Sounds like fun. When you first put the mat over the filling, push down and back so you make it nice and tight. Hard to describe.. hmm.. kind of almost like you're tucking the other side in as you pull back. Cutting? Nice sharp knife, thin blade if you have it, even a ham slicer or something like that. Wet knife if doing a rice on outside one.

Yum, I love sushi. Put a piece of plastic wrap on the bamboo rolling mat (MUCH easier to clean up). Put a sheet of nori (you can toast the nori over a gas flame for a few seconds if you want) on the plastic wrap, add a thin layer of sushi rice to three edges of the nori (not the short edge that is going to finish the roll), then add a row of your fillings close to the short edge of the nori (where you are going to start rolling).

Have a small bowl of warm water handy and add a dash or two of rice wine vinegar to the water. Wet your fingers in the water/vinegar mix, then dampen the nori with your fingers as you start to roll. Make one full turn, then start the plastic wrap going, then start the bamboo mat. Does that make sense? Obviously, you don't want the plastic wrap inside the sushi roll, LOL.

Roll as tightly as you can without squishing everything out the ends, and dampen the last edge of the nori by using some water/vinegar on your fingers. It'll stick better.

Unroll the bamboo and the plastic. I use a ceramic bread knife to cut the sushi roll - definitely wet the blade. I cut the roll in half, then swing one half around so the two rolls are parallel, then cut the rest of the slices.

It'll take some practice, but it tastes great no matter how it looks! Don't forget the pickled ginger and the wasabi and the soy sauce. Have fun!

Yum! I don't really have any tips because I have only made sushi at home a few times. Fortunately, each time they turned out just perfect. I first started with regular long grain rice then I tried out brown rice for a healthier alternative. I remember reading an article about soaking the brown rice over night before cooking will make the rice stickier for rolling. I did just that and I didn't have any problems at all. Have fun!

So far they are looking good.

Do you use a half sheet or a full sheet of seaweed?

Rolled sushi is not difficult. I got it right the first time, working from directions in a book, years before I ever had any prepared by a restaurant. Sushi had not yet caught on back then. You won't have any trouble.

Two which remain my favorites are simple cucumber rolls and rolls with yellow pickled radish (available from Asian markets). They are a refreshing complement to the more complex ones.

Report back when you have done it. We want to share your enjoyment.

BTW, YouTube is a great resource for learning unfamiliar cooking techniques.

Jim

Use the whole sheet (the ones I have are about 7" x 8").

I only use full sheets, and sometimes I cheat by buying the rice already cooked at the Japanese market - it saves quite a bit of time. I do keep shari rice and nori on hand at all times, however. Here's {{gwi:1464974}}, which I served with sashimi, pickled garlic, and seaweed salad. I generally buy the Japanese pickles and seaweed salad at the market, since the ones I've made are not as good as what I can buy. I have several books with recipes for Japanese pickles, but mine don't come out right - and I also have a Japanese pickle press. The fresh cucumber pickles I make are good, but it's just easier to buy them.

I need to go to the Japanese market now!

Lars

I will admit that I do prefer the nori on the inside but it all tastes the same. It's nice to do it both ways for contrast on the plate.

Lookit, lookit!!

I think they came out so great and they were WOLFED down in no time flat

You did a great job. And you made the inside out kind!

Thanks for showing us.

Jim

WOW do they look great! Good enough to make me think I might even like them! LOL Sushi is one of those dishes that I really want to like ...but I don't.

However yours are some of the prettiest I've seen...you did good!

Wow they turned out great! Way to go! Makes me want to make sushi again.