Hosomaki Recipe: How to Make Thin Japanese Sushi Rolls
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Apr 12, 2022 • 2 min read
Hosomaki are thin sushi rolls, typically featuring just one or two fillings, that are small enough to be served as an appetizer or in a bento lunch box.
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What Is Hosomaki?
Hosomaki translates to "thin roll" in Japanese. It's a type of makizushi (sushi roll) that is made using a half-sheet of nori (dried seaweed) and rolled on a half-size bamboo mat, so it's more slender than a typical maki and easy to eat with chopsticks. In Japan, sushi chefs sometimes press hosomaki sushi into triangles or teardrops and then use multiple hosomaki to make designs, such as flowers.
8 Types of Hosomaki Rolls
Hosomaki are made with rice and just one or two ingredients, in contrast to futomaki (thick roll), which can have many different fillings. The most popular kinds of hosomaki rolls are:
- 1. Natto-maki: This roll is filled with natto (fermented soybean) and scallions.
- 2. Sake-maki: This is a salmon and cucumber roll filled with raw sashimi-grade salmon and julienned cucumber.
- 3. Tamago-maki: Tamago-maki is an egg roll filled with tamagoyaki (Japanese omelette).
- 4. Tekka-maki: This tuna roll is filled with raw sashimi-grade tuna.
- 5. Kappa-maki: Kappa-maki is filled with julienned cucumber.
- 6. Shinko-maki: This is a radish roll filled with julienned takuan-zuke (pickled daikon radish).
- 7. Kombu-maki: Kombu-maki is filled with shredded kombu tsukudani, or kelp simmered in soy sauce and mirin.
- 8. Kanpyo-maki: This sushi roll is filled with kanpyo (simmered gourd).
Simple Japanese Hosomaki Recipe
makes
24 piecesprep time
30 mintotal time
50 mincook time
20 minIngredients
For the sushi rice:
To assemble:
- 1
Make the sushi rice. Rinse the rice and combine with 1 cup water and kelp in a rice cooker. Cook on the white rice setting.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.
- 3
When the rice is cooked, remove the kombu and add the sushi vinegar mixture. Toss to coat and set aside to cool.
- 4
Cut the fish into ¼-inch thick strips using a sharp knife.
- 5
Place half a nori sheet on a sushi rolling mat with the long edge facing you, shiny side down.
- 6
Scoop ½ cup of rice onto the nori and using wet hands spread the rice onto the nori sheet to cover, leaving about 1 inch of nori at the top of the rice.
- 7
Place the fish in the center of the rice and use the sushi mat to roll the nori and rice around the fish. Slice into six rounds.
- 8
Repeat with remaining ingredients.
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