5-sprout) bunches of kaiware along the crab. Lay 3 to 4 pieces of cucumber against the kaiware.
• Wet your fingers again and use your fingertips to gently lift the edge of the nori closest to you and tightly roll it over the top of the filling ingredients. Tuck the edge of the nori around the filling and continue rolling the sushi until the seam is on the bottom of the roll. Use a makisu covered in plastic wrap to lightly press and shape the roll.
• Lay 3 pieces of the albacore slices end to end lengthwise down the top of the sushi roll making sure to cover the entire top of the roll. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the roll. Take the plastic wrap off the makisu and use it to gently shape the roll. Carefully remove the makisu, leaving the plastic wrap formed on top of the roll. Cut the roll (through the plastic wrap) into 8 even pieces. Remove the plastic wrap and arrange the sushi pieces on a plate. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, making a total of 4 rolls.
• Place a very small amount of the grated garlic on top of each piece of sushi and drizzle the rolls with the citrus ponzu. Garnish with the scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi if desired.

SHRIMP SUSHI ROLLS

Steps:

• For the rice:
• Mix together vinegar, sugar, and salt.
• Rinse the rice with cool water in a colander; drain. Put the rice and water in a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to very low and simmer, tightly covered, (For a good seal, wrap the pan's lid tightly with a small kitchen towel and cover the saucepan. Make sure the towel's edges are folded up well away from the heat.) Cook until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat (don't uncover), and set aside for 10 minutes.
• Fluff the rice with a fork and transfer to a large bowl. Add the vinegar mixture and toss with a wooden spoon. Spread the rice out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Fan the rice continuously with a fan or magazine until cooled. Cover the rice with a damp towel.
• To assemble rolls:
• Place the sushi mat with the slats running crosswise directly in front of you on a clean work space. Lay a sheet of nori shiny-side down and lined up with the closest edge of the mat. Light moisten fingers with water, and evenly press about 1/4 of the rice onto the nori, with 1 1/2-inches uncovered at the far edge. Line up the fillings about an inch from the closest near edge, evenly across the rice. Leave 1 inch of rice uncovered at the far edge.
• Beginning with the near edge of the mat, tightly roll up the nori, rice, and fillings into a cylinder. Firmly tug on the rounded mat over the roll as you pull on the far edge of the mat to tighten the roll. Open the mat, dab unsealed edge of nori with a bit of water and roll the sushi forward to seal. Transfer the sushi to a plate and cover with damp paper towels. Repeat with remaining rice and fillings.
• Cut each sushi roll, crosswise, into 8 pieces with a sharp wet knife.
• Serve with bowl of soy sauce for dipping.