Temaki sushi (hand-rolled sushi)

Method

• step 1

  To make the sushi rice, wash the grains in cold water two or three times, swirling the rice with your hands and then draining each time, until the excess starch is washed off. Put in a heavy-based lidded pan along with 375ml of water and bring to a simmer over a medium heat. Add the sake to the pan but do not stir it in, cover with the lid and reduce the heat to as low as you can. Cook for 15-17 mins or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and keep the lid on until the rice has cooled.

• step 2

  Set the table with a small plate for each person, a small shallow bowl for soy sauce and an optional dab of wasabi in each bowl. You might like to put out a small dish of pickled ginger to cleanse the palate between rolls.

• step 3

  Put the rice in a large bowl with a serving paddle. Put the nori sheets in a pile on a small plate. Arrange a platter with all the fillings neatly laid out.

• step 4

  Guests make their own temaki sushi by taking a square of nori in their palm. Add a small amount of rice and flatten it a little. Put your preferred fillings – pick three or four, not too many at once – on the diagonal and fold the edges in so you have a cone shape. Dip briefly in the soy sauce and eat.