How To Make a Kappa Maki Roll

  • December 5, 2007
  • 13,743 Views
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Kappa means cucumber, and maki means roll. So a kappa maki is a relatively simple affair—easy to make, and even easier to eat.

You Will Need

  • A cucumber
  • A vegetable peeler
  • A sharp knife
  • A cutting board
How To Make a Kappa Maki Roll: Prepare cucumber

Step 1: Prepare cucumber

Peel the cucumber, cut off the ends, and cut it in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scoop out the seeds, cut the halves into thin strips about an eighth of an inch wide, and set them aside.

How To Make a Kappa Maki Roll: Spread rice on nori

Step 2: Spread rice on nori

Lightly moisten your hands with water, grab a handful—or about 1/2 cup—of prepared sushi rice, and spread it across the nori, leaving an even border of uncovered nori along the top edge.

Don’t use too much rice or pack it too tightly. It should be no more than 1/4-inch thick and you should be able to see nori through it.

How To Make a Kappa Maki Roll: Dab wasabi on rice

Step 3: Dab wasabi on rice

Dip your finger into the prepared wasabi and dab it over the rice.

How To Make a Kappa Maki Roll: Place nori on mat

Step 4: Place nori on mat

Place the bamboo mat in front of you and position the rice-covered nori on top of it, about an inch from the bottom.

How To Make a Kappa Maki Roll: Place cucumber

Step 5: Place cucumber

Lay several cucumber slices horizontally across the middle of the rice. Make an even row about an inch wide and let the cucumbers stick out an inch or so on either side.

How To Make a Kappa Maki Roll: Shape with mat

Step 6: Shape with mat

Roll the bottom edge of the bamboo mat over the rice, nori, and filling, shaping it all into a rectangular mound. Be sure all the filling is enclosed.

How To Make a Kappa Maki Roll: Roll again

Step 7: Roll again

Pull the mat back, and lay it over the roll again. Roll again, more tightly this time, applying even pressure and shaping the roll more firmly as you go.

How To Make a Kappa Maki Roll: Smooth out roll

Step 8: Smooth out roll

Remove the roll from the mat, place the mat over it, and give the roll a final pressing and smoothing, compressing it tightly and evenly.

How To Make a Kappa Maki Roll: Repeat process

Step 9: Repeat process

Repeat the whole process with your remaining half of nori—lightly layering it with rice, adding the cucumber, rolling it and cutting it.

How To Make a Kappa Maki Roll: Cut roll

Step 10: Cut roll

Lightly moisten your knife blade and cut both rolls in half, using a delicate but firm sawing motion. Then cut each half into three equal pieces.

How To Make a Kappa Maki Roll: Place & garnish

Step 11: Place & garnish

Place the rolls on a serving platter, garnish with small mounds of wasabi and pickled ginger, and serve.

The precursor to sushi originated in Southeast Asia around the 4th century, when people preserved cleaned and gutted fish in a barrel filled with salt and rice.

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Comments (3)

Queue

One of the first sushi rolls I ever made successfully. Great guide! I love this site! Where has it been my whole life?

over 3 years ago by Queue

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Gerald_Nzioka

thank u showing us all this i have tryed to larn how to cook japanese food alll week .thank you again chef.

over 3 years ago by Gerald_Nzioka

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SamanthaSuicide

You are friggen awesome, thanks so much for all these videos! I love Asian food!!!

over 2 years ago by SamanthaSuicide

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Video is in Sushi Made Simple (8 videos)