• Sashimi is fresh fish, usually sliced and served with rice.
• Nigiri are "finger rolls" - bars of rice with a dab of wasabi and a slice of sashimi on top.
• Maki is rice and filler rolled in seaweed. It is the focus of this presentation.
• Futomaki is much like Maki, but bigger. Futomaki tends to have more filler than Maki.

Your local Asian/Global food store will hook you up with most of the supplies.

The initial investment:

• Bamboo Sushi Mat. This helps in rolling the Maki. It usually costs about $1.50.
• Chopsticks. Take some from Fribley or any Asian restaurant. They’re free, but you’ll have to invest some time in learning to use them.
• Rice spatula. A wooden paddle is ideal, but a plastic spatula or spoon is fine.
• If you want to all fancy-schmancy, you can buy some nice Japanese porcelain plates and bowls. It won’t make your sushi taste any better, though.

• Nori Leaves. These are dry, roasted seaweed leaves that hold the rice and filler.
• Rice. Sushi is usually made with high quality, medium-grain white calrose rice. Kokuho and Nishiki are the common brands.
• Filler Ingredients. Most rolls use some combination of the following: cucumber, avocado, steamed mushrooms, steamed carrots, egg, salmon, shrimp, crab, yellowtail, tuna, eel, squid, scallops, fish roe, cream cheese, and mayonnaise. This is where you can get a little creative, or simply use whatever you happen to have around.
• Sugar and Rice Wine Vinegar.

• Wasabi. This is where sushi gets its kick. Wasabi is hot Japanese horseradish, and it’s usually sold as a powder or paste.
• Pickled Ginger slices. This is important for "cleansing the palette" between rolls.
• Daikon. This is shredded radish, and it’s only used as a garnish.
• Soy Sauce. There are many varieties of soy sauce. Unless you really love salt, go for the "lite" stuff.
• Drinks. (assuming you are "21") Drink sake (Japanese rice wine, served warm) before you eat, not during or after. Green tea is best during the meal.

1. Cook the rice by following the directions on the bag—hopefully they are in English.
2. While the rice is cooking, prepare your filler ingredients. Most filler ingredients simply need to be sliced into sticks. If you’re using crunchy vegetables like carrots, you may need to steam them.
3. When the rice is done, transfer it to a nonmetallic bowl. You don’t want to use anything metal with the rice after it has cooked, since metal will react with the vinegar and make the sushi taste bad.
4. Add the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. The actual ratios are debatable and may even vary for different types of sushi. Generally, you’ll be safe using 2 Tbsp. vinegar, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and 1 tsp. salt for every cup of uncooked rice.
5. Cool the rice by mixing it with the rice paddle for about 10 minutes.
6. Once the rice is cool enough to work with, you’re ready to make the sushi. Get out a cup of water and set it aside. Always dip your hands into the water before grabbing some rice out of the bowl. Your rice will be much easier to handle this way.
7. Lay a Nori leaf on your bamboo mat and spread a thin layer of the rice over about 2/3 of the leaf.
8. Put some of your filler in the middle of the pad of rice, then roll up the mat and seal the Nori. With a little light pressure, you should have a finished roll.
9. Slice the roll into six or eight pieces.
10. When you’re done with the rolls, pour some soy sauce into a small bowl and add wasabi to taste. Dip and enjoy.