Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Maki

Thin sushi rolls of smoked salmon and crisp cucumber, rolled in nori.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 1h 5m
Cook: 25 min
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Medium

Ingredients

  • 200g sushi rice
  • 240ml cold water
  • For the sushi vinegar: 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • For the sushi vinegar: 2 tsp caster sugar
  • For the sushi vinegar: 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 3 sheets nori, halved
  • 120g smoked salmon, cut into thin strips
  • 1/2 cucumber, deseeded and cut into thin batons
  • 2 tsp wasabi paste
  • A small bowl of water mixed with 1 tbsp rice vinegar, for wetting your hands
  • Light soy sauce, for dipping
  • Pickled sushi ginger, to serve

Method

  1. Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold running water, rubbing the grains gently, for about 2 minutes until the water runs almost clear. Drain, then put the rice in a lidded saucepan with the 240ml cold water and soak for 30 minutes.

  2. Bring to the boil over a high heat, cover tightly, reduce to the lowest heat and cook for 12 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from the heat and leave, covered, for 10 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, stir the sushi vinegar ingredients together in a small bowl until the sugar and salt have dissolved, warming for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave if needed.

  4. Tip the rice into a wide, non-metallic bowl, pour over the vinegar mixture and fold gently with a spatula using cutting strokes, fanning the rice as you go, for about 5 minutes until glossy and cooled to room temperature. Cover with a damp tea towel until needed.

  5. You will need a bamboo sushi rolling mat, available from supermarkets and online. Lay a half sheet of nori on the mat, shiny-side down, with the long edge facing you. Wet your hands and spread about 70g of rice over the nori, leaving a 1cm strip clear along the top edge.

  6. Dab a thin line of wasabi along the middle of the rice. Lay a strip of smoked salmon and a few cucumber batons along the line.

  7. Roll away from you, tucking in the filling, pressing gently, then seal the clear edge with a dab of water. Repeat to make 6 rolls.

  8. Wet a sharp knife and cut each roll into 6 pieces, wiping the blade between cuts. Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger and extra wasabi.