| Maki is a famous and favorite Japanese dish. It | | | | knife, and bamboo mat. A rice cooker is optional. |
| can be any kind of sushi rolled with rice and nori | | | | It just makes it easier to cook rice. There is a |
| (also known as seaweed) inside. "Maki" in Japanese | | | | special sushi knife with only one sharpened edge. |
| means "roll." | | | | It is advisable to use this when you can buy one, |
| There are many kinds of maki, depending on the | | | | instead of using an ordinary kitchen knife. |
| filling used. For example, there is California maki. | | | | Maki Sushi Recipe |
| This is salmon and mango rolled in rice and | | | | Ingredients: |
| seaweed. Kappa maki is cucumber rolled in rice. | | | | Sashimi-grade fish or sushi |
| And tekka maki is tuna fish rolled in rice. | | | | Nori (thin sheet of seaweed) |
| Uramaki is more complex. Only an expert chef | | | | Wasabi |
| can do it to perfection. The easier ones to make | | | | Vegetables or other fillings (e.g. asparagus, |
| are temaki. Temaki is often served in social | | | | avocado, cucumber) |
| gatherings at home. | | | | Short-grained rice with sticky consistency |
| There are several maki sushi according to | | | | Vinegar rice |
| thickness of the roll. Hosomaki is the most | | | | Gari (thinly sliced ginger roots) |
| common and is made of thin rolls. By thin, it | | | | Soy sauce |
| means the rolls are slender, with small strips of | | | | First make the sushi rice. Prepare the vinegar rice. |
| every ingredient inside. Hosamaki is cut to small | | | | Combine it with heated salt and sugar. Cook rice, |
| sizes before serving. | | | | making sure it will have a sticky consistency. It is |
| Thicker rolls are called futomaki. These are thick | | | | the suitable type of rice for spreading on the nori. |
| because of the many ingredients inside. Thick roll | | | | Lay out the bamboo mat and place a plastic wrap |
| can measure 1 to 1 ½ inches in diameter. | | | | on top. Lay out the nori, with the shinier side |
| Most futomaki are made of vegetables like radish | | | | facing down. Slightly wet your hands and take a |
| and cucumber. Some have eggs also. Like | | | | handful of rice. Spread it evenly and thinly on the |
| hosamaki, futomaki is also commonly cut to small | | | | nori. Leave a margin of half inch on all sides of the |
| pieces before serving. However, in big festivals, it | | | | nori. Put the other ingredients in the middle. |
| is served in whole uncut rolls. | | | | Next, hold the two ends of the bamboo mat and |
| Next, there is also the uramaki, wherein the rice is | | | | roll it away from you. Make sure that the food |
| outside the roll. And temaki is a cone-shaped sushi | | | | tightens as you roll. Don't roll too tightly though or |
| rice roll. | | | | the fillings will fall out. |
| When making maki, remember to freeze raw fish | | | | Unfold the bamboo carefully, making sure the |
| or seafood first below 4oF to kill any possible | | | | rolled food does not break. Place the rolled sushi in |
| pathogens or parasites that may be harmful | | | | a cutting board and slice it evenly to several |
| when consumed. | | | | pieces. Serve it with soy sauce dip on the side. |
| In making a maki sushi, one should have a sharp | | | | |