I’d like to consider myself an avid sushi lover. I’ve tried uni, nigiri, and gunkan maki, and won’t be able to deny a spicy tuna and California roll when offered. But up until a few weeks ago, there’s something I hadn’t tried yet: making my own sushi. When I finally tried this cucumber avocado sushi roll recipe, I couldn’t believe that I had spent so much time caving in to the nearby Japanese restaurant whenever I was craving sushi. This easy sushi recipe was practically life changing for me.
There are actually a few pros to making your own sushi: it’s easy, fun, and cost-friendly. If that hasn’t convinced you yet, it also happens that making your own sushi allows you to choose any and all ingredients you want in your roll, which is something not every Japanese restaurant offers.
To start you will need a sushi bamboo mat, seaweed sheets (nori), and any other ingredients of your choice. This recipe calls for any ingredients of your choice, so I kept it simple and used avocado and cucumber. (Note: if you don’t have a bamboo mat on hand, you can use a towel and saran wrap.) Once you’ve gathered all your materials, it’s time to begin.
Cucumber Avocado Sushi Roll
Ingredients
Instructions
Wash the rice in a strainer until the water runs almost clear.
Combine the rice and water in a pot. Cook on high heat and occasionally stir until the water begins to boil. Then, lower the heat and cover with a lid. After 6-8 minutes, check back. The rice is ready when there is no water left and the grains have visibly expanded.
While the rice is still warm, mix in the rice vinegar, salt, and sugar.
Distribute the rice evenly on the sushi, making sure to leave approximately 1.5 inches of space on the side closest to you and approximately 1 inch on the opposite side. Cut up your ingredients in small pieces and place them in the middle of the seaweed.
Time to begin rolling! Start with your hands straight on the mat and roll outwards, squeezing as you go along (or ask your brother nicely to do it for you).
Once you have successfully rolled your ingredients into the seaweed, pick up the mat and squeeze the roll to make it as round as possible. If you are using a mat, it’s important that you wash it out soon after this step, or else the ingredients will get stuck to the inside.
Use a sharp knife to carefully slice the roll into individual bite-sized pieces.
Now, dig in.
Delivery services are great because you don’t actually have to do anything to get food at your doorstep within the hour. But when the urge to order in kicks in time to time, I will now be conscious of the fact that there is this amazing recipe that is hands-on, easy, and budget-friendly.