🇯🇵 Salmon and Avocado Sushi Rolls

Sushi rolls are vinegared rice rolled with fresh salmon, avocado, and cucumber in nori sheets. The rice is the most important part — it should be seasoned, room temperature, and slightly sticky. Once you get the rolling technique, it is simple.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Sushi Rice
• 3 tbsp Rice Vinegar
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• 4 Nori Sheets
• 200 g Fresh Salmon, sliced
• 1 Avocado, sliced
• 1/2 Cucumber, julienned
• Soy Sauce, Wasabi, Pickled Ginger

Method

1. Rinse rice until water runs clear. Cook with 2.5 cups water.
2. Mix vinegar, sugar, and salt. Fold into hot rice. Cool to room temperature.
3. Place nori on a bamboo mat, shiny side down.
4. Spread rice evenly, leaving a 2 cm border.
5. Lay salmon, avocado, and cucumber along the bottom edge.
6. Roll tightly using the mat. Wet the edge to seal.
7. Slice with a wet sharp knife into 8 pieces.
8. Serve with soy, wasabi, and ginger.

History

Sushi as we know it today — Edo-mae sushi, with a piece of fish on a mound of vinegared rice — was invented in Tokyo (then Edo) in the early 19th century, as a fast food for the city’s bustling merchant class. The rolled version (maki) came later, in the early 20th century, and was popularised in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s. The California roll, invented in Los Angeles in the 1970s, opened the door to a whole genre of rolls with non-traditional fillings, including salmon and avocado. Today, salmon and avocado maki is one of the most popular sushi rolls worldwide, even though neither salmon nor avocado is traditional in Japanese sushi.

The science

The seasoning of sushi rice is what makes it work as a base for sushi. The rice vinegar, sugar, and salt mixture does three things: it lowers the pH of the rice, which slows bacterial growth; it adds flavour; and it changes the texture of the rice so it sticks together without becoming mushy. The rice must also be cooled to room temperature before rolling — warm rice will wilt the nori, and cold rice will be too firm to shape. The nori itself acts as a structural wrapper, but it also contributes flavour: the maillard-like reactions that happen when nori is toasted give it a savoury, almost meaty character that complements the fish.

Substitutions

Salmon and avocado are a modern classic, but you can use any combination of raw fish, cooked seafood, or vegetables. For a vegan version, use avocado, cucumber, pickled carrot, and a little vegan cream cheese. If you cannot find sushi-grade salmon, use smoked salmon instead — the texture will be different but the flavour works well. Sushi rice is a short-grain variety and cannot be substituted with long-grain rice, which will not hold together. For the rice seasoning, you can use a pre-made sushi vinegar if you do not want to mix your own.

Chef's tip

Wet your knife between cuts — it stops the rice sticking and gives clean slices.

Drink pairing

Green tea or cold sake. The clean, slightly bitter flavour of green tea is the traditional pairing and helps reset the palate between bites, while a dry sake (junmai) is the classic alcoholic option.