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January 15, 2022 · 30 Comments

How to Make Homemade California Rolls and Nigiri

Blog· Food and Drinks

Since I cook at home almost every single night, I’m always trying to find new dishes to add to my menu. I have a habit of making the same foods often and it gets old. Sushi is one of our favorite foods to go out and eat but it is always so much more expensive than eating out at any other cuisine so I decided I would make it at home.

How to make homemade california rolls and nigiri! #recipe

I’ve tried to make sushi once before and let me tell you, it didn’t end really well. I didn’t follow directions and somehow my roll was extremely large, like double the size it should have been. I’m always up for a good cooking challenge so tonight I made a California roll, Tuna Nigiri and Salmon Nigiri.

What many people don’t know about me is that I’m a quarter Japanese. My father was born and raised in Okinawa then came to America, he is half Japanese American.  Here is a blurry picture of both of us, please note both of us holding up the 1 finger.

dad and i

Growing up I ate a lot of Japanese food, not just sushi and rolls but the good stuff! We would go to the Asian market and restaurants where the menu was printed in Japanese. I never knew what to order so he would always order me something good. I knew that I couldn’t fail at making a simple California roll so I gave it another try tonight.

First thing to do is make sure you have all the ingredients needed and the tools to make the rolls. You will need a bamboo rolling mat (can be bought for under $3), sushi rice, avocado, cucumber, unseasoned nori, crabmeat, and toasted seseme seeds. I also added a pack of Kirin Ichiban beer, we don’t eat sushi without enjoying  a cold Japanese beer.

I knew I would be making sushi so about an hour before I was ready to start making it, I put my rice on to cook in a rice cooker. Since California Rolls are made “inside out” you will need to line your bamboo rolling mat with syran wrap. I didn’t do this step and ended up with a sticky mess.  You will need to grab a small bowl and fill it with water. This water will be your go-to bowl while handling the sticky rice. The water keeps the rice off of your hand!

Before I even got out the nori (seaweed), I went ahead and cut my vegetables into long slivers. You don’t want them to be too bulky or it won’t allow for your California roll to roll nicely.

How to Make Sushi - California Rolls

Now we are ready to make some sushi! First you will split your nori into two pieces. Fold the nori in half, if the nori is fresh it should split perfectly.

How to make sushi - California Rolls #recipe

Lightly wet your fingers with water and top your nori with a small amount of rice.

How to make sushi - california rolls. #recipes

Only put a small amount on to begin with, you don’t want too much rice but you want enough to cover all of your nori.

How to make sushi - California Roll #recipe

Now we are going to flip your nori over so the rice is exposed to the bamboo rolling mat. I was a bit nervous about this process but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought.

How to make sushi - california roll #recipe

Now add your avocado, cucumber and crab legs. Don’t bulk it up too much, we want it to lay nicely.

How to make sushi - California Rolls #recipe

After taking the picture above, I took a few pieces of avocado off and cut them into slivers rather than chunks. They fit much better.  The hardest part for me was rolling the sushi. I think partially because I had overstuffed it.

How to make sushi - California Rolls  #recipe

Once the roll was complete, I sprinkled on the toasted sesame seeds.  To cut the california roll, you will need a sharp knife and some water. Dampen your knife with the water before slicing so rice doesn’t stick. Cut your roll in half.

How to make sushi - california rolls

Yes, I do realize that isn’t exactly in the middle but it’s close! Now cut each piece in half again to get a total of 8 pieces and you’re done! (See finishing picture at bottom of post)

Since Quinn isn’t a huge fan of California Rolls, I decided to make him Salmon Nigiri and Tuna Nigiri. I went to the grocery store butcher and told himI was making fresh sushi and that I needed Salmon and Tuna. He gave me about 5 ounces of both which was perfect for what I needed. The great thing about buying it from the butcher, it was only about $3.50 per fish. We would usually spend triple that for our nigiri at a restaurant and our fish was much bigger than usual nigiri.

