Sushi - The Lavender Tub Way, The Roll

If you're a sushi lover, I suspect you are going to love this post, because wouldn't it be great to have sushi at home?  If you're not, you're probably wondering why I'm even bothering with this at all. 

Well, my family loooooves sushi.  The problem is we are blessed with two, strapping, teen boys who can't seem to get filled up, and it costs us a fortune to go out for sushi.  We hate to live without it, so I became determined to figure out how to make it!

Lavender Tub Tip:  I've taught all of my children how to make their own sushi rolls.  On sushi night, we prepare the ingredients and then have a sushi making party.  It is really great fun, and you should see how impressive my kids' sushi is.  Won't they be the life of a party some day?

While I did some research, the internet didn't answer all of my questions, therefore the method I'm describing is pretty much my own trial and error.  What I'm demonstrating probably doesn't follow any of the appropriate ways of making sushi, but it is what works for me, and I hope it will for you, too.  I can tell you that the end result tastes about 99% like one of our favorite sushi rolls in our favorite local restaurant, which makes us sooo happy!

All crab sticks are not alike.  I prefer crab sticks that can be pulled
apart in strings, like the brand shown above.  Some crab sticks are
all one pressed tube, and I don't like the taste as well. 
If you have a favorite brand, I hope you will share.

To keep this post from getting too long, I'm going to show you how to make the rice and eel sauce in tomorrow's post.  For now, we are going to assume that you have already prepared those a few hours in advance.

To learn how to make eel sauce, go here:
 For instructions on sushi rice, go here:

For this roll, we will be filling with avocado, cucumber, crab sticks, and cream cheese.  Prepare each of these ingredients by cutting into thin narrow strips (see the pic at the top of the post).  By the way, every ingredient needed to make this roll can be purchased simply at Wal-Mart.

To make the roll, place a piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface such as a cutting board.  Lay a sheet of sushi wrapper on the plastic, and spoon sushi rice onto the wrapper.  The rice will be very sticky, but you can still press it somewhat into place with the back of a spoon.  Completely cover the sushi wrapper with rice about 1/3 "  thick.

Place a second sheet of plastic over the rice and press the rice through the plastic with your hand.  You are not trying to smash the rice, just trying to get it to stay together.  Next, flip the sheet over and remove the piece of plastic that is covering the green sushi wrapper.

Line up the sushi fillings along the side of the sushi wrapper closest to you.

Now, grasp the plastic on the closest edge and begin rolling the fillings into the rice covered sushi wrapper.  You will roll the plastic right into the roll.  Press and shape as you roll.

With the roll only about 1/3 complete, stop rolling and gently pull the plastic that has been rolled into the roll, out.  You may need to roll and untuck the plastic a couple of times until you have a roll completely formed.  Again, squeeze and shape the roll until it feels like it is holding together.

Remove the plastic and place the sushi roll, seam down, on a cutting board.  For me, the next part is the hardest to master.  Using a serrated knife that has been slightly dampened, carefully cut the roll using gentle sawing motions.  I find it is best to clean my blade and dampen it between each cut.  It may take some practice to get this down, so just be prepared.

To finish the sushi, I like to garnish the top of each slice with some additional crab meat and a drizzle of eel sauce.

So, what do you think?  No special equipment to buy, no cooking classes - just tools you already have in your kitchen and a little practice.  Do you think you will give it a try? 

I'm surprised how many of my friends think sushi is just raw fish, and are turned off by that.  Sushi comes in raw fish versions, but it is often made with cooked fish/shrimp, and there are vegetarian rolls, as well.  Unless you absolutely hate fish - the wrappers have a bit of a fishy taste - you should give sushi a try.  It really is very, very delicious.

And to my sushi-loving friends, I hope this is exciting for you because you can now have fun making sushi at home, and save enough $ to send your kids to college!  Please write and let me know if you had success with this method, and what flavor of sushi rolls you put together.

Thanks for stopping by the tub,

Ellie