Tekkamaki Tuna Sushi Roll

Written by
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka is a freelance food writer and Japanese cookbook author.
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Setsuko Yoshizuka
Updated 05/17/21
Tekkamaki Tuna Sushi Roll

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 8 rolls

Sushi is any dish that consists of vinegared rice (“sushi rice“) combined with other ingredients such as seafood and vegetables. When the sushi rice is wrapped in nori (seaweed) and rolled, it is a sushi roll.

Sushi rolls or hosomaki are basic but popular sushi in Japan. Hoso means "thin," and maki means "roll." We say “thin” because there are also thick rolls, which are called futomaki. Due to the simplicity of ingredients and cooking technique, traditional edo-style sushi rolls, or hosomaki, consist of one main ingredient and are usually wrapped with nori on the outside. Hosomaki is suitable for home cooking as well as restaurant food.

The two most popular hosomaki are tekkamaki (tuna rolls), and kappamaki (cucumber rolls). Tekkamaki uses raw tuna, which has a pretty red color against white rice. The name Tekka, "hot iron," is said to come from this color. You only need a little bit of fish for each roll.

Hosomaki are much easier to roll than thick sushi rolls, so they are perfect for practicing before you move on to sushi rolls like California Rolls and Dragon Rolls. You may need a couple of times to practice to roll, but you’ll get the hang of it. We recommend you have extra rice and fillings to experiment and have fun making them.

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Ingredients

  • 4 sheets nori (dried seaweed)

  • 4 ounces sushi-grade tuna

  • 6 cups sushi rice (prepared)

  • Soy sauce and wasabi, for serving

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Tekkamaki Tuna Sushi Roll

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Cut nori in half to 4-by-7 1/2 inches. 

    Cut the nori

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Cut tuna into thin and long sticks 1/2-inch thick and 7 1/2-inch long.

    Cut tuna

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Put bamboo sushi mat flat on work surface with bamboo slats left to right, so you can roll mat away from you. 

    Put bamboo mat on counter

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Put a nori sheet on top of bamboo mat (makisu) with one of the seaweed's long sides close to the front edge of sushi mat (the edge near you).

    Put nori on bamboo mat

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Spread about 3/4 cup of sushi rice on top of nori sheet.

    Spread rice on nori

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Place tuna horizontally on rice.

    Place tuna on top of the rice

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Roll up bamboo mat, pressing forward to shape sushi into a cylinder. Roll from the front end of the mat, guiding with the sushi mat toward the other end.

    Roll up bamboo mat

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  9. Tighten rolls like roll cakes, pulling the mat to tighten and pressing the bamboo mat firmly.

    Tighten roll

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  10. Remove roll from mat.

    Remove the tuna roll from mat

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  11. Repeat until all rolls are made.

    Repeat until all rolls are made

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  12. Wipe a knife with a wet cloth before slicing sushi. Cut rolled sushi into bite-size pieces. Serve right away with soy sauce and wasabi.

    Tekkamaki Tuna Sushi Roll pieces

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

How Much Sushi is Enough for One Person?

  • A good guideline for the amount of sushi needed per person is six pieces, or one roll, per person.

Why Do Sushi Rolls Fall Apart?

  • Sushi rolls falling or breaking apart is usually due to putting too much rice and fillings in the nori. Also, double-check to make sure your nori is in one piece and doesn't have breaks in it.

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