Sushi Rolls (Maki Sushi - Hosomaki)

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1. 1Step 1: Gather all the ingredients. Please cook the rice ahead of time following my Sushi Rice recipe. The cook time varies depending on the device/method you use. You will need a bamboo sushi mat.
2. 2Step 2: Use 2¼ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice, 2¼ cups water, and 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) to cook the rice. This yields 6⅔ cups of cooked rice, enough for 10 hosomaki or thin sushi rolls. Please follow my Sushi Rice recipe for step-by-step instructions on how to cook the rice.
3. 3Step 3: Use ⅓ cup rice vinegar (unseasoned), 3 Tbsp sugar, and 1½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt to season the cooked rice as described in my Sushi Rice recipe. Cover the sushi rice with a damp cloth/plastic wrap at all times to prevent drying.
4. 4Step 4: Cut both ends of 1 Japanese or Persian cucumber. Cut in half lengthwise, then cut the halves again lengthwise so you now have 4 strips. Remove the seeds with your knife. Then, cut each strip in half lengthwise yet again. You now have 8 strips.
5. 5Step 5: Cut the 7 oz sashimi-grade tuna block lengthwise into ¼- to ½-inch slabs. Then, cut the slabs lengthwise into long strips ¼- to ½-inch thick.
6. 6Step 6: Remove the natto from 1 box natto (fermented soybean) and place in a small bowl. Season with the packet of soy sauce or seasoning that came with the package. Mix everything up and stir several times until it’s slimy and bubbly.
7. 7Step 7: Make finger-dipping vinegar water (tezu) by combining ¼ cup water and 2 tsp rice vinegar (unseasoned) in a small bowl. Apply this water to your fingers and hands to prevent the rice from sticking to them.
8. 8Step 8: Cut 5 sheets nori (dried laver seaweed) in half. Even though it may look it, nori sheets are not perfectly square; therefore, cut the longer side of the rectangle in half. Also, nori gets stale easily, so store the sheets in an airtight bag and take out each piece only when you’re ready to use it.
9. 9Step 9: Place the sushi mat on a work surface. The bamboo slats should run sideways (horizontally) so you can roll them up. On the mat, place a nori half sheet shiny side down, with its long side along the bottom edge of the mat (the side closest to you). Leave about 3–4 slats visible on the side nearest you.
10. 10Step 10: Moisten your hand with tezu before you touch the sushi rice.
11. 11Step 11: Using a measuring cup, scoop ½ cup (80 g) of sushi rice into your hand. This way, you’ll use the same the amount of rice for each roll and they will be the same size. You can wet the measuring cup with tezu so the rice won’t stick.
12. 12Step 12: Place the sushi rice on the nori, left of center. Leaving a 1-inch strip of nori along the top edge, spread the rice toward the right using your right fingers while you use your left fingers to keep the rice away from the 1-inch nori strip on top.
13. 13Step 13: Spread the rice evenly with both fingers, still keeping the 1-inch space on the top. Wet your fingers in dipping water if the rice starts to stick.
14. 14Step 14: Place a single filling of your choice (tuna, cucumber, or natto) in the middle of the rice across the entire length of the roll. If your tuna or cucumber is too short, add extra pieces on the end. Hold the filling down using your fingers.
15. 15Step 15: Lift up the bottom edge of the sushi mat with your thumbs. With one swift movement, roll the nori and rice over the filling. Land right at the top edge of the rice. You should still see the 1-inch nori space.
16. 16Step 16: Leaving the sushi mat in place, gently shape and tighten the roll with your fingers from outside of the mat. Shape the roll to give it square sides (or keep it round). Finally, lift the sushi mat and rotate the roll once to seal the top edge of nori. Gently squeeze and tighten the roll again through the mat. Your sushi roll is now done. Move the completed roll to a tray or platter and keep it covered with a damp cloth/plastic wrap at all times to prevent drying. Continue rolling the rest of the rolls.
17. 17Step 17: To cut a sushi roll, wet your knife with a damp towel and cut the roll in half first. You should “push, then pull” the knife while cutting through the sushi. Wet the knife again and cut each half roll into 3 pieces. Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and sushi ginger (gari). Enjoy!
18. 18Step 18: Sushi rolls are best consumed right away, but you can stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. I highly recommend keeping them in an airtight container or a plate wrapped tightly with plastic, and then wrapping the container/plate with a thick kitchen towel so the food stays safe in a cool environment but the rice doesn't get hard from the cold air in the refrigerator.