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Fish, East Asian

Hand rolled tuna temaki

Hand rolled tuna temaki is a nori seaweed cone that everyone rolls at the table with seasoned rice, raw tuna, avocado and cucumber. For 4 people, it takes 35 minutes, it's an easy recipe, and it costs about €5.60 per person. The key to success is well seasoned rice and assembling each cone right before eating it.

Tonight it's a table workshop, everyone rolls their own seaweed cone of tuna, avocado and cucumber.

Hand rolled tuna temaki
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€5.60
Calories per person
550 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

Temaki is sushi you don't roll in the kitchen but right on your own plate. The nori stays crisp for a few seconds, the seasoned rice brings the acidity, the fresh tuna melts a little in your mouth and the creamy avocado balances the crunchy cucumber. Every bite changes depending on what each person puts in their cone.

This is a meal that works well on weekends, when you have time to prep the bowls separately and let everyone build their own. Kids generally love picking their own fillings, and adults enjoy how fresh this dish feels on a summer evening. Mon Chou likes this recipe because it turns a simple dinner into something everyone takes part in.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Sashimi grade fresh tuna 300 g

Pantry

  • Sushi riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Rice vinegaroften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Nori sheets 8
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Wasabi 1 tsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Cucumber 1
  • Avocado 2

Allergens Fish, Soy, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Rinse the sushi rice until the water runs clear and cook it with 360 ml of water, covered. 15 min

    Let it rest ten minutes covered off the heat, it finishes plumping up.

  2. Heat the vinegar with the sugar and salt, pour it over the warm rice and fold it in with a spatula.

    Fan the rice with a piece of cardboard while you mix, it turns glossy.

  3. Cut the tuna into sticks, the cucumber into julienne strips and the avocado into slices.

    Drizzle the avocado with a little lemon so it doesn't turn brown.

  4. Cut the nori sheets in half, place a little rice on one side, add tuna, cucumber and avocado diagonally.

    Don't overload with rice, the cone needs to close without splitting.

  5. Roll into a cone and serve right away with soy sauce and a little wasabi.

    Nori softens fast, so assemble each one just before eating, one at a time.

Our tips to get it right

  • Ask your fishmonger for tuna labeled sashimi grade, that's your guarantee it's safe to eat raw.
  • Keep the rice at room temperature rather than in the fridge after cooking, it stays more pliable for rolling.
  • Set out all the ingredient bowls separately before placing the first nori sheet on the table, assembly moves fast once it starts.

The variations

  • Swap the tuna for fresh sashimi grade salmon to change things up from one time to the next.
  • For a vegetarian version, use carrot sticks, bell pepper strips and smoked tofu instead of tuna.
  • For younger kids, offer surimi or flaked cooked tuna too, it's less intimidating than raw fish.

What to serve it with

  • Warm salted edamame
  • Light miso soup
  • Unsweetened green tea

Storage

Seasoned rice keeps for one day in the fridge in a sealed container, but the fresh tuna and nori sheets should be used the same day. Assembled temaki don't keep, the nori softens within minutes. This dish doesn't freeze once put together.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the sushi rice ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook and season it in the morning for dinner, as long as you keep it covered at room temperature. Avoid the fridge, it makes the rice hard and dull.

Can you use cooked tuna instead of raw?

Yes, it's a good option for kids or anyone who prefers to skip raw fish. Use flaked cooked tuna or well drained canned tuna.

How do you keep the nori sheets from going soft too fast?

Assemble the temaki one at a time, right before eating, rather than prepping them all in advance. Keep the nori sheets sealed in their packaging until it's time to serve.

What rice should you use if you don't have sushi rice?

A short grain or Japanese style rice works just as well, what matters is that it turns sticky once cooked. Long grain rice won't give you the right texture for rolling the cones.

How long does it take to make hand rolled tuna temaki you assemble at the table?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in hand rolled tuna temaki you assemble at the table?

About 550 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does hand rolled tuna temaki you assemble at the table cost?

About €5.60 per serving, or €22.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, soy, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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