Nigiri is super simple and much easier to make than California Rolls. Slice your fish into pieces that are about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. After filleting the fish, get your hands damp and ball the sushi rice up into the palm of your hand. You want to form it into a slender oval shape. You can make them as large as you want, but remember that most people eat nigiri in one bite so you don’t want to make it difficult to eat.

You can see below, I made way more than we could eat in our house especially with a california roll waiting but it was cheap, so we indulged.

How to make sushi - california rolls and Nigiri #recipes #japanesefood

Once you have the balls of rice formed, you will need to add a dot of wasabi to the top of each. If you like spicy, add a little bit more wasabi to your nigiri to give it a kick.

How to make homemade Nigiri - #recipe #sushi

We’re almost done! I trimmed my fish so they would fit the rice a little better and gently placed them on top of the rice.

Homemade Nigiri - How to make sushi #recipes

Making sushi at home is simple and absolutely delicious. I love having a nice meal at home without having to pay the extravagant prices at the restaurant, we were able to get more bang for our buck.  Usually when we go out for Sushi we end up spending around $60 for the 2 of us (that includes a beer or two), but our whole meal only cost about $20.

Homemade Sushi and Nigiri - #recipe

We have a tradition that anytime we eat sushi, we always drink a glass of Kirin Ichiban. There multiple reasons for this, my fiance just loves the rich flavor and smooth finish, especially when we are eating sushi – it’s the perfect compliment. I love Kirin Ichiban for not only the taste but the story behind it.

Kirin IchibanIchiban translates to number one and in my family, we have a long running joke about who is “number 1” in our family. In other words, who is the best? Not many people get it, but it’s a family joke that has been around forever. Competition runs deep in my family, so my two siblings and I are always battling it out for who is number one.

The fact that Kirin Ichiban is a Japanese beer, tastes amazing and means #1, makes it one of my favorites. I love that Kirin Ichiban only uses the first strain of malt liquid, which means it’s truly beer at its purest. The Kirin Light beer offers just as much flavor and it only has 95 calories! You would never know by the taste of it.

Former fashion model turned culinary expert, Candice Kumai, has joined the Kirin team as a brand ambassador and I couldn’t think of a better fit. Her style and knowledge combined fits perfectly with the Kirin brand and what they stand for.  Did you know that it is Japanese custom to never fill your own glass and never let another’s glass go empty? So next time you make sushi or nigiri at home, make sure you to follow these customs and impress you friends and family!

Kanpai!

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Comments

  1. Robin (Masshole Mommy) says

    April 15, 2014 at 11:56 am

    That sounds SO good. I don’t eat Japanese food as often as I should – you know, because it’s so incredibly delicious 😉

    Reply
  2. Brett Martin (@brettbmartin) says

    April 15, 2014 at 12:21 pm

    wow you rocked it!! and i’ve never even thought about making sushi. you make it look doable.

    Reply
  3. Shell says

    April 15, 2014 at 1:51 pm

    Looks like a success! I’ve never tried to make sushi at home.

    Reply
  4. louidam1 says

    April 15, 2014 at 2:49 pm

    I love sushi! I’m originally from California so I always use to eat California rolls, yum! Thanks for the steps to create them!

    Reply
  5. Rosey says

    April 15, 2014 at 4:54 pm

    They sure came out pretty. For some reason the post reminded me of Iron Chef, isn’t that funny!! 🙂

    Reply
  6. casavilorainteriors says

    April 15, 2014 at 5:12 pm

    I used to be a big sushi lover. I haven’t had one in over 8months since my diet change. Those look yummy

    Reply
  7. karenssunnysoirees says

    April 15, 2014 at 5:17 pm

    I love this post! I love sushi but I’ve never attempted to make it before. I’d love to try though!

    Reply
  8. Katy Rawson says

    April 15, 2014 at 6:57 pm

    My brother loves California rolls. He is going to be shocked when I make these for him.

    Reply
  9. Pam says

    April 15, 2014 at 7:06 pm

    That is a great tutorial and the pictures are beautiful. I am not a real big fan of sushi but we do have a group of friends that are and I will have to make sure they see this post.

