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Kappa Maki (Cucumber Sushi Roll)

Unleash your inner sushi chef with this easy Kappa Maki recipe. I'm sharing all the secrets of a master sushi chef to make perfect sushi rolls where cucumbers take center stage.

Prep Time
30 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 9 rolls
Calories: 303 kcal
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 batch sushi rice
  • 5 full sheets nori (or 9 half sheets)
  • 2 Japanese cucumbers (see headnotes for preparation and substitutes)
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Make a bowl of tezu by diluting 1 tablespoon rice vinegar in 1 cup of cold water.
  2. Place a half sheet of nori at the bottom edge of your sushi mat with the smooth side facing down.
  3. Wet your hands with the tezu and scoop approximately 80 grams from 1 batch sushi rice into your hand, shaping it into a cylinder that's a little wider than your hand.
  4. Keep your hands wet enough so the rice does not stick, and spread the rice cylinder across the nori from one side to the other, leaving a 1-centimeter (.4-inch) gap along the top of the nori.
  5. Use one hand as a border along one side of the nori. Dig the tips of your fingers from the other hand into the rice just below the top margin and press the rice down towards the bottom edge, leaving a .5 centimeter (.2-inch) gap along the bottom edge of the nori.
  6. Sprinkle the rice with some toasted sesame seeds and place a cucumber stick in the center of the rice. You can also add ume and shiso leaves or shio konbu to the roll here but be careful not to overload your roll, or it will not close.
  7. Place your thumbs under the sushi mat, and use your fingers to hold the filling(s) in place. Flip the bottom of the sushi mat up and over the fillings to connect the bottom margin of nori with the small ridge of rice along the top.
  8. Now tip the roll 90° so that the seam of the nori is on the bottom.
  9. Press the sides of the sushi roll between your fingers and thumbs to flatten them out.
  10. Use your index fingers to press down on the top of the mat (while supporting the sides of the mat with your remaining fingers) to flatten off the top.
  11. To cut the roll, assuming your roll is 19cm wide, use a ruler to score the roll at 3.2cm, 6.4 cm, and 9.5cm.
  12. Remove the ruler, wet your knife with a damp towel, and cut the roll in half using short back-and-forth strokes. Line the two halves of sushi up.
  13. Cut the two halves of sushi together where you scored one of them earlier.
  14. Tip the rolls up on their sides to expose the filling and plate.

Nutrition Information

Calories 303kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 66g (22%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 1g (2%) Saturated Fat 0.2g (1%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g Monounsaturated Fat 0.3g Sodium 7mg (0%) Potassium 164mg (5%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 99IU (2%) Vitamin C 2mg (2%) Calcium 28mg (3%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 9rolls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 303

% Daily Value*

Calories 303kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 66g 22%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0.2g 1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.4g 2%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.3g 2%
Sodium 7mg 0%
Potassium 164mg 3%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 99IU 2%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 28mg 3%
Iron 2mg 11%

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