This sushi Spicy Tuna Uramaki recipe is the latest in our ongoing series providing you with tips for making great Sushi at home. We think that fish is often at its best with the least culinary fuss such as a sushi roll. It is often the simplest preparation that delivers some of the best and most refined flavours and textures.n

There are many kinds of sushi; hosomaki  which are the long thiner rolls with nori (seaweed) on the outside and a single filling – are a great option to get started with.  Once you feel more confident and you are pleased with your technique, you can move on to more adventurous sushi such as this one for uramaki – inside out rolls or temaki – handrolls.

This recipe is for spicy tuna uramaki.  The difference between this type  and other makimono is that the rice is on the outside and the nori (seaweed) is inside. It has filling in the center surrounded by nori, then a layer of rice and an extra final topping of tuna.

Our expert guide for this uramaki recipe is no less than the head chef from Kimura whose kitchen creates some of the finest fresh sushi in our neighbourhood, so we are in very good hands.

kimura logo

Visit the Kimura shop to pick up any of the specialist ingredients or kit such as a bamboo mat, nori seaweed sheets, mayonnaise or sushi rice that you might need

Ingredients For Spicy Tuna Uramaki

Tuna from Walter Purkis & Sons
Sheets of Nori (roasted seaweed)
Short-grain Japanese Sushi Rice
Mayonnaise
Sushi Vinegar
Black & White Sesame Seeds

Before you start:

Bamboo sushi mat
Cling film
A sharp knife

Nice to have:

Wasabi
Soy sauce
Pickled ginger

sushi rolling mat nori sheet rice uramaki
  • First cover your bamboo mat with some cling film. this will make it much easier to form your roll and keep your mat clean.
  • Place the nori on the sushi mat
  • Cover the whole sheet of nori with a thin (5mm) layer of rice, ensuring it is evenly spread – right to the edges
  • Sprinkle sesame seeds evenly across the rice – use a mixture of black and white seeds to add flavour
  • Turn the rice and nori over, so the nori is facing upwards
  • Cut the tuna into small pieces and place along the centre of the nori
  • Add mayonnaise. Japanese mayonnaise is traditionally made only from egg yolks, so it tends to be much creamier than its English equivalent. For added spiciness, mix in some wasabi!
  • Place the avocado on top of the mayonnaise, as close as possible to the tuna so you have space to roll
  • rolling Spicy Tuna Uramaki
  • Starting from the side closest to you, roll using the sushi mat to help you make it as round as possible.
  • Proceed gently it is the mat that will really help to give a uniform shape.
  • For the topping, finely cut a slice of tuna and place this on the top of your roll
  • Sprinkle shichimi – a mixture of five different Japanese peppers – on to the top of your roll.
  • Cut the roll into pieces. It is often easier to start in the middle to ensure they are of a similar size
  • Serve your sushi with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger.

Making Authentic Sushi Rice

The word “sushi” means “it’s sour” This is based on it’s historical origins where it was a fermented fish dish. The sourness that “sushi” refers particularly is the vinegar in the rice. Whilst the dish has changed over many hundreds of years, all Sushi still has a base of specially prepared rice that is then complimented with other tasty ingredients.

First you need to wash your rice. Using plenty of water stir and mix the rice with your hand in a large bowl, you will see the water become cloudy with starch. Repeat the washing several times until the water becomes clear. Then let the rice soak the rice for 30 minutes.

Now you can start cooking Add 300g rice and 400ml water to your saucepan and put on the stove at maximum heat until the water boils. Then reduce the heat and allow the rice simmer for about 15-20 minutes with the lid on.

When the simmer time has elapsed remove from the heat but leave the rice in the pan to steam for a further 10-15 minutes this will give the right ammount of stickiness which will help forming your sushi shapes.

To make authentic sushi rice you now need to be mix in sushi vinegar,  Mix 80ml of sushi vinegar with the rice. To get the best flavour, the vinegar needs to be folded into the rice while it is still warm. The mixing process allows moisture to evaporate and helps it cool before use.