Temaki (Hand-Rolled Salmon and Avocado Sushi)

Cone-shaped hand rolls of nori filled with sushi rice, salmon, avocado and cucumber, assembled at the table.

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

Ingredients

  • 300g sushi rice
  • 360ml cold water
  • For the sushi vinegar: 3 tbsp rice vinegar
  • For the sushi vinegar: 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • For the sushi vinegar: 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 4 sheets nori, halved
  • 200g skinless sushi-grade salmon fillet, fish suitable for eating raw, cut into thin strips
  • 2 avocados, stoned, peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 cucumber, deseeded and cut into thin batons
  • 2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise (such as Kewpie)
  • 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 360ml 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. Fish labelled as suitable for eating raw is available from fishmongers and larger supermarkets; ask at the counter. Arrange the salmon, avocado, cucumber, mayonnaise and wasabi on a platter, with the nori halves, the bowl of rice and the soy sauce.

  6. To make each cone, lay a half sheet of nori in your palm, shiny-side down. Wet your other hand and spread a thin layer of rice, about 40g, over the left-hand third of the nori.

  7. Dab a little wasabi and mayonnaise on the rice and lay a few strips of salmon, avocado and cucumber diagonally across it.

  8. Fold the bottom left corner over the filling and roll into a cone, sealing the end with a dab of water. Eat immediately, dipping in soy sauce and serving with pickled ginger.