Home made MAKI \(^_^)/

I've been craving for sashimi and maki since we last ate at Vikings. I don't know how to make either but thanks to Google I was able to search some recipes.

What you need:

     2 cups Japanese Rice (can be replaced by ordinary rice)
     4 tablespoons Mirin Japanese Rice Wine PHP134 for small bottle (can be replaced by vinegar)
     1 pinch Ground White Pepper

     Nori PHP90 for 10 sheets
     Ripe Mango
     Cucumber
     Crab Stick PHP142 for 1 pack
     Japanese Mayonaise (can be replaced by ordinary mayonaise)

     Soy Sauce
     Wasabi

     Bamboo Sushi Mat
     Wooden Spoon Paddle

How to prepare the rice:

1. Cook 2 cups of Japanese Rice. I wasn't able to find Japanese Rice so I replaced this with ordinary rice.
2. Put 4 tablespoons of Mirin (Japanese Rice Wine) on the rice. I was able to buy this at Robinsons' Supermarket. I was told it can be replaced by Vinegar but I'm not sure on the measurements though
3. Put a pinch (or 2) of Ground White Pepper.
4. Mix it well with the wooden spoon paddle.

Preparing the Maki:

1. Slice the cucumber, mango and crab stick into strips.

2. I cut the Nori in half because I wanted it just bite sized. Nori is also available on supermarkets.
3. Put the Nori on the edge of the mat shiny side down. There's a cute bamboo mat and paddle set we saw at Daiso for PHP99 but we actually used a place mat PHP40 instead ehehe.
4. Put a thin layer of rice on top of the Nori.

5. Put some mayonaise. I used ordinary mayonaise.
6. Put the mango cucumber and crabstick strips on the middle.

7. Roll it into a cylinder using the bamboo mat.

8. Slice the maki roll.
9. Serve with a mixture of wasabi and soy sauce for seasoning.

From step 4 you can flip the Nori so that the layer of rice is facing the mat but you'll need to put cling wraps on the mat so that the rice won't stick. This is one of the distinguishing characteristic of California Maki (rice outside and nori inside). Put the fillings then roll. Sprinkle roasted sesame seeds if you want. You can also experiment on the filling. You can replace mango with avocado or pretty much anything you like. The second batch I made, I replaced the Ripe Mango with Green Mango and it was also good. In fact I liked it better.

As you probably noticed most ingredients were improvised to the ones you can easily find in your kitchen but hey It tastes good, I learned how to make maki and my craving was satisfied. :)

Reference:
http://www.yummy.ph/yummy-lessons/prepping/details/how-to-make-california-maki