Ehomaki is an extended and thick sushi roll that we take pleasure in throughout Setsubun, a Japanese pageant marking the transition from winter to spring. Carry success with my fashionable model of home made ehomaki that makes use of seven easy fillings!
Yearly on February third in Japan, we have fun Setsubun (節分, Japanese Bean-Throwing Pageant) by consuming ehōmaki (恵方巻), an uncut, thick roll with seven fillings for success. Right this moment, I’ll present you make a contemporary model of Ehomaki or Setsubun Sushi Rolls so you possibly can stick with it this enjoyable and scrumptious custom at house.
In the event you love sushi rolls, attempt my Vegetarian Sushi Rolls, Spicy Tuna Rolls, and Futomaki (Maki Sushi) recipes subsequent!
What’s Ehomaki?
Consuming uncut sushi rolls for luck could have began in Osaka within the late Edo interval (1603–1868) and early Meiji interval (1868–1912), however the customized achieve nationwide recognition solely within the Nineties. On Setsubun, we face the auspicious path or eho (恵方) of the brand new yr’s zodiac image (west-southwest for 2025). Then, we eat the ehomaki with out stopping, wanting away, or talking whereas we pray for good well being, prosperity, and household concord. The largest no-no is to slice the roll, for that will reduce off our luck!
Why I Love This Recipe
- It makes use of seven easy fillings – Ehomaki will need to have seven fillings for good luck, and I’ve chosen colourful and attractive ones which can be simple to seek out in a Japanese market.
- It’s fast and straightforward to organize – I chosen easy-to-prep substances, so the rolls come collectively quick. You don’t have to make use of the standard fillings in futomaki, the traditional selection for ehomaki.
- Makes a handheld, moveable meal – Eat these uncut sushi rolls identical to a burrito—no chopsticks wanted! They’re handy to wrap and pack for a fast meal or picnic on Setsubun or any time of the yr.
Substances for Ehomaki
These days, extra individuals in Japan go for their favourite fillings to honor the Seven Fortunate Gods (七福神) as an alternative of utilizing the standard auspicious ones—kanpyo (dried gourd), shiitake mushrooms, rolled omelette, eel, shrimp, cucumber, and sakura denbu (cherry blossom fish paste). In actual fact, it’s not the substances themselves however the quantity seven that represents the fortunate gods. So, you’ll want to use seven fillings! Listed here are mine.
- Salmon sashimi
- Tuna sashimi
- Tamagoyaki (Japanese Rolled Omelette)
- Unagi – broiled
- Shrimp (ebi) – boiled
- Simmered Shiitake Mushrooms
- Japanese or Persian cucumbers
Discover the printable recipe with measurements under.
Substitutions
- Salmon and Tuna Sashimi: I selected these two sorts of uncooked fish since they’re simple to seek out in Japanese grocery shops. They’re additionally so easy to organize. The sashimi replaces the extra conventional substances of sakura denbu and kanpyo (dried gourd strips) which may be onerous to seek out. That stated, I encourage you to attempt them when you can. In the event you’d prefer to see how I make simmered kanpyo filling, see my Futomaki recipe.
- Bamboo sushi rolling mat – I like to recommend the Sushi Making Equipment from JapanBargain that comes with three bamboo mats, three rice paddles, and a Japanese wood tub referred to as hangiri for seasoning the sushi rice.
The right way to Make Ehomaki
In Japan, ehomaki for Setsubun can be found for buy at comfort shops, supermarkets, malls, and sushi outlets. Whereas shopping for them is handy, it’s not onerous to make your personal, particularly when you preserve the fillings easy. Right here’s how I do it.
Preparation
Step 1 – Minimize the filling substances into lengthy strips. Slice the seeded cucumber and tamagoyaki lengthwise into eight sticks. Minimize the shrimp in half lengthwise and the broiled unagi into 4 lengthwise strips.
Step 2 – Unfold the sushi rice on the nori sheet. Heart the seaweed sheet on the bamboo mat. Unfold one cup of sushi rice evenly on the nori, leaving an empty strip alongside the highest and backside.
Filling
Step 3 – Add the primary layer of fillings. Beginning 1/4 inch up from the rice’s backside edge, line up the cucumber sticks throughout the width of the nori sheet. Then, place the unagi, shrimp, and tamagoyaki, turning the shrimp and unagi on their vertical edge to maintain the fillings compact. Add the shiitake mushroom items final.
Step 4 – Add the sashimi on the second layer. Place the salmon and tuna throughout the highest of the cucumber and unagi.
Rolling
Step 5 – Roll the nori and rice over the fillings. Seize the underside fringe of the mat and nori sheet together with your thumbs and index fingers. Tightly roll the underside edge over the filling whereas holding the substances in place together with your different fingers. Elevate away the mat barely as you roll firmly till the rice on the backside and prime meet.