    Reply
  10. Jennifer Bullock {MommyBKnowsBest} says

    April 15, 2014 at 9:04 pm

    Love this post! Recently my husband tried sushi for the first time (I’m allergic to shellfish so can only have a few sushi dishes), and ever since my girls have been obsessed with learning how to make it. Will have to show them this post. Thanks for sharing your meal and your heritage.

    Reply
  11. Theresa says

    April 15, 2014 at 9:10 pm

    I don’t eat seafood, but this looks like something my husband and his sister would LOVE! They are always talking about getting something like this for lunch!

    Reply
  12. Beth@FrugalFroggie says

    April 15, 2014 at 10:08 pm

    I have no eaten sushi. I have been afraid to eat raw fish. But your step by step tips would be helpful for people to make it.

    Reply
  13. Christie says

    April 16, 2014 at 7:29 am

    Great post! Love that you have a little asian in you too!

    Reply
  14. keikilanij says

    April 16, 2014 at 7:48 am

    My hubby wants me to make sushi at home. I really need to find a good fish market and get cracking! You have inspired me to try again!

    Reply
  15. Mel Cole says

    April 16, 2014 at 10:56 am

    Your food is very presentable 🙂 I am not fond eating raw fish here because we are too far from the sea. I do like to eat it if it is really fresh caught.

    Reply
  16. Valerie Gray (@valmg) says

    April 16, 2014 at 11:01 am

    We don’t care for sushi but my son’s girlfriend loves it. It’d be nice to surprise her once with something like this.

    Reply
  17. Krystal says

    April 16, 2014 at 11:16 am

    It would be a fun date night to make your own sushi! This is a great idea. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  18. Dina Demarest (@dinade) says

    April 16, 2014 at 11:54 am

    I love sushi. Thanks for the tutorial on how to make them. I’d love to make them this weekend.

    Reply
  19. savoryexperiments says

    April 16, 2014 at 2:37 pm

    I love sushi, but am so fearful to make it at home!

    Reply
  20. Ashley M says

    April 16, 2014 at 4:30 pm

    They’re easier than they look. I cant do raw fish but I’ve put other things inside 🙂

    Reply
  21. Liz Mays says

    April 16, 2014 at 10:28 pm

    I don’t like sushi, but I still think it would be so much fun to make these. I’d do it for the boyfriend!

    Reply
  22. Katherine G says

    April 17, 2014 at 2:19 pm

    This looks so delicious! I’ve always wanted to try sushi but have yet to do it. Making it at home makes it more appealing to try. I may want to see what it actually tastes and looks like before I attempt it though.

    Reply
  23. Christina Shirley says

    April 17, 2014 at 10:01 pm

    I’m not a sushi person at all, but my husband loves it. This doesn’t look too hard to make for him!

    Reply
  24. Lauren (Lolo) says

    April 18, 2014 at 12:07 am

    I would love to make my own sushi. Thanks for the tutorial!

    Reply
  25. Amy Desrosiers says

    April 18, 2014 at 8:03 am

    This is such a beautiful meal! I have never tried sushi before but want to at least try a California roll.

    Reply
  26. Jennifer Johnson says

    April 28, 2014 at 9:39 am

    So excited. I just learned to make sushi the other day. I can’t wait to make mroe.

    Reply
  27. Starla Jimenez says

    April 28, 2014 at 8:54 pm

    I love California rolls! I have to try to make this! Thank you.

    Reply
  28. foodandcrafts says

    April 30, 2014 at 8:49 am

    This is on my cooking bucket list – you make it seem so easy. Stopping by from whats cooking wednesdays.

    Reply
  29. lauren conner says

    February 3, 2015 at 11:45 am

    I love making sushi at home. What kind of crab did you use and what grocery store did you get the fresh fish from? Last time I tried to get fish to make sushi they told me they didnt have any sushi grade fish.

    Reply
  30. lauren conner says

    February 3, 2015 at 11:47 am

    What type of crab did you use and what grocery store did you get the fresh fish from? Last time I tried to make sushi the store told me they didnt have any sushi grade fish.

    Reply

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