Food

Temaki Recipe: How to Make Japanese Hand Roll Sushi

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Jul 11, 2022 • 1 min read

Turn your home into your own personal sushi restaurant with this easy recipe for hand-rolled sushi.

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What Is Temaki?

Temaki, which means "hand rolled," is a type of sushi consisting of rice and sashimi (raw fish), vegetables, or other fillings enclosed in a nori (seaweed) cone.

Temaki is a type of maki (short for maki zushi) and comes from maku, the Japanese verb "to roll up." Unlike other types of maki, which are formed with a bamboo mat, temaki is rolled by hand into a cone-shape and meant to be eaten with the hands—no chopsticks required. Temaki sushi is customizable and easier to shape than nigiri or sushi rolls, making it the perfect option for a DIY dinner party.

Temaki Hand Roll Sushi Recipe

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makes

prep time

30 min

total time

30 min

Ingredients

  1. 1

    Rinse rice under cold running water and combine with 2¼ cups of water in a rice cooker or small saucepan.

  2. 2

    If using a rice cooker, run on the white rice setting. If steaming on the stovetop, bring rice to a boil, then cover and simmer until the water has absorbed, about 12–15 minutes

  3. 3

    Remove from the heat and let the covered rice steam for 10 minutes.

  4. 4

    Fluff the rice and divide it among 6 small bowls. Let cool before serving.

  5. 5

    Cut each nori sheet into 4 squares, and give each person 10 squares.

  6. 6

    If using sushi-grade raw fish, slice the fish on the bias into ¼-inch-thick pieces.

  7. 7

    Arrange vegetables and fish on a serving platter.

  8. 8

    To make the temaki, place a nori square in the palm of your non-dominant hand with the corner side facing you.

  9. 9

    Spread a small amount of rice in the center of the nori.

  10. 10

    Top with a little wasabi, sesame seeds, or a shiso leaf, if desired.

  11. 11

    Place a small amount of toppings in a straight line down the center.

  12. 12

    Tightly fold the outside corners of the nori in to form an ice cream cone-shape. The fillings should be visible on top, but the cone should be closed on the bottom.

  13. 13

    Dip in soy sauce, if desired.

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