Make kappa maki (cucumber sushi rolls) at home with this comprehensive guide. This recipe will show you how to make perfect rolls on your first attempt, including how to slice cucumber, maintain fluffy rice inside your rolls, and master the rolling technique.
Kappa maki is an excellent sushi option for beginners because you do not need to handle raw fish and you should be able to buy the ingredients at a regular store. This also makes cucumber rolls ideal for packed lunches or picnics. Plus, the techniques you learn will help you tackle other sushi roll favorites like salmon and tuna rolls.
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Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Sushi rice: Creating the perfect batch of sushi rice is essential for delicious kappa maki and it's easier than you might think using a rice cooker, Instant Pot, or the classic stovetop method.
- Roasted nori sheets: Essential for rolling, available at most local stores. Cucumber rolls require half nori sheets. You might be able to buy half nori sheets if you can't cut the regular-sized sheets in half with a sharp knife.
- Wasabi: Optional but adds a zesty kick to your rolls.
- Cucumber: Try to choose a straight cucumber that's easy to cut into uniform sticks.
- Rice vinegar: Used to make hand water ('Tezu') to keep the rice from sticking to your hands while rolling. Apple cider vinegar is a good substitute.
- Toasted sesame seeds (optional): Sprinkle these seeds onto the rice before adding cucumber for a nutty flavor.
The best cucumber to use
Japanese cucumbers are the top choice, but they are not easy to come by. These cucumbers are thinner, sweeter, and have fewer seeds making them ideal for sushi rolls. You're most likely to find them at an Asian grocery store or a farmers market, where they're often fresher and more authentic.
If Japanese cucumbers aren't available, you can use regular English cucumbers that are readily available at your local grocery store. They're larger and have more seeds but still work well when sliced thinly. Alternatively, Persian cucumbers or mini cucumbers can be used; just remember that they're shorter, so you might need to adjust the size of your nori sheets to match the length of the cucumbers.
Cutting the Cucumber
When preparing cucumber for hosomaki, the slender and elegant sushi rolls, it's crucial to start with a thoroughly washed cucumber, keeping the skin on to add a satisfying crunch to your rolls. Begin by trimming off the ends of the cucumber to ensure a clean presentation. Aim to cut the cucumber to match the length of your nori sheets, ensuring each piece fits neatly within the confines of the seaweed wrap.
Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and then halve each section again, resulting in four long sticks. Whether you remove the seeds is a matter of personal preference. If your cucumber has many seeds or particularly large ones, you might choose to remove them to improve the texture. To do this, after cutting the cucumber into sticks, use a sharp knife to carefully slice away the seeded area. If the seeds are small and sparse, they can typically be left in unless you prefer a seedless bite.
Cutting Nori for cucumber rolls
Start with a thoroughly washed cucumber, keeping the skin on to add a satisfying crunch to your rolls. Begin by trimming off the ends of the cucumber. Aim to cut the cucumber to match the length of your nori sheets, ensuring each piece fits neatly within the confines of the seaweed wrap.
Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise and then halve each section again, resulting in four long sticks. Removing the seeds is a matter of personal preference. If your cucumber has many seeds or particularly large ones, you might choose to remove them. To do this, use a sharp knife to carefully slice away the seeded area. If the seeds are small and sparse, they can be left in unless you prefer a seedless bite.
Handwater (Tezu)
Hand water, or Tezu, is a simple mixture of 1 cup of water with 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar. This blend prevents the rice from sticking to your hands and the knife when slicing your sushi rolls making the process smoother and cleaner.
To use Tezu, lightly moisten the palm of one hand with the mixture, then rub both hands together before handling the rice. The key is moderation; just enough Tezu will prevent stickiness without causing the rice to become overly wet and fall apart. Keep the Tezu nearby as you work, refreshing your hands as needed to maintain a non-stick touch.
Before cutting your rolls, dip the blade of your knife into the Tezu and then point the blade upwards, allowing the water to run down the blade for a clean, easy slice through the sushi.
Cutting cucumber rolls
The key to neatly sliced cucumber rolls is a very sharp knife. Before you start cutting, dip the blade into your Tezu and tilt it upwards, allowing the water to coat the blade evenly. Repeat this step as needed throughout the cutting process to keep the knife slick.
Begin by slicing the roll in half. Make sure each cut is smooth and swift to maintain the roll's shape. From there, you can cut each half into thirds, yielding six evenly sized pieces. If you prefer smaller bites, continue cutting each piece in half again to make eight rolls.
Making Sushi rice
Before you begin, you'll need a batch of sushi rice at room temperature, seasoned with sushi vinegar. Preparing this at home is easier than you might think, using a rice cooker, Instant Pot, or the stovetop.
My sushi rice recipes guide you through each step—from washing the rice, to cooking it perfectly, and seasoning it with sushi vinegar.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Begin by preparing the hand water. Mix water and rice vinegar in a medium-sized bowl. This mixture will prevent sushi rice from sticking to your hands.
