Ingredients

2 cups japanese rice
2-1/2 cups water
a 2-inch piece of kombu (optional)
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sriracha hot chili sauce
2 teaspoons asian chili oil
1-1/2 tablespoons masago (smelt roe)
1 pound very fresh sashimi-grade tuna, finely diced
4 sheets toasted nori
soy sauce
pickled ginger
wasabi paste

Cooking Instructions

Place the rice in a bowl and cover with water. Stir the rice aggressively with your hand and then drain. Do this several times until the water runs clear. Add the rice and 2-1/2 cups of water to a saucepan and let soak for about 30 minutes. Place the pot on the stove, add the piece of kombu and bring to a boil slowly over medium-high heat. When it reaches a boil, remove the kombu, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for an additional 10 minutes.

Mix together the vinegar, sugar and salt. Scoop the cooked rice out into a large bowl and pour the vinegar dressing over it. Stir rapidly to cool the rice and incorporate the dressing evenly. Cover the bowl with a cloth while you prepare the other ingredients.

In a medium bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, chili sauce, chili oil, and masago. Add the chopped tuna and stir to coat.

Arrange the rice, tuna mixture and nori in your workspace. Spread a bamboo sushi mat flat in front of you. Place a sheet of nori, shiny side down, onto the mat. Using wet hands, spread 1/4 of the rice evenly onto the nori, leaving about 1/2 inch of nori uncovered at the bottom and 1 inch uncovered at the top. Place 1/4 of the tuna mixture onto the rice and form it into a uniform "log" or row running across the rice, about 1-1/2 inches from the base. Starting at the base, lift the mat, the nori and the rice together and begin to fold it over the filling. Continue rolling (taking care to avoid rolling the bamboo mat into the roll!), keeping the roll as tight as you can and making sure that the filling is completely encased by the rice and nori, until the entire roll is completed.

Allow the rolls to sit for about 10 minutes before slicing. Using a very sharp knife, cut the rolls into 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick slices. Serve the sushi with a little soy sauce poured into a small dish, and some small portions of pickled ginger and wasabi on the side.

Makes 4 rolls, about 8 pieces each

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recipe courtesy of elliemay.com