Kappa Maki (Cucumber Sushi Roll)

Method14 steps · about 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Make tezu by mixing all 1 tablespoon rice vinegar with 1 cup cold water. Have the separately cooked, seasoned sushi rice (1) ready; one source batch is about 700 g. Wash and dry the two Japanese cucumbers, trim them to the nori width, halve lengthwise and cut each half into three uniform sticks about 8 mm wide. Trim the translucent cores, leaving 12 prepared sticks; nine will be used. Set aside the 1 tablespoon sesame seed allowance for all the rolls.

   Uses 1 tablespoon rice vinegar · 1 cup cold water for vinegar hand-wetting mixture · 1 batch already cooked and seasoned sushi rice (about 700 g) · 2 Japanese cucumbers, trimmed into 12 uniform sticks; use 9 · 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, divided among the rolls

2. 2

   Step 2: Cut the five full nori sheets in half across their wider dimension to make ten half sheets. For the FIRST roll, place ONE half sheet at the bottom edge of the sushi mat, shiny smooth side down. Reserve the others; nine half sheets are used for this batch.

   Uses 5 full sheets nori, cut into 10 half sheets; use 9 halves

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Wet your hands with a little tezu and shake off excess. Take approximately 80 g from the ready seasoned rice and shape it into a cylinder a little wider than your hand. Keep the remaining rice for the other rolls; the 80 g amount is a guide, so distribute the actual batch across about nine rolls.

   Uses Tezu for wetting hands · About 80 g ready sushi rice for first roll

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Keeping your hands lightly wet with tezu, spread the first rice cylinder across the first nori half sheet from side to side, leaving a 1 cm gap at its top edge.

   Uses First rice cylinder (about 80 g) · First nori half sheet on mat · Tezu for wetting hands

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Use one hand as a border at the side of the sheet. With your other fingertips, spread the rice down towards the bottom edge, leaving a 0.5 cm bottom gap and a small rice ridge just below the top margin.

   Uses First nori half sheet with rice spread across it

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Sprinkle a little of the sesame seed allowance over the first rice-covered sheet and place ONE prepared cucumber stick through its center. Keep the remaining seeds for the other eight rolls. For an optional variation, add a thin smear of umeboshi with a few shiso leaf pieces, OR a small sprinkle of shio konbu. Avoid overfilling.

   Uses First rice-covered nori with top and bottom margins · Some sesame seeds for first roll · 1 prepared cucumber stick · Mashed umeboshi plum paste, optional thin smear in some rolls · Green shiso leaves, optional with umeboshi in some rolls · Prepared shio konbu strips, optional in some rolls

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Hold the filling in place with your fingers and put your thumbs under the mat. Lift the bottom of the mat up and over the filling so the bottom nori margin meets the rice ridge near the top.

   Uses First nori, rice, cucumber and selected seasoning assembly

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Turn the first roll a quarter turn so its nori seam is underneath.

   Uses First closed cucumber roll in mat

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Press the sides of the first roll gently between your fingers and thumbs through the mat to flatten them.

   Uses First roll seam-side down

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Support the sides through the mat and press the top down gently with your index fingers, shaping a roughly square cross-section.

    Uses First roll with flattened sides

    
11. 11

    Step 11: For a roll 19 cm long, score it at 3.2 cm, 6.4 cm and 9.5 cm from one end using a ruler and sharp knife. For a different nori width, use the same half-and-thirds cutting pattern for six equal pieces.

    Uses First shaped cucumber roll

    
12. 12

    Step 12: Remove the ruler, dampen the knife with a wet towel and cut the first roll in half with short back-and-forth strokes. Align its two halves side by side.

    Uses First scored cucumber roll

    
13. 13

    Step 13: Cut the aligned halves at the two remaining marks so the first roll becomes six pieces.

    Uses Both aligned halves of first roll

    
14. 14

    Step 14: For each of the remaining EIGHT rolls, place one already-cut reserved nori half sheet on the mat and repeat the rice shaping, assembly and cutting technique in steps 3–13. Use eight more prepared cucumber sticks and all the remaining rice and sesame seeds across these eight rolls. Treat about 80 g rice per roll as a guide and adjust the final allocations to the actual batch without overstuffing. Save the extra half sheet and three unused cucumber sticks. Stand all the cut pieces filling-side up and plate. Serve with optional soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.

    Uses Six cut pieces from first cucumber roll · 8 reserved nori half sheets for remaining rolls · 8 prepared cucumber sticks for remaining rolls · Reserved remaining seasoned sushi rice · Reserved remaining sesame seeds · Tezu for wetting hands during remaining rolls · Mashed umeboshi plum paste, optional thin smear in some rolls · Green shiso leaves, optional with umeboshi in some rolls