Step 2: If you need to cut regular-sized nori, lay it on a cutting board. Using scissors or a sharp knife, carefully cut the nori sheet in half along the edge of the nori to fit the size of your roll.
Step 3: Wrap the bamboo rolling mat on the workspace with the sticks running horizontally for stability. Then, position the halved nori sheet on the mat with the rough side facing up, ready for the rice.
Step 4: Lightly moisten your hands with the hand water, and gently spread a layer of sushi rice over the nori. Start at the center and work your way out. Apply gentle pressure to spread the rice evenly but be careful not to compress it too much.
Step 5: Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds across the middle of the rice layer. Place a stick of cucumber at the center over the rice.
Step 6: Using both hands, start rolling the bamboo mat from the end nearest to you. Keep the roll tight as you go, and once you reach the end, apply firm pressure to seal and shape the roll.
Step 7: Transfer the completed roll to a wooden board. Before cutting, dip the tip of your knife into the hand water and let it slide across the blade to prevent sticking.
Step 8: Slice the roll in half, then cut each half into thirds for even pieces, ensuring smooth and quick cuts. Clean the knife and re-wet as necessary if the rice starts sticking.
Expert Tips
- When spreading the sushi rice on the nori sheet, apply a light touch. Try to avoid compressing the rice so it stays fluffy.
- Ensure your knife is sharp to achieve neat, precise cuts.
- Use hand water to prevent the rice from sticking to your hands and knife.
Serving suggestions
- Eat the cucumber rolls with chopsticks or your fingers if you prefer.
- Serve with a small dish of soy sauce. Make sure you dip lightly; too much soy sauce can overwhelm the fresh, subtle taste of cucumber.
- Enjoy a bite of sushi ginger between each piece to refresh your palette.
People Often Ask
It’s really up to you. If the cucumber is watery with large seeds, you might want to cut them out with a sharp knife. For cucumbers with small, sparse seeds, leaving them in is just fine.
The crispy cucumber skin is a key part of the texture of kappa maki. Just make sure you wash the cucumber first.
Covering the rolling mat with plastic wrap isn't traditional, but it has become a common practice in modern sushi making. It helps prevent the rice from sticking to the mat and makes cleanup much easier.
Did you try this recipe? It would be really great if you could leave a comment and a star rating ⭐️. I would love to receive your feedback and know that other readers find it helpful too.
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Printable Recipe Card
Kappa Maki (Cucumber roll)
Equipment
- sushi rolling mat
- sharp knife
Ingredients
Hand water
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar (Note 1)
Cucumber rolls
- tezu
- ½ sheet nori (Note 2)
- ½ cup cooked sushi rice seasoned with sushi vinegar (sushizu) (Note 3)
- wasabi optional (Note 4)
- toasted sesame seeds optional (Note 5)
- 1 slice cucumber cut to the same lenth as the nori and ⅜ inch / 1cm wide. (Note 6)
To serve
- soy sauce
- sushi ginger
Instructions
- Prepare the hand water by combining the water and rice vinegar in a medium size bowl.
- Carefully cut the nori sheet in half with scissors.
- Wrap the bamboo rolling mat in plastic wrap.
- Place the bamboo mat on your work surface with the sticks running horizontally.
- Put the nori sheet on top with the rough side facing up.
- Lightly moisten the palm of one hand with hand water and rub your hands together to prevent the rice from sticking to them.
- Take a handful of rice and place it in the center of the nori sheet and use your hands to spread the rice evenly over the sheet leaving half an inch at the top Be careful not to compress the rice too much and use the hand water as often as necessary keep your hands moist.
- If using wasabi, put a little on your index finger and smear it horizontally across the center of the rice.
- Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds along the middle of the rice.
- Place the cucumber stick into the center of the rice
- Put your hands on either side under the mat and start to roll.
- Once you get to the end hold firmly to tighten the roll.
- Place the finished roll on a wooden board.
- Place the tip of your knife in the hand water and lift to wet the whole surface of the blade.
- Slice the roll in half, smoothly and quickly. Then place the halves opposite each other and slice into thirds to create six pieces.
- Remove any rice that starts to stick to the knife and remoisten regularly to prevent the rice from sticking.
- Serve with soy sauce and sushi ginger.
Notes
- Rice vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is a good substitute.
- Nori: Is available at most local stores. Cucumber rolls require half nori sheets. You might be able to buy half nori sheets. If you can't cut the regular-sized sheets in half with a sharp knife.
- Sushi rice: You'll need a batch of sushi rice. You can make it using a rice cooker, Instant Pot, or classic stovetop method.
- Wasabi: Optional but adds a zesty kick to your rolls.
- Toasted sesame seeds: Sprinkle these seeds onto the rice before adding cucumber for a nutty flavor.
- Cucumber: Try to choose a straight cucumber that's easy to cut into uniform sticks. If your cucumber has many seeds or particularly large ones, you might choose to remove them. To do this, use a sharp knife to carefully slice away the seeded area. If the seeds are small and sparse, they can be left in unless you prefer a seedless bite.
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