Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 cups cooked sushi rice (with sushi vinegar added)
- Beet powder (for red coloring)
- Sriracha or carrot powder (for orange coloring)
- Turmeric (for yellow coloring)
- Nori seaweed sheets
- Your choice of fillings (cucumber, avocado, cooked shrimp, tamagoyaki, or vegetables)
Instructions
- Divide warm, cooked sushi rice into 3 equal portions in separate bowls
- In a small bowl, combine 1-2 tablespoons warm water with beet powder, starting with 1/2 teaspoon and adding more until desired red color is achieved. Mix into one rice portion until evenly colored
- Add sriracha to one rice portion, starting with 1 tablespoon and adding more until desired orange color is achieved. Mix until evenly colored
- Combine 1-2 tablespoons warm water with turmeric, starting with 1/2 teaspoon. Add mixture to remaining rice portion and mix until evenly colored. Sprinkle extra turmeric if brighter yellow is desired
- Spread bamboo mat with slats horizontal, place plastic wrap over top, then add nori sheet with shiny side facing down
- With wet hands, spread red rice on nori edge closest to you, creating an even horizontal strip
- With wet hands, spread orange rice above red strip, creating equal-sized horizontal layer
- With wet hands, spread yellow rice above orange strip, leaving 1 inch of nori space at the end
- Place chosen fillings in middle of colored rice, keeping them tight together and horizontally aligned
- Grab mat edge closest to you and roll away, covering fillings with first roll. Continue rolling until no nori remains, using mat to tighten and shape. Add water to vacant nori edge for better adhesion
- Using sharp, wet knife, cut roll in half. Clean and re-wet knife, then cut each half into 3-4 pieces, wetting knife between cuts
Notes
- Keep your hands wet throughout the process to prