How to Make Temaki Hand Rolls

If you consider sushi to be a special occasion or date night dinner, think again.

Temaki (te means “hand” and maki means “roll” in Japanese) are handheld sushi rolls that don’t require any special equipment (such as the bamboo rolling mat needed to make maki or uramaki-style sushi).

Chef Sean “Sonny” Nguyen, owner of Edoboy in Orlando, Florida, was introduced to temaki, aka hand rolls, as a young sushi chef. “The contrasting temperatures and textures of crispy nori, warm rice, and cool seafood and vegetables make [temaki] one of my favorite ways to eat sushi,” he says.

Here’s how to perfect the simple technique, which is perfect for a family activity or choose-your-own-adventure dinner party.

How to make temaki

Hand rolls can be made in three shapes, according to Nguyen: barrel, cone, or taco. “At home, I prefer to make taco-shaped temaki — its ease of assembly and small, two-bite nature is great for any occasion,” he says.

“Temaki has three key components: nori, rice, and seafood filling,” he continues. “When making temaki at home with my kids, I often lean on seaweed snacks. Besides being the perfect size for taco-shaped temaki, seaweed snack sheets are crispy right out of the package, as opposed to full sheets of nori, which require toasting.”

To make temaki, place one seaweed snack sheet horizontally on your palm and fingers. Wet your opposite hand with water so the rice doesn’t stick, and place a ball of warm, seasoned rice (about one tablespoon) in the center of the seaweed sheet. Spread the rice using wet fingers into a two-by-one-inch vertical rectangle.

Arrange about two teaspoons of your desired filling over the rice. Top with garnishes, such as sliced avocado, cucumber or carrot matchsticks, crispy shallots, scallions, or salmon roe. Then fold up the short sides of the seaweed sheet to form a taco shape.

“Temaki are best enjoyed immediately after assembling while the nori is still crisp — if you let it sit around, the nori can get soggy. But this never seems to be an issue at my house,” says Nguyen. 

What to put in temaki

“When it comes to the fillings, your options are infinite,” says Nguyen. “I like to have a variety of seafood fillings on hand — they’re surprisingly simple to prepare and can be made a day in advance. Preparing them is as easy as chopping up the fish or shellfish, seasoning it with a ponzu-inspired dressing or creamy Kewpie mayonnaise, and topping it with an array of crunchy fresh vegetables.” 

To make things even easier on yourself, use store-bought fillings. Lean on seafood or crab salad from the deli section of your grocery store, or opt for frozen shrimp tempura that can be heated up in the air fryer. For meat-free options, try tamagoyaki, a slightly sweet Japanese rolled omelet, or assorted pickled vegetables like kanpyo (sweet pickled gourd) or takuwan (pickled radish) from your local Asian grocery store.