What is a hand roll called

It is known as temaki, a cone of nori filled with rice and fillings and rolled by hand without a mat.

Do I need a bamboo mat for a hand roll

No. A temaki is shaped by hand into a cone, which makes it the easiest sushi to make with no special tools.

Why should I eat it right away

The nori is crisp when fresh and softens as it sits against the rice. A hand roll is best eaten within a few minutes.

What fillings work in a hand roll

Salmon, tuna, avocado, cucumber, and crab all work. Set out a few and let everyone build their own cone.

Hand Roll

Name: Hand Roll
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 hand rolls
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 cups sushi rice, cooked and seasoned; 4 nori sheets, cut in half; 6 ounces sushi-grade salmon or tuna, cut into strips; 1 avocado, sliced thin; 1/2 cucumber, cut into thin strips; 1 teaspoon wasabi paste; Soy sauce, for serving; Pickled ginger, for serving

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Sushi

Hand Roll

A hand roll, or temaki, is a cone of nori filled with rice and your choice of fish and vegetables, rolled by hand with no mat. It is the fastest sushi to make and best eaten right away while the nori is crisp. This recipe makes 4 hand rolls in around 20 minutes once the rice is ready.

Prep20 min

Cook0 min

Total20 min

Serves2

Makes4 hand rolls

LevelEasy

Ingredients

2 cups sushi rice, cooked and seasoned
4 nori sheets, cut in half
6 ounces sushi-grade salmon or tuna, cut into strips
1 avocado, sliced thin
1/2 cucumber, cut into thin strips
1 teaspoon wasabi paste
Soy sauce, for serving
Pickled ginger, for serving

Directions

Hold a half sheet of nori shiny side down in one hand. With damp fingers, spread a small scoop of rice over the left third.
Smear a little wasabi on the rice, then lay a strip of fish, avocado, and cucumber diagonally across it.
Fold the bottom left corner of the nori up and over the filling to start the cone.
Continue rolling the nori around into a cone shape, keeping the filling snug.
Dab a grain of rice on the loose corner to seal the cone closed.
Repeat to make 4 hand rolls and serve right away with soy sauce and pickled ginger.

Tips and variations

Eat hand rolls right after making them so the nori stays crisp.
Use a small amount of rice. A hand roll is mostly filling wrapped in nori.
Keep the filling loose and diagonal so the cone shape comes together easily.
Set out bowls of fillings and let everyone roll their own at the table.

Roll it at home with the Sushi Kit

A hand roll needs no mat, just good rice and a sharp knife. The Albino Monkey 14-in-1 Sushi Making Kit brings the rice paddle, sashimi knife, and bazooka to prep the fillings fast and shape the rice with ease.

Get the Sushi Kit

Common questions

What is a hand roll called: It is known as temaki, a cone of nori filled with rice and fillings and rolled by hand without a mat.
Do I need a bamboo mat for a hand roll: No. A temaki is shaped by hand into a cone, which makes it the easiest sushi to make with no special tools.
Why should I eat it right away: The nori is crisp when fresh and softens as it sits against the rice. A hand roll is best eaten within a few minutes.
What fillings work in a hand roll: Salmon, tuna, avocado, cucumber, and crab all work. Set out a few and let everyone build their own cone.