DIY Temaki Sushi Night: Fun Hand Rolls

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Hands-on and party-friendly: everyone builds their perfect hand roll.
• Balanced textures: warm, glossy rice against crisp nori and cool fillings.
• Restaurant-quality tamago, tuna–mayo, and sashimi salmon with clear, home-cook instructions.
• Prep-ahead components keep the evening relaxed and fun.

Grocery List

• Produce: 2 avocados, 1 English cucumber, 20 shiso leaves, 2 scallions, 1 lemon or lime
• Dairy: 6 large eggs
• Pantry: Japanese short-grain rice, toasted nori, rice vinegar, sugar, kosher salt, soy sauce, mirin, Kewpie mayonnaise, toasted sesame oil (optional), toasted sesame seeds, canned tuna, sashimi-grade salmon, wasabi paste, pickled ginger

Full Ingredients

Sushi Rice

• 2 1/2 cups (450 g) Japanese short-grain rice
• 2 3/4 cups (650 ml) water
• 1 piece kombu (5 cm square, optional)
• 6 tbsp (90 ml) rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp (36 g) sugar
• 2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt

Tuna–Mayo Filling

• 10 oz (280 g) canned tuna, well drained
• 5 tbsp (75 g) Kewpie mayonnaise
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
• Pinch black pepper

Tamago (Japanese Sweet Omelet)

• 6 large eggs
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp neutral oil (for the pan)

Salmon

• 12 oz (340 g) sashimi-grade salmon, skin removed, cut into 1/2-inch x 3-inch batons

Vegetables & Herbs

• 2 ripe avocados, sliced
• 1 English cucumber, cut into 3-inch matchsticks
• 20 fresh shiso leaves
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Nori & Assembly

• 12 full sheets toasted nori (yaki nori), halved to make 24 pieces
• 2 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds

Sauces & Garnishes

• 1/2 cup (120 ml) soy sauce, for dipping
• 2 tsp wasabi paste
• 1/2 cup (75 g) pickled ginger (gari)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Rinse and soak the rice

Place the rice in a bowl and cover with cold water. Swirl with your hand, drain, and repeat until the water runs mostly clear (about 4–5 rinses). Cover the rinsed rice with fresh water and soak for 30 minutes. Drain well in a fine-mesh sieve.

Step 2: Cook and season the sushi rice

Combine the soaked, drained rice and 2 3/4 cups (650 ml) water in a rice cooker or heavy-lidded pot. Add the kombu on top if using. Cook according to your cooker’s white rice setting, or bring to a boil on the stove, cover, reduce to low, and cook 12 minutes; remove from heat and steam 10 minutes more, covered. Meanwhile, warm the rice vinegar with sugar and salt in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring just until dissolved (do not boil). Discard kombu. Transfer hot rice to a wide bowl or hangiri. Drizzle the vinegar mixture over the rice and fold gently with a paddle using slicing and fanning motions until the grains are glossy and just warm. Keep covered with a slightly damp, lint-free towel.

Step 3: Make the tamago

Whisk eggs, sugar, mirin, soy sauce, and salt until just combined (do not whip too much air). Heat a nonstick or tamagoyaki pan over medium-low (about 300°F/150°C surface temperature) and lightly oil. Pour in a thin layer of egg, tilt to coat, and when mostly set, roll it toward you with chopsticks or a spatula. Push the roll back, oil lightly, and add another thin layer, lifting the roll to let uncooked egg flow beneath. Repeat, rolling in layers, until all egg is used, 6–8 minutes total. Let cool 5 minutes, then cut into 1/2-inch-thick, 3-inch-long strips.

Step 4: Mix tuna–mayo and prep the salmon

Stir together the drained tuna, Kewpie mayo, soy sauce, lemon juice, sesame oil (if using), and pepper until creamy. Keep chilled. Slice the sashimi-grade salmon into neat batons about 1/2-inch x 3-inch, patting dry with a paper towel. Keep refrigerated until serving.

Step 5: Prep vegetables and toast the nori

Slice avocados and cucumber into neat, even pieces; thinly slice scallions. Briefly toast nori sheets by sweeping each over a low gas flame or a preheated dry skillet for 2–3 seconds per side until crisp and fragrant. Cut sheets in half crosswise to make 24 pieces. Keep nori in a sealed bag or covered to prevent softening.

Step 6: Set up the temaki bar

Arrange rice in a warm bowl covered with a damp towel, and place fillings (tuna–mayo, salmon, tamago, avocado, cucumber, shiso, scallions) in small bowls. Set out soy sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger, and sesame seeds. Provide a small bowl of water for moistening fingertips, plus plates and napkins. Keep raw salmon chilled on a cold pack or nested over a bowl of ice until rolling time.

Step 7: Roll and enjoy

Place a half-sheet of nori shiny side down on your palm with the short edge closest to you. Spread about 2 tablespoons warm sushi rice on the left third, from bottom corner to top corner, keeping a 1/2-inch border. Add 1–2 fillings (for example: a salmon baton, a cucumber stick, and a shiso leaf; or a strip of tamago with avocado; or a spoon of tuna–mayo with scallions). Fold the bottom left corner over the fillings, then roll into a cone. Seal the last corner with a grain of rice. Sprinkle sesame if you like and eat immediately while the nori is still crisp.

Pro Tips

• Season the rice while it is hot and fold gently to keep the grains distinct and glossy.
• Keep rice just warm and covered with a damp towel. Cold rice hardens; hot rice softens nori.
• Toast nori right before serving for maximum crispness, and store opened sheets in an airtight bag.
• Cut salmon into uniform batons and cucumber into matchsticks for easier rolling and balanced bites.
• Dip a fingertip in water to prevent rice sticking and use a single grain of rice to seal each cone.

Variations

• Spicy Tuna: Mix the tuna–mayo with 1–2 tsp sriracha, extra scallions, and a squeeze of lime.
• California-Style: Imitation crab, avocado, cucumber, and a sprinkle of tobiko or sesame.
• Vegetarian: Tamago, avocado, cucumber, shiso, and pickled daikon (takuan) for crunch.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Tamago can be made 1 day ahead; wrap and refrigerate, then slice just before serving. Tuna–mayo can be mixed up to 1 day ahead and chilled. Buy sashimi-grade salmon the day you plan to serve; keep it cold and return any leftovers to the refrigerator within 2 hours, consuming within 24 hours. Sushi rice is best within 2–4 hours of seasoning; keep covered at room temperature. Do not refrigerate seasoned sushi rice (it becomes firm). Keep nori sealed until just before toasting and rolling.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate for 1 serving (about 4 mixed hand rolls): 480 calories; 61 g carbohydrates; 26 g protein; 16 g fat; 3 g saturated fat; 920 mg sodium; 6 g fiber; 7 g sugars. Actual values vary based on fillings and dipping amounts.