Ki Modern Japanese's smoked salmon roll

A good recipe for a sushi party at home

Celebrate International Sushi Day with this roll using smoked salmon and pickled vegetables. This is a great roll for beginners. 

To make pickled garlic scape, add them to pickled ginger juice for two days. For pickled spinach, add raw spinach to sushi vinegar and shichimi for two days.

Basic Tips to Remember:

  • Water is your friend during sushi making - Not only does wetting your hands keep the rice from sticking to your fingers, but it can also help to mold your rice ball tremendously
  • Keep the shiny side of the seaweed away from you
  • Use a sushi-rolling mat to create the professional look. You’ll also have the option of making your sushi square shaped or round
  • Buy sushi grade fish/ seafood if you intend to eat anything raw
  • Don’t overwork the rice, either when seasoning or when creating, your sushi rice need air to make good sushi
  • Use a sharp knife and use a clean motion with very little pressure, also keep your knife blade barely wet when cutting- dull blade can crush your maki
  • Do not overstuff - try to pay attention to how much of each ingredients you put on and don’t overdo it.  You want a relatively thin layer of rice on nori sheet(seaweed), about 1/4 of an inch thick or less and well aerated

Smoked salmon sushi roll

2 cup cooked sushi rice
1/4 cup sushi vinegar, store bought, or make using instructions below
rice paper, follow instructions on package in preparing the sheets
pickled garlic scape
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
pickled spinach
2 tbsp yuzu zest
smoked salmon
2 tbsp toasted coconut

Tools needed:

  • Small Bamboo mat (you can purchase this at most Asian food markets)
  • Bamboo or wooden paddle / spoon
  • Large pyrex dish or large bamboo barrel

Rice:

  • Most high end grocery stores carry high grade sushi rice. If not, using short grain rice will work.
  • Stay away from Basmati, Jasmine and long grain rice.
  • Each rice cooks differently, so cook to recommended instructions on the bag.
  • Once the rice is cooked, cool it down in a large Pyrex dish (or preferably a large bamboo sushi barrel).
  • Using a wooden paddle, fold and cut in sushi rice vinegar (this type of vinegar has added sugars, salts, and kombu) until the rice is cooled to room temperature and is glistening.
  • Using a fan to help cool the rice will help create the desired glistening look.

Prep:

  • Cover your bamboo mat with saran wrap. This will prevent the rice from sticking. 
  • Have a bowl of water nearby for your hands. Wet hands will prevent the rice from sticking. 

To make sushi vinegar:

In a bowl, mix 1 cup rice vinegar, ¾ cup white sugar, ¾ cup salt (you can add kombu if you are making sushi vinegar in advance and you can let it mature for 1 week).

To make the roll:

With rice paper placed vertically in front of you, spread rice over half of the sheet of rice paper. Add all ingredients over the rice, horizontally, except the smoked salmon and toasted coconut. 

Roll using the bamboo mat and form a cigar-shaped roll.

Drape the smoked salmon on top, ensuring it is overlapping.

Dip a large non-serrated knife in water (to prevent rice from sticking to the knife), and slice the roll into 6 pieces.

Top with toasted coconut. 

Have fun making variations of this roll by adding your favourite ingredients.

Yield:
4 rolls