Fact: as a college student, you're looking for ways to save some cash. Thus, going out for sushi every night might not make it into your budget. We're here to show you how to roll sushi so you can roll in all those savings.
Sushi Mats
While it may sound intimidating, there's not much you need to figure out how to roll sushi. Makisu, or sushi mats, are traditionally made of bamboo and are super cheap at your local Asian Market or online. They're also hella aesthetic.
Nori
The green stuff sushi chefs use to wrap rice and other ingredients is called nori. Full of nutrients, nori dates back to Japan, where 340,000 tons of seaweed are produced per year even today. You can buy it in bulk at most Asian food stores.
Now that you have a little background, it's time to learn how to roll sushi.
Getting Started
Lay out your mat and place your nori on top, shimmery-shiny side down. I've included a guide so you don't get all confused and sad.
Lay out your rice onto the nori, leaving a little bit of space around the edges—generally, the length of your fingertip. Fun fact: I used cauliflower rice to keep things super healthy.
Tuck your ingredients into the rice bed, somewhere in the middle. I used canned salmon and spinach, but don't be afraid to do you and follow your culinary dreams.
Get Rollin'
You want to have your thumbs at the bottom of the mat, with the rest of your fingers pressing the ingredients together to keep them all snug and safe.
Keeping everything secure, place your trust in the balancing powers of the universe and begin to roll, tucking the edges of the nori beneath the fillings.
Just keep goin', molding the sushi as you go. Continuously tuck and tighten, building your perfect little sushi roll baby. Think of it as swaddling—just, ya know, the food version.
And Tada!
When you get to the end, wet the edge of the nori so it all seals together like an edible envelope. And there you have it! Your very own sushi roll.
#SpoonTip: cutting the roll can be tricky—the nori has a tendency to rip—so make sure your knife is extra-sharp when you get to this step.
Now that you know how to roll sushi, you can customize it and try a bunch of combinations. And don't worry if it doesn't turn out right the first time—practice, practice, practice!