Step 6 – Press and tighten, then end rolling. Squeeze the roll by way of the mat to tighten the rice and filling. Pull the mat ahead with one hand as you end rolling with the opposite. After rolling, launch the mat and press the roll to right its form.
Nami’s Recipe Ideas
- Prep the simmered shiitake and tamagoyaki forward of time – I normally put together them a day or two prematurely and retailer within the fridge. Have the fillings able to go makes rolling day go sooner.
- Unfold the sushi rice evenly – Spreading the rice evenly helps to maintain your fillings centered within the roll. I strongly advocate wetting your fingers in tezu (vinegared dipping water) so the sushi rice received’t persist with them.
- Depart two empty strips in your seaweed sheet – After I unfold the rice, I go away a 1-inch (2.5-cm) empty strip of nori alongside the highest and a 1/2-inch (1.5-cm) empty strip alongside the underside. This retains the rice from exhibiting on the seam when rolled.
- Place the easy-to-hold substances close to the underside edge – You’ll roll the substances on the backside OVER the opposite fillings. Subsequently, I counsel placing the cucumber, tamagoyaki, and sashimi towards the sting closest to you.
- Place the simmered shiitake at towards the highest edge – I’ve discovered that the small mushroom items received’t fall out as your roll when you place them towards the highest.
- Use the bamboo mat for a good and agency roll – Use the bamboo mat to snugly roll the nori and rice over the fillings. I like to drag the highest fringe of the mat and the roll away from one another to tighten up the rice and fillings earlier than ending the roll.
Variations and Customizations
You’ll be able to change up your ehomaki any means you want—simply preserve your roll lengthy for Setsubun! Listed here are my ideas for personalizing your ehomaki.
- Use plant-based substances – Make it vegan/vegetarian with fillings like deep-fried agency tofu cutlet (atsuage), koyadofu (freeze-dry tofu), shiso leaves, pickled purple onions, avocados, spinach or mitsuba (Japanese parsley), and skinny carrot strips.
- Select your favourite seafood fillings – I counsel making an attempt different sorts of seafood like actual or imitation crab, kamaboko (fish cake), and totally different sashimi-grade uncooked fish.
- Make it with meat – It’s also possible to use meat fillings like gingery seasoned floor hen or thin-sliced yakiniku beef. Pair it with a soft-boiled egg, crunchy lettuce, and onion slices.
- Strive a seaweed roll – Ehomaki doesn’t need to be a sushi roll. Uncut Kimbap, a Korean seaweed rice roll, is a extremely popular selection as of late in Japan to take pleasure in complete as ehomaki.
- Make futomaki as an alternative – This conventional thick maki sushi is definitely the customary selection for ehomaki. You’ll be able to observe my Futomaki recipe to make it at house.
- Slice it for presentation – Whereas custom says to not slice the ends off, you possibly can select to take action for a neater presentation. Really, you possibly can serve these rolls anytime of yr; on this case, I encourage you to chop the sushi roll into bite-size items!
What to Serve with Ehomaki (Setsubun Sushi Roll)
Whereas ehomaki is the first meals loved on this annual pageant, listed below are another meals that I counsel for Setsubun.
- With soup – Kenchinjiru (Japanese Vegetable Soup) was initially created as Japanese temple delicacies. This vegan soup is served in some elements of the Kanto area on Setsubun.
- With noodle soup – Again within the late Edo interval, it was widespread to eat Toshikoshi Soba (New 12 months’s Eve Soba Noodle Soup) on Setsubun because the Japanese adopted the lunar calendar in these days.
- With sardines – A sardine head was historically hanged within the house to keep at bay demons; as of late, it’s nonetheless widespread to serve sardines for the Setsubun dinner.
- With roasted soybeans – A central ritual of Setsubun is mamemaki, or the throwing of roasted soybeans referred to as fukumame (fortune beans) to solid out demons and different evil spirits from the house and herald good luck. Afterwards, everybody eats the identical variety of beans as their very own age, wishing to be freed from illness for the yr.
Storage Ideas
To retailer: It‘s finest to take pleasure in ehomaki on the identical day you make them. Rice will get onerous and dry within the fridge. In the event you actually need to preserve ehomaki within the fridge, my advice is to cowl them with plastic after which with a thick kitchen towel, so the rice will keep cool and protected, however not get chilly.
Often Requested Questions
Because of the sashimi fillings, I strongly advocate that you simply devour these ehomaki on the identical day you make them. Even when you don’t use uncooked fish, I don’t advise storing them in a single day within the fridge as this may make the sushi rice onerous and dry. In the event you actually need to preserve ehomaki within the fridge, I like to recommend that you simply cowl them first with plastic after which with a thick kitchen towel, so the rice will keep cool and protected, however not get chilly.
