Sushi rolls filled with egg (tamagoyaki), carrots and shitake mushrooms.

su·shi  noun /ˈso͞oSHē/
A Japanese dish consisting of small balls or rolls of vinegar-flavored cold cooked rice served with a garnish of vegetables, egg, cooked meats, or raw or cooked fish.

Just thought I would add that definition, because, for some reason, the word sushi has become associated with raw fish. Understandably so, after all, sushi does contain raw fish on many occasions. If I am not mistaken, sashimi is the correct term for raw fish. I was introduced to sushi rolls at a young age, and they did not contain raw fish. A close family friend, Toshi would make them on occasion, and I remember the ingredients as follows: egg (tamagoyaki), carrots, possibly cucumber or avocado, and marinated mushrooms (or was it kampyo… can’t remember). When I first attempted to make my own sushi rolls, a couple of years ago, It was these ingredients that I used. To this day, these ingredients are still what I crave when I think back on Toshi’s. When I prepared this batch of sushi rolls, I made two different kinds: my version of tamagoyaki rolls, and California rolls. The tamagoyaki rolls contain the Japanese omelet, carrots and marinated shiitake mushrooms. The California rolls contain the traditional avocado, carrots and cucumber (I don’t use crab/imitation crab). I posted images of some of the prep below. Scroll down for recipe.↓

Cook rice and allow to cool. Add rice vinegar and sugar – using the side of a wooden spoon, cut through the rice to mix.↓

Organize your fillings for your rolls. Here I have ingredients for both the Tamagoyaki Roll and the California Roll.↓

For Tamagoyaki Roll:

Wet fingers with water (to minimize sticking), and press a large handful of rice onto a sheet of nori. Leave an inch or so at the top, for sealing the roll. Arrange filling (tamagoyaki, carrots and mushrooms) in the lower half of the rice.↓ (Don’t be as stingy as me, fill it up well. ;-))

Using the sushi mat, roll away from you. Stop about halfway through the roll and reposition the mat. Continue to roll, with a slightly firm grip.↓
Wet the end of the nori with water so that it seals.

For California Roll:

Using a slightly smaller sheet of nori, wet fingers and press rice onto whole sheet of nori. Sprinkle with a little sesame seeds.↓

Carefully flip over the nori/rice sheet. Arrange fillings (avocado, cucumber and carrots) in center of sheet.↓

As above, roll with a slightly firm grip. No need to wet the edges of this one,
the sticky rice will seal it.↓

Using a clean knife, slice rolled logs into 6-8 pieces of sushi
(clean knife often to ensure easy slicing).↓

California Rolls

Sushi Rolls

Ginger

Sushi Rolls: Tamagoyaki and California Rolls. Delicious and simpler than you think!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  

Ingredients for Sushi Rice

• 2 cups sushi rice white, short grain rice
• 2 cups water plus extra for rinsing
• 3 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. salt

Ingredients For Tamagoyaki Roll

• 6-8 sheets nori seaweed
• strips of tamagoyaki Japanese omlete*↓
• four marinated mushrooms sliced*↓
• 1 carrot sliced thin and par-boiled*↓

Ingredients for California Rolls

• 6-8 sheets nori seaweed
• 1 avocado sliced thin
• 1 small cucumber peeled, seeded and sliced thin
• 1 carrot sliced thin and par-boiled
• sesame seeds for sprinkling

For Serving

• soy sauce or tamari for gluten free
• wasabi

Instructions

 

Directions for Sushi Rice

• It is important to clean/rinse rice... In a large sauce pan, cover rice with water and swirl. Drain water. Repeat about three times, or until water is relatively clear. Drain completely and add two cups water and salt. **Bring to a boil, uncovered over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to lowest setting and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer rice to a large shallow bowl. Cover with a damp towel and allow to cool.
• Combine rice vinegar and sugar in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for about 45 seconds, or until sugar is dissolved.
• Once rice and vinegar is cool, pour vinegar/sugar over rice and, using the side of a wooden spoon, cut the rice (don't stir) to mix.
• Keep rice covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.

Directions for Tamagoyaki Roll

• Use water to dampen hands. Spread/press sushi rice onto a sheet of nori. Leave about 1 inch of nori at the top for sealing.
• Arrange tamagoyaki, mushrooms, and carrots in the bottom half of sushi rice.
• Using the sushi mat as an aid, roll away from you. Use a slightly firm grip to roll, in order to keep the ingredients and rice tight.
• Dampen the end with a little water to seal.
• Using a clean knife, slice sushi log into 6-8 equal pieces. Clean knife often to ensure easy slicing.

Directions for California Roll

• Use water to dampen hands. Spread/press sushi rice onto a sheet of nori, covering the entire sheet. Sprinkle with a little sesame seeds.
• Carefully flip over sheet so that the rice side is down against the mat.
• Arrange avocado, cucumber and carrots in the center of the nori sheet.
• Using the sushi mat as an aid, roll away from you. Use a slightly firm grip to roll, in order to keep the ingredients and rice tight. Edge will seal on it's own, against the sticky rice.
• Using a clean knife, slice sushi log into 6-8 equal pieces. Clean knife often to ensure easy slicing.

Notes

*Directions for Tamagoyaki (Japanese Omelet)

*Directions for Marinated Mushrooms

*Directions for par-boiling carrots-- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add sliced carrots to boiling water and boil for about 1 and a half minutes. Remove carrots from boiling water and transfer immediately into a bowl of ice water.

**At this point, you can use a rice cooker instead of stove top.