One of the most popular types of sushi is the sushi roll. There are two primary types of sushi rolls that are sold in restaurants and sushi bars both in Japan and in North America.
Seaweed called nori on outside of sushi is one variety of sushi rolls. The second type has nori inside the roll.
The texture and flavor of sushi rolls change dramatically with the presence of seaweed inside or outside.
Those who enjoy nori often prefer the style of sushi roll where the nori is on the outside of the roll. This style of sushi roll is called futomaki.
A sushi roll with the nori on the inside is called uramaki.
Futomaki rolls are often served by Japanese restaurants or sushi bars. Even grocery stores keep futomaki sushi rolls.
Futomaki is typically vegetarian with non vegetarian toppings, such as fish eggs, on top of the roll. Futomaki is typically cut into pieces, although during some Japanese festivals, the futomaki is served as an entire roll.
Japanese prefer to eat with their fingers, so uramaki is becomes a less popular choice. As uramaki is has a tendency to be sticky and it falls apart under pressure, it is difficult to eat it either with fingers or chopsticks. A uramaki sushi roll, on the other hand, is non-vegetarian in nature and is served with sesame or fish egg toppings.
Since most Americans do not fancy futomaki with its black coating, uramaki is the preferred form of sushi rolls.
Hosomaki stands out in the entire sushi rolls family. As with futomaki, hosomaki is served with seaweed on the outside of sushi rolls.
Kappamaki, Tekkamaki, Negitoromaki and Tsunamayomaki are the four varieties of hosomaki.
Kappamaki that has cucumber as its main ingredient is said to cleanse the palate after eating raw fish dishes and its accompaniments.
The red color of tuna fish gives tekkamaki its name and base ingredient.
Negitoromaki is filled with tuna and scallions. Fatty tuna is commonly used in this type of sushi roll.
The fourth variety of hosomaki, that is Tsunamayomaki, has canned tuna and mayonnaise in it. Such sushi rolls are easy to prepare at home and can be tried by any sushi enthusiast.
Kimikoshi Sumo is a Japanese food expert. Her sushi help website at http://www.hereishelp.com offers simple yet delicious sushi recipes. Kimi’s cookbook for sushi “Introduction to Sushi” is jam packed with tips for making mouth watering sushi delicacies.
