Learn how to make hosomaki at home with easy step-by-step instructions. These bite-sized maki sushi make a delicious lunch or afternoon snack. They are also the perfect appetizer for gatherings or a cocktail party.
Since I nailed the technique of making sushi rice in a rice cooker, homemade sushi is on high rotation at my place. It is seriously easy to make, and filling wise you can go traditional or use up leftovers. Nobody is judging you.
Hosomaki is a simple style of sushi roll (makizushi). Thin with usually only one filling. When cut it ends up being single mouthfuls of joy.
As these maki sushi are single mouthfuls I find them perfect to serve up with drinks when friends pop round. Or even a more formal gathering like a cocktail party.
Sara xxx
What is Hosomaki?
Hoso (thin) maki (roll), hosomaki is a thin roll, around 3cm (1 inch) in diameter. It is rolled with nori (dried seaweed sheet) on the outside and one filling. The roll is cut into single mouthful pieces.
The filling is usually a vegetable or fish. You will often see hosomaki with cucumber, salmon, or a cooked tuna filling at your local sushi shop.
Ingredients
A full printable recipe card can be found at the end of this post with recipe ingredient measurements and method.
- Nori: Nori is an edible sheet of dried seaweed. Is is used to wrap the hosomaki.
- Sushi Rice: Sushi rice is also known as vinegar rice. It is a seasoned rice and a key component to the recipe. Please refer to my method of making sushi rice in a rice cooker.
- Cucumber: Us a thin skin cucumber like Lebanese or Persian cucumbers. Cut the cucumber into 8 pieces length wise, and remove the seeds.
- Teriyaki Chicken: I used chicken breast and my teriyaki sauce recipe. Once the chicken was cooked I cut it into slices and tossed it through the sauce it was cooked in.
Various Fillings
I have used two of my favourite fillings, teriyaki chicken and cucumber for the hosomaki in this recipe. They are a general go-to for me as they are ingredients I have at home all the time.
Feel free to use a filling of your choice, something you enjoy. Your options are quite limitless, and below are a few filling suggestions.
- Sushi grade fish, tuna and salmon are popular choices
- Pickled vegetables, such as daikon or carrot
- Rolled egg omelette (tamagoyaki)
- Canned tuna mixed with a little mayonnaise
- Fresh vegetables, cucumber, carrot, or avocado
- Umeboshi (pickled plum)
- Surimi (imitation crab sticks)
- Kanpyo (dried gourd)
- Natto (fermented soybean)
- Tofu
- Chicken or pork schnitzel
Yaki Nori Sheet (roasted seaweed)
Nori is dried sheets of seaweed and has lots of applications. Generally, when we think of nori we think of it as the structural component of sushi. Did you realise that nori has a shiny side and a rough side? It does.
The shiny side should always be placed face down on the bamboo mat and will be seen as the exterior of the roll. The rough side is what we place the ingredients on. The rough side of the nori sheet grips the rice and helps to stop it from sliding around when rolling.
As Hosomaki is a thin roll, you will only need half a sheet of nori per roll.
Cut the nori sheet in half along the longest side using kitchen scissors. Alternatively, you can fold the nori sheet in half and use a sharp kitchen knife to cut it in half.
How to Make Hosomaki
Scroll to the bottom of the page for a printable version of this recipe.
Have all your ingredients laid out and within reach on the kitchen bench or wherever you will be preparing the hosomaki. Rice cooked and seasoned, yaki nori sheets cut in half, and the fillings prepared.
Place a half sheet of yaki nori shiny side down on a bamboo rolling mat.
Note: Bamboo mats (makisu) are cheaply purchased online and readily available at most supermarkets in the Asain food section. Alternatively use a clean tea towel that has been folded into quarters or a flexible clean placemat. Or use a sushi roller.
Spread seasoned rice evenly over the nori sheet. Make sure to leave 1.5cm (½ inch) edge of the nori free at the top.
Place ingredients along the centre of the rice.
Using your fingertip wet the free edge of the nori with sushi vinegar or water.
Place fingers on top of the filling in the middle of the nori sheet. Using both hands lift the edge of the bamboo mat and roll the nori sheet over to meet the free moistened edge of the sheet.
Firmly press the roll closed with the bamboo mat.
Once the hosomaki is rolled, using a sharp knife, cut the hosomaki into six even pieces. Continue with the rest of the sheets, rice, and fillings.
Sara's Top Recipe Tips
Cut the fillings into similar-sized thin pieces. This will give you a more even finish hosomaki and will fit inside these thin style maki sushi.
Keep it simple. Serve hosomaki with a small bowl of soy sauce and some pickled ginger/sushi ginger (gari).
Cutting sushi rolls can be tricky. The idea is to cut not squish. Make sure you use a sharp knife that has been wiped over with a damp towel.
Cut the roll in half first using a sawing motion. Push the knife forward and then draw the knife backward to finish the cut.
Clean the knife with the damp towel again and cut the half into three pieces. (clean the knife between each piece). and cut the roll with a sawing motion, not straight down.
Hosomaki (thin sushi rolls)
Special Equipment
- bamboo mat (makisu) >> If you don't have a bamboo sushi rolling mat you can use a clean tea towel that has been folded into quarters, or a clean flexible placemat.
