Cucumber Roll (Kappa Maki) Recipe

Cucumber rolls on a white plate with a ramekin of soy sauce, chopsticks, and a cucumber in the background.

Cucumber Roll (Kappa Maki) Recipe

Refreshing Cucumber Roll Recipe with Step-by-Step Instructions

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: Cucumber Roll, Kappa Maki

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 25

Servings: Rolls

Calories: 141kcal

Equipment

1 Bamboo Sushi Mat
1 Pot for cooking sushi rice
1 Sharp knife and cutting board

Ingredients

Sushi Rice

2/3 cups Sushi Rice dried, will cook to 2 cups
2 Tbsp. Sushi Vinegar

Roll and Filling

2 Nori Sheets
1 Japanese Cucumber Sliced into 1/8 sticks

Instructions

Cook Sushi Rice

Rinse 2/3 cups of sushi rice by placing it in a colander and running water through it until the water is clear.
After the rice is rinsed, add it to a sauce pan with 1 cup of water (I would check the instructions on the sushi rice package to see exactly how much water to add as it can vary depending on the brand).
Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let the rice simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is soft.
Remove the rice and place into a bowl or dish and let cool. I would line the dish with parchment paper prior to adding the rice to avoid sticking.
Mix two tablespoons of sushi vinegar into your rice. Stir until it has absorbed into the rice. Once cooled and fully absorbed, your rice is ready to roll!

Assemble the Cucumber Rolls

Cover your bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap. This will help keep the rice from sticking to it.
Fold the nori sheet in half and gently tear along the seam. If it does not tear easily, use kitchen shears to cut the nori sheet in half.
Next, place the nori sheet onto the plastic wrap with the shiny side facing down. Then press around 1/2 cup of rice onto the nori sheet in an even layer, leaving the top portion of the nori sheet uncovered. Tip: Wet your hands in a bowl of water mixed with a splash of rice vinegar prior to handling the sushi rice. This will prevent the rice from sticking to your hands.
Slice the cucumbers into strips that are as long as your nori sheet and about 1/8 inch thick.
Add two or three cucumber sticks horizontally along the nori sheet depending on how thick your cucumber sticks are.
To roll the sushi, start by wetting the top portion of the nori sheet that is not covered by rice. Then use the bamboo sushi mat to fold your roll until it’s completely enclosed. Once the nori is making contact with the roll, pull back the sushi mat so it doesn’t get caught in the roll. Still using the sushi mat as your guide, finish rolling until the roll is completely wrapped. Use the wet portion of the nori sheet to seal the roll together. Then wrap the sushi mat around the roll and gently tighten the roll together.
Keep in mind that rolling sushi is an art that may take some practice so don’t get frustrated if it doesn’t look perfect your first time. It will get easier the more you do it.
Tip: Check out the video for a demonstration on how to roll sushi.
Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into 8 pieces. I do this by first cutting the roll in half. I then cut each half in half followed by cutting each fourth in half. Tip: Be sure to clean and wet the edge of your knife before cutting each roll.
Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and ginger.

Video

Notes

You can control how thick your sushi rolls are by how much of the nori sheet you use. This recipe uses half the nori sheet which makes smaller rolls that are easier to eat with chopsticks but can be trickier to roll.

If you like larger rolls, you can use the entire nori sheet. This will definitely make the roll easier to roll but it will make it more difficult to eat with chopsticks.

Nutrition