Kappa maki, or cucumber roll, is a simple yet refreshing crunchy sushi roll. With a single slice of cucumber at the centre, it's a thin roll of simple sushi. It's a great introductory dish to sushi if you're new to eating raw food or looking to explore some Japanese vegetarian cuisines.
Our kappa roll recipe is easy to make at home and quick for a weeknight meal or a sushi party.
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Cucumber Roll Ingredients
Kappa Maki is a vegetarian sushi made from cucumber, vinegared sushi rice, and nori.
Any cucumber will work for our recipe. We recommend going for a type with more flesh and fewer seeds inside.
For the vinegared rice, try to buy sushi-grade Japanese short-grain rice. It produces the best sticky and chewy texture when mixed with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. While you can use other types, like basmati or jasmine, these would not be as malleable in a roll.
Kappa Maki | Veggie Sushi Roll
Ingredients
- ½ cucumber
- 1 nori seaweed cut into half
- ½ cup rice Japanese short-grain
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Equipment
Cooking Instructions
- Wash and cook your rice. Once done, let it cool for 5 - 10 mins and gently fold it in with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until fully coated.
- Rinse your cucumber thoroughly and cut it horizontally in half, then remove the seeds with a small spoon.
- Then, cut these into half again until they resemble even quarters.
- Lay your nori on a bamboo mat with its shiny side facing down. Add ½ cup of vinegared rice to the nori, leaving a 3 cm gap on the top.
- Place 2 cucumber slices horizontally on the rice for your Kappa maki roll.
- Lift the bamboo mat with your thumb and hold the sushi in place with your fingers. Then, fold it over and roll the sushi into a tight cylinder. Firmly press on the roll at each fold to make it compact.
- At the end, wet the nori with a dab of water to seal the roll. Cut into 8 bite-size pieces and serve your Kappa maki.
Nutrition
Calories have been calculated using an online calculator. Nutritional information offered on Honest Food Talks is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimate.
Cooking Tips
Our kappa maki recipe is easy to follow and quick, too. However, here are our top cooking tips to get the perfect shape and bite.
Rice not fluffy
To make fluffy sushi rice, wash the rice thoroughly until the water turns clear. For a softer bite, you can soak the rice for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Rice too mushy or dry
To avoid damaging the grains, we recommend using a flat rice serving spoon when folding the vinegar mixture with the rice and filling your sushi.
Avoid pressing down the rice into the nori seaweed sheet for a more obvious grain texture between bites. Instead, try to evenly spread it by using a serving spoon in a brushing motion.
If your rice is too dry and not sticking to the nori, add 1-2 tablespoon of water and try to reheat it. Cover the rice with a damp cloth to prevent it from drying out when you're not using it immediately.
Soft nori
Nori can become soggy when it absorbs too much moisture. To prevent this, you should leave your rice to cool before wrapping, which will help release any extra steam.
Crispy seaweed
Toasting the seaweed before assembling adds a nutty flavour and crispiness to the cucumber roll dish. However, we only recommend toasting the seaweed over the stove for 10-15 seconds. More than this can cause your seaweed to become too crispy and brittle to fold as a roll.
Quarters or shredded
In our recipe, we chose to cut the cucumber into singular quarter pieces, which is the traditional method. However, you can cut the cucumber into more petite strips than the traditional singular piece.
No sushi mat
A sushi mat is best for getting firm and tight rolls. However, if you don't have this, you can also use a flexible placemat. Wrap the placemat with cling film before use and follow the same technique to make the Kappa maki roll. However, it is much harder to get an evenly shaped tight roll.
Assembly Tips to make Kappa Maki rolls better
Making the Kappa roll can be as simple or challenging as assembling a burrito. Here are our top tips.
Don't overwrap
We recommend adding only ½ a bowl of cooked rice or even less to the seaweed sheet. To balance the rice-to-cucumber ratio, we also put only 2 slices of cucumber horizontally in these rolls.
If you want to wrap more inside, we recommend using a full-sized nori seaweed sheet rather than a half-size one in our recipe.
During the assembly of your sushi, place your nori sheet shiny side down. This is because the rice sticks better on the rougher side and gives a better presentation.
Firm and quick motions
Try not to overthink, and don't unroll your sushi to redo it. Instead, you want to hold the sushi with your fingers while your thumbs fold the bamboo mat over. Use your palm or fingers to press down on the sushi with each fold gently.
When cutting into the roll, using a slightly wet knife is best. This helps prevent the rice from sticking to the blade.
Remove cucumber seeds
Removing the watery part of the cucumber is key to getting a tight sushi roll. It also stops the rice from absorbing moisture and the nori seaweed from becoming soggy too quickly.
We like cutting the cucumber in half and using a spoon to take out the seeds. As an added step, you can also pat dry your sliced cucumber quarters.
How to Store
We recommend that the prepared rolls be consumed within 2 hours before it gets too soft and less enjoyable.
Putting them in the refrigerator is fine, but leaving them too long can cause the nori to become soggy and the dish stale.
Why Is It Called Kappa Maki?
This sushi is originally named after the Japanese kappa monster, a river imp who adores cucumbers. The word 'Kappa' in the sushi name is often mistakenly translated to cucumber for 'cucumber roll'.
As the direct translation of cucumber in Japanese is 'Kyuri', this Kappa roll is unique in taste and name.
What Does It Taste Like?
To briefly describe, the cucumber roll tastes like a spoonful of rice salad. The mixture of fresh cucumber, sticky rice, and a hint of nori is bound to create a mouthful of experiences.
Unlike most sushi rolls, the Kappa Maki contains no seafood, making it great for beginners. The taste profile is simple, light, and refreshing, unlike other sushi types like the battleship maki, which focuses on stronger-tasting ingredients.
Calories
Our cucumber roll contains 180 calories per serving. The serving size depends on the thickness of the sushi slices, varying from 4 to 8 slices per roll.
Variations
Though Kappa Maki is a special name for the cucumber roll, there are many variations towards making sushi rolls. Vegetables like carrots, avocado, or pickled radish are perfect substitutes.
Different types of maki are vegetarian-friendly. To name a few:
- Oshinko roll (yellow pickled daikon)
- Umekyu Maki (cucumber and pickled plum)
- Gobo Maki (burdock root)
- Kanpyo Maki (calabash gourd)
Did you make your own Japanese roll at home? Share with us how it turned out by tagging us on Instagram @honestfoodtalks.
Trey
Thank you for the guide
Steve
Perfect - finally something to serve some of my vegan guests.