Ingredients
Hosomaki
- 5 nori sheets
- 1 quantity sushi rice cooked in a rice cooker | or follow the pot method below
- Prepared fillings
Sushi Rice - Pot Method
- 2 cups sushi rice (raw) | short grain such as Koshihikari
- 2 cups water
- 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Fillings
- 1 Lebanese/Persian cucumber
- 1 chicken breast
- 3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
Instructions
If you have a rice cooker please use our instructions for making sushi rice in a rice cooker.
Sushi Rice - Pot Method
- Place the rice in a bowl and cover it with cold tap water. Give it a swish around and then strain.Repeat this three times. The water will not be 100% clear, but it will be close enough. Drain well.
- Place the rinsed rice back in the bowl and cover it with water.Leave the rice to soak for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes drain the rice well and place the rice in a pot that has a tight fitting lid.
- Add water to the pot.
- Bring the pot to a boil, reduce the heat, and slow boil for a further 5 minutes. Lower the heat, place the lid on the pot and steam the rice for 12-15 minutes.
- Take the pot off the heat and remove the lid. Cover the pot with a tea towel. Replace the lid and leave the pot to stand for a further 15 minutes.
- While the rice is left to stand make the sushi vinegar/seasoning.
- After 15 minutes remove the rice from the pot.
- Spoon the rice carefully into a large shallow container. Don't mush it, use a wooden spoon, and spread the rice out.
- Pour the prepared seasoning evenly over the warm sushi rice.
- Carefully using a wooden spoon coat the rice evenly with the seasoning. Gently mix the seasoning through as you don't want to mush and crush the rice grains.
- Using a handheld fan, piece of cardboard, or even a small electric fan, cool the rice as you mix through the seasoning until the rice is at room temperature. Each grain of rice should be coated in seasoning and will take on a glossy appearance.
- Keep rice in a bowl covered with a clean damp cloth until ready to use.
Prepare the cucumber
- Cut the cucumber into half length-wise. Then cut each half into quarters length-wise. Remove the seeds.
Teriyaki chicken
- Slice the chicken breast in half through the middle to end up with two thin flat pieces of chicken breast.
- In a hot non-stick pan (with a dash of oil if desired) cook the chicken until golden and cooked through.
- Add the teriyaki sauce and cook for a further minute until the chicken is well coated.
- Remove the pan from the stove and the chicken from the pan (keeping the pan by your side). Slice into thin even strips.
- Place sliced chicken back into the pan and toss through the remaining sauce.
- Keep chicken in the fridge in an airtight container until you are ready to use it.
Nori sheets
- Cut the nori sheets in half along the longer side. The sheets aren't quite square, there is a longer side.
Preparing the Hosomaki
- Place the nori sheet on the bamboo mat, shiny side down.
- Measure ½ cup of the sushi onto the nori sheet and spread it out evenly. Leave ½ inch (1.5cm) free from rice at the top of the nori.* Moisten your hands before touching the sushi rice so it does not stick to you, as well as the measuring cup.
- Place desired filling (chicken or cucumber) on the centre of the rice.
- Wet the free edge of the nori with sushi vinegar or water with your fingertip.
- Place your fingers of both hands on the filling, lift the edges of the bamboo mat with your thumbs, and roll until you reach the end of the rice.You will still see the rice free edge of the nori.
- Holding the bamboo mat firmly around the nori and rice tighten and shape into a roll.
- Lift the bamboo mat and continue to roll the hosomaki over to seal the roll on the wet nori sheet edge.
- Shape once more with the bamboo mat to make a roll shape.
- Cut the hosomaki into 6 pieces. Using a sharp knife that has been wiped over with a damp towel.Cut the roll in half first using a sawing motion. Push the knife forward and then draw the knife backward to finish the cut.Clean the knife with the damp towel again and cut the half into three pieces. (clean the knife between each piece).
- Serve hosomaki with pickled ginger/sushi ginger (gari), and soy sauce.
Notes
- Sushi grade fish, tuna and salmon are popular choices
- Pickled vegetables, such as daikon or carrot
- Rolled egg omelette (tamagoyaki)
- Canned tuna mixed with a little mayonnaise
- Fresh vegetables, cucumber, carrot, or avocado
- Umeboshi (pickled plum)
- Surimi (imitation crab sticks)
- Kanpyo (dried gourd)
- Natto (fermented soybean)
- Tofu
- Chicken or pork schnitzel
- 1 teaspoon equals 5ml
- 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml (Nth America, NZ & UK use 15ml tablespoons)
- 1 cup equals 250ml (Nth America use 237ml)
- 4 teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon
- I use the below unless specified in my recipes.
Anthony
Do you just serve Hosomaki simply on its own or is there an accompanying
side dish for dipping or a biscuit of some sort?
Sara McCleary
Hi Anthony
I suggest eating them the same way you enjoy eating other kinds of sushi. A little soy sauce for dipping, maybe a little grated wasabi or pickled ginger on the side if you like.
With a teriyaki chicken filling, I like them just as they are.
If you do have a little soy on the side, dip the nori side, not the rice side of the hosomaki. This way the rice won't suck up all the soy and be overpowering.
Cheers, Sara
Tanzia
OMG these are so cute, teeny tiny little sushi rolls. The kids and I made some up this rainy weekend. We bought the ready made sushi vinegar, and it was really simple. Who knew!!
Craig
I went really simple and made them with sushi grade salmon for a gathering I had on the weekend. It took me a few goes to get them to look good, but I eventually got there LOL!! My guests really enjoyed them.
Jackie
Loved this recipe, we made teriyaki chicken and avocado ones. The kids loved them.