Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Yield: 8 rolls
In Japan, cucumber rolls are called kappamaki, and they happen to be one of the most popular sushi rolls.
Making sushi rolls requires a careful attention to detail, but they’re not hard. In fact, this is a good recipe to start with if the process is unfamiliar to you because it only requires three ingredients: nori (dried seaweed), sushi rice, and cucumber. As there is no fish included, this roll is also perfect for vegetarians and vegans. (It also happens to be a roll that children in Japan enjoy.)
The word kappa doesn’t actually mean cucumber in Japanese (that is kyuuri); it refers to a demon or imp figure from Japanese traditional folklore whose favorite food was believed to be cucumbers. The word kappa is related to water; it’s a combination of words meaning «river» and «child.» And so, kappa is associated with cucumbers, hence the name of this sushi roll. Interestingly, no other Japanese cucumber dishes are called kappa.
This recipe calls for Japanese cucumbers, which are long, slender, and thin skinned. They do not have seeds or any bitter taste and are therefore easy to handle and a pleasure to eat. If you cannot find Japanese cucumbers, mini Persian or English cucumbers are good substitutes. In a total pinch, you can use garden-variety cucumbers, but be sure to scrape out their seeds.
«These delightful rolls are a great introduction to authentic sushi making and eating. This Kappamaki recipe makes simple, small rolls with few ingredients so you can savor the refreshing, crunchy cucumber paired with chewy sushi rice and nori. Simply wonderful!» —Diana Andrews
A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
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4 sheets nori, halved parallel to the lines on the seaweed
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4 cups prepared sushi rice, slightly cooled
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1 large Japanese cucumber, cut into long sticks
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Wrap a bamboo mat (makisu) completely in plastic to keep the nori from sticking to it. Put a piece of nori on top of the mat lengthwise.
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With damp hands (keep a small bowl of water handy), spread about 1/2 cup of sushi rice on top of the nori.
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Place 3 to 4 cucumber sticks horizontally over the rice (do not overfill).
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Roll up the bamboo mat, pressing forward to shape the sushi into a cylinder.
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Press the bamboo mat firmly with your hands.
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Unwrap the bamboo mat and remove the sushi roll. Repeat the process to make more rolls.
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Wipe a knife with a wet cloth before slicing sushi.
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Cut each sushi roll into 6 to 8 bite-sized pieces. Serve.
How to Store Kappamaki
As with most sushi rolls, kappamaki is best and freshest the day it is made, but it will keep for a day or so if need be, covered in the refrigerator. You can make the sushi rice, which is a stickier rice, ahead of time, or slice the cucumbers a few hours ahead of time, or the night before, to ease the prep process.
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 4 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 247 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 2g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 1% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 293mg | 13% |
| Total Carbohydrate 52g | 19% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 1% |
| Total Sugars 7g | |
| Protein 4g | |
| Vitamin C 3mg | 17% |
| Calcium 14mg | 1% |
| Iron 1mg | 3% |
| Potassium 131mg | 3% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