Extra Sushi Roll Recipes
In the event you love ehomaki, you’re in for a deal with with these different irresistible sushi roll recipes.
Forestall your display from going darkish
Earlier than You Begin
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Make Forward (Optionally available): 1–2 days prematurely, I put together the Simmered Shiitake Mushrooms and 3 Ingredient Easy Tamagoyaki and retailer them within the fridge till prepared to make use of. For the cooked shrimp, I devein shell-on massive shrimp (see The right way to Devein Shrimp), push their backs to straighten, then shortly boil them in 2 cups water with a splash of sake till their colour modifications. I peel the shells afterward.
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The sushi rice takes about 90 minutes to make. Please observe that 1½ cups (300 g, 2 rice cooker cups) of raw Japanese short-grain rice yield 4⅓ cups (660 g) of cooked white rice. You’ll be able to observe my The right way to Make Sushi Rice recipe for step-by-step directions on prepare dinner the rice and add the sushi seasoning. Now, collect all of the substances.
To Put together the Substances
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Minimize off the ends of 1 Japanese or Persian cucumber. (Optionally available: You’ll be able to peel the pores and skin alternately to create stripes.) Then, reduce it lengthwise in half, then lengthwise once more into quarters.
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Take away the seeds by slicing them off with a knife. Then, reduce the quarters lengthwise in half once more. You must now have 8 cucumber sticks.
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Minimize 1 Tamagoyaki (Japanese Rolled Omelette) lengthwise into 8 strips.
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Minimize every of the 4 cooked shrimp in half lengthwise.
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Minimize 1 unagi (freshwater eel) fillet lengthwise into 4 strips.
To Add the Sushi Rice and Fillings
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Make one roll at a time. Set the bamboo sushi mat on a piece floor with the slats working sideways (horizontally) for rolling. Place 1 nori sheet shiny facet down on the mat. Depart about 3–4 slats seen on the sting nearest you. Moisten a 1 cup measure in a small bowl of water, shake off the surplus, and scoop 1 cup sushi rice. Tip: For thick sushi rolls, we sometimes place the nori sheet’s brief facet alongside the mat’s backside edge closest to you so there’s extra room to roll the substances. Once we serve the ehomaki uncut, we regularly roll it with the lengthy facet closest to you so it is thinner and simpler to eat. You’ll be able to determine which method to place the nori relying on when you serve the rolls complete or sliced.
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Place the measured sushi rice in the midst of the nori sheet. Gently unfold the rice together with your fingers, leaving an empty strip of nori throughout the underside ½ inch (1.5 cm) and prime 1 inch (2.5 cm). Do not mash the rice, and ensure to unfold it evenly so the roll is not bumpy. Tip: As a substitute of utilizing your fingers, you should use a rice paddle. Maintain it vertically to keep away from mashing the rice.
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Depart a ¼ inch strip of rice on the backside, then add the primary layer of fillings, starting with the easy-to-hold substances. Begin with 2 cucumber sticks, lining them up throughout the width of the nori sheet. Then, place the 1 strip unagi, 2 strips shrimp, and a couple of strips tamagoyaki, turning the shrimp and unagi on their facet edge to maintain the primary layer compact. Lastly, add a portion of the simmered shiitake mushrooms final so they will not fall out when rolling. Tip: Consider what the filling will appear like after it is rolled up. I attempt my finest (however do not all the time succeed) to rearrange the substances so comparable colours aren’t subsequent to one another.
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For the second layer, place 2 strips sashimi-grade salmon and a couple of strips sashimi-grade tuna on prime of the cucumber and unagi.
To Roll the Ehomaki
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Seize the underside fringe of the mat and nori sheet together with your thumbs and index fingers. Tightly roll the underside edge over the filling whereas holding the substances in place together with your different fingers. Elevate away the mat barely as you roll firmly till the rice on the backside and prime edges meet.
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Press it by way of the mat to tighten the rice and filling.
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Now, maintain the lifted fringe of the mat with one hand and pull it ahead as you employ your different hand to complete rolling the remainder of the way in which. Then, launch the sting of the mat and press the roll by way of the mat to right its form. Proceed rolling the remainder of the ehomaki.
To Serve
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Optionally, you possibly can reduce off the ends of the roll for a neater presentation.
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Benefit from the ehomaki uncut on Setsubun! It’s also possible to slice and luxuriate in these sushi rolls anytime of yr.
To Retailer
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It‘s finest to take pleasure in ehomaki on the identical day you make them. Rice will get onerous and dry within the fridge, so it isn’t superb to retailer them in a single day. In the event you actually need to preserve ehomaki within the fridge, my advice is to cowl them with plastic after which with a thick kitchen towel, so the rice will keep cool and protected, however not get chilly.
