Best Kappamaki Hosomaki Cucumber Rolls Recipes

KAPPA MAKI (CUCUMBER SUSHI ROLLS)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1/4 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt until dissolved.
• Mix the vinegar mixture with 300g of cooked rice. (It's okay if it's still warm.)
• Fold your nori sheets in half and pinch along the crease so that you tear them in half. (You can use scissors if you prefer.) This will give you 6 smaller nori sheets.
• Now pull the rice down so the bottom edge is covered with rice, but leave a gap at the top. The top part will wrap around and help the maki hold it's shape.
• Enjoy your homemade kappamaki with soy sauce for dipping!

KAPPA MAKI | VEGGIE SUSHI ROLL

Steps:

• Whilst the cooked rice for your Kappa maki is still hot, gently fold it in with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until fully coated.
• Rinse your cucumber thoroughly and cut in half horizontally, and then half again until they resemble even quarters.
• Lay your bamboo mat along with a layer of saran wrap on a flat surface. Have a bowl of water on the side. Lay your nori on the mat with its shiny side facing the mat.
• Add 1 cup of rice to the centre of the nori sheet. With wet fingers, distribute the rice evenly across the sheet, leaving a small 2cm gap on the top.
• Place a cucumber quarter horizontally on the rice for your Kappa maki roll.
• Using the bamboo mat, roll the sushi into a tight cylinder. Lift both the mat and wrap it together to prevent it from rolling into the sushi. Press on the roll to make it compact.
• Wet the nori that is not touching the rice with water to act as glue to seal the roll. Cut into desired bitesize pieces. Serve your Kappa maki on a plate!

KAPPAMAKI (HOSOMAKI) CUCUMBER ROLLS

Steps:

• Seed the cucumber and cut into sticks that are 1/8 inch wide and 7 1/2 inches long.
• 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. Lightly moisten your fingers with ice water and gently spread 1/2 cup of the prepared sushi rice evenly over the nori, leaving a 1/2-inch strip without rice at the far (long) edge. Carefully place the nori, rice-side up, onto a makisu (sushi rolling mat) wrapped in plastic wrap. If you like, add a small swipe of wasabi lengthwise down the rice or sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
• Place 3 to 4 cucumber strips lengthwise in the center of the sheet. Use your thumbs to lift the edge of the makisu closest to you and roll the sheet inside the makisu until the edge meets the rice. Make sure you leave the edge of the nori without rice exposed.
• Lift the edge of the makisu off the sushi roll and continue rolling the sushi roll over until the seam is on the bottom. The nori strip without rice should seal the outside of the sushi roll. If it doesn't, dip one finger in the ice water and swipe a very small amount of water along the bare strip of nori and let the roll sit on the seam for a few seconds.
• Slice the roll into 6 even pieces. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, making 4 rolls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to garnish. Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi if desired.

HORENSOU NO GOMA-AE AND GOMA-AE HOSOMAKI

Steps:

• If using bunched spinach, trim the very bottom of the stems and separate the leaves, leaving the stems intact (see Cook's Note). Rinse and drain the spinach and set aside in a colander.
• Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the spinach to the boiling water and cook just until the leaves wilt and turn bright green, 8 to 10 seconds. Immediately drain the spinach and transfer to a large bowl filled with ice water. Drain, gently squeeze out the excess water and set aside.
• Grind the toasted sesame seeds with 1 tablespoon sugar with a suribachi and surikogi (Japanese mortar and pestle), mortar and pestle or spice grinder until ground. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and grind until finely ground. Add the soy sauce and mix until a thick paste forms. If using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, transfer to a medium bowl. Add the blanched spinach and fold until the spinach leaves are evenly coated.
• 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. Lightly moisten your fingers with ice water. Gently spread 1/2 cup of prepared sushi rice evenly over the nori, leaving a 1/2-inch strip without rice at the far long side. Carefully place the sheet rice-side up on a makisu (sushi rolling mat).
• Place 1 ounce of the spinach lengthwise in the center of the rice sheet. Use your thumbs to lift the edge of the makisu closest to you and roll the nori/rice sheet inside the makisu until the edge meets the rice. Make sure you leave the edge of the nori with no rice on it exposed.
• Lift the edge of the makisu off of the sushi roll and continue rolling the sushi roll over until the seam is on the bottom. The empty nori strip with no rice on it should seal around the outside of the sushi roll. If it doesn't, swipe a little water with your fingertip over the nori edge and let it sit seam-side down for a few seconds. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, making a total of 4 rolls.
• Dip the tip of a knife into the ice water and allow the water to run down the blade. Slice the roll into 6 even pieces and serve with extra goma-ae, soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi if desired.