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Futomaki (Maki Sushi / Ehomaki)
4.7 from 50 votes

Futomaki (Maki Sushi / Ehomaki)

Futomaki are thick Japanese sushi rolls filled with seasoned shiitake mushrooms, kanpyo, tamagoyaki (rolled omelette), mitsuba, freshwater eel, cucumber, and sakura denbu (seasoned cod flakes), wrapped in nori with sushi rice. The sushi rice is prepared using short-grain rice cooked with kombu and seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. The fillings include pre-seasoned and prepared components, combining textures and umami flavors in this traditional rolled sushi commonly served at special occasions.

Prep Time
2 hrs
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 4 sushi
Calories: 674 kcal
Course: Side Dish, Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

For the Sushi Rice
  • 2¼ cups Japanese short-grain white rice 3 rice cooker cups, 540 ml; do not use brown rice; see Notes, uncooked
  • 2¼ cups water (540 ml)
  • 1 piece kombu 5 g; 2 x 2 inches or 5 x 5 cm per piece; optional, for a nice aroma!, dried kelp
  • ⅓ cup rice vinegar you can substitute pre-seasoned bottled sushi vinegar, unseasoned
  • 3 Tbsp sugar (skip if using bottled sushi vinegar)
  • 1½ tsp kosher salt skip if using bottled sushi vinegar, Diamond Crystal brand
For the Filling
  • Kanpyo see the instructions; you can make it up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate, seasoned
  • shiitake see the instructions; you can make it up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate, seasoned
  • 1 tamagoyaki make either Tamagoyaki or sweeter Atsuyaki Tamago; you can make it ahead and refrigerate, Japanese rolled omelette
  • 1 handful of mitsuba or spinach, Japanese parsley
  • 1 freshwater eel broiled, unagi, fillet
  • 1 cucumber Japanese or Persian varieties
  • 1 package sakura denbu 1.4 oz, 40 g, seasoned cod fish flakes
For the Seasoned Shiitake and Kanpyo
  • 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 cup water (for soaking)
  • 0.4 oz Kanpyo dried gourd strips
  • 1 tsp kosher salt for the kanpyo, Diamond Crystal brand
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1 Tbsp mirin
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
For Rolling the Futomaki
  • ¼ cup water (for tezu finger dipping water)
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar for tezu, unseasoned
  • 4 heets nori dried laver seaweed
For the Garnish
  • ginger optional; you can make pickled sushi ginger at home, sushi preparation called gari

Instructions

To Prepare the Sushi Rice
    Cup of Yum
  1. It takes about 90 minutes to make sushi rice. Please follow my Sushi Rice recipe for step-by-step instructions on how to cook the rice and add the sushi seasoning. For this recipe, use 2¼ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice, 2¼ cups water, and 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) to cook the rice. For the sushi seasoning, use ⅓ cup rice vinegar (unseasoned), 3 Tbsp sugar, and 1½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Cover the prepared sushi rice with a damp cloth at all times to prevent drying.
To Make the Seasoned Shiitake and Kanpyo
  1. In a bowl or measuring cup, add 8 dried shiitake mushrooms and 1 cup water and let them soak for 15 minutes. Place a smaller bowl on top to keep the mushrooms submerged.
  2. In a small saucepan, bring some water to a boil. Quickly rinse 0.4 oz dried kanpyo (gourd strips) in running water and drain. Rub the kanpyo with 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Rinse and drain well.
  3. When the water is boiling, cook the kanpyo for 3 minutes. Transfer to iced water to stop the cooking process. Squeeze out the water.
  4. When the shiitake are soft and tender, cut off and discard the stems. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve to get rid of any debris.
  5. Reserve this shiitake stock, adding water if needed until you have 1 cup (240 ml) of reserved shiitake stock.
  6. In a medium saucepan, add the kanpyo, mushrooms, and reserved shiitake stock.
  7. Add 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp mirin, and 1 Tbsp soy sauce to the saucepan.
  8. Bring it to boil. Then, lower the heat to medium and cook until most of the liquid is gone, about 20–30 minutes.
  9. Cut the shiitake mushrooms into very thin slices and squeeze the water out.
  10. Squeeze the water out from the kanpyo and cut it into 8-inch (20-cm) lengths, which is about the same width as the nori sheet.
  11. Now, the seasoned shiitake and kanpyo are ready to use. You can make this ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
To Make the Tamagoyaki
  1. Make 1 Tamagoyaki (Japanese Rolled Omelette) using either my standard Tamagoyaki recipe or sweeter Atsuyaki Tamago recipe.
  2. Cut the tamagoyaki into long strips. You can make it ahead and keep it in the refrigerator until ready to use.
To Prepare the Unagi (Eel)
  1. Unagi is typically pre-cooked and broiled when you purchase it, so you just need to reheat it. Set your oven broiler to High (550ºF/290ºC) and preheat it for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it with oil. Place 1 unagi (freshwater eel) fillet on top. Broil on the oven‘s middle rack for 5–7 minutes (no need to flip). Cut it into 4 long strips. Set aside.
To Prepare the Mitsuba or Spinach
  1. Tie the stems of 1 handful of mitsuba (Japanese parsley) or spinach together with cooking twine to keep them bundled while cooking. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tsp salt and blanch the mitsuba or spinach just until tender. Do not overcook.
  2. Soak the blanched mitsuba in iced water and squeeze the water out. Set aside.
To Prepare the Cucumber
  1. Cut off the ends of 1 Japanese or Persian cucumber. Cut into quarters lengthwise and remove the seeds. Set aside.
To Prepare the Sakura Denbu (Seasoned Cod Fish Flakes)
  1. Open 1 package sakura denbu (seasoned cod fish flakes) and put it in a small bowl. Set aside.
To Assemble the Futomaki
  1. Gather all the ingredients. Prepare tezu (finger dipping water) by combining ¼ cup water and 2 tsp rice vinegar (unseasoned).
  2. Place a bamboo sushi mat on the work surface. Gather 4 sheets nori (dried laver seaweed). Place one sheet of nori on the bamboo mat, shiny side down. Divide the sushi rice into 4 portions. Dip your fingers in the tezu. Then, put one portion of the sushi rice on the nori and use your wet fingers to spread it evenly (so your sushi looks centered when cut).
  3. Leave a ½-inch (1.5-cm) strip along the top of the nori farthest away from you. This empty strip makes the Futomaki look attractive because it keeps the rice from showing at the seam when rolled.
  4. Place a cucumber strip on the sushi rice along the width and toward the bottom of the nori (closest to you). You will roll the ingredients at the bottom OVER the rest of the filling. Therefore, I recommend putting easy-to-hold ingredients, like cucumber, toward the bottom. Place the Sakura Denbu and Shiitake toward the top so these smaller pieces won’t fall out as you roll.
To Roll the Futomaki
  1. Using your fingers to hold the ingredients in place, start rolling the bottom end of the nori sheet over the filling. Use the bamboo mat to roll tightly and firmly until the bottom edge of the sushi rice meets the rice on the other side of the ingredients.
  2. With one hand, firmly hold the mat with the rolled portion in place. With your other hand, grab the top end of the mat. Then, pull the two against and away from each other to tighten the roll. Next, lift the bottom end of the bamboo mat from the roll and finish rolling the rest of the way. Finally, remove the bamboo mat, place it over the roll, and squeeze firmly. Set your completed sushi roll on a tray or large plate. Continue to make the rest of the rolls.
To Cut and Serve
  1. Using a very sharp knife, first cut the Futomaki crosswise in half. Then, wipe the knife with a wet kitchen cloth so that you can make clean cuts. Wipe your knife after every slice or every other slice.
  2. Then, cut each half into 3 pieces. Serve with sushi ginger (gari) on the side. Enjoy!
To Store
  1. It‘s best to enjoy sushi rolls on the same day you make them. Rice gets hard and dry in the refrigerator. Therefore, if you really want to keep sushi rolls in the refrigerator, my recommendation is to cover them with plastic and then with a thick kitchen towel, so the rice will stay cool and safe, but not get cold.

Notes

  • Use 1⅔ cups (250 g) of sushi rice per thick Futomaki roll for proper filling to rice ratio.
  • Use short-grain white rice only; brown rice is not suitable for sushi texture.
  • Combining unseasoned rice vinegar with sugar and salt creates traditional sushi seasoning; skip sugar and salt if using bottled sushi vinegar.
  • Prepare seasoned shiitake and kanpyo up to 2 days in advance to save time on assembly day.
  • Keep sushi rice covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying before rolling.
  • Freshwater eel (unagi) should be broiled for best flavor and texture.

Nutrition Information

Calories 674kcal (34%) Carbohydrates 112g (37%) Protein 22g (44%) Fat 12g (18%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 190mg (63%) Sodium 1009mg (42%) Potassium 431mg (9%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 11g (22%) Vitamin A 1798IU (36%) Vitamin C 8mg (9%) Calcium 91mg (9%) Iron 6mg (33%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 sushi

Amount Per Serving

Calories 674

% Daily Value*

Calories 674kcal 34%
Carbohydrates 112g 37%
Protein 22g 44%
Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 190mg 63%
Sodium 1009mg 42%
Potassium 431mg 9%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 11g 22%
Vitamin A 1798IU 36%
Vitamin C 8mg 9%
Calcium 91mg 9%
Iron 6mg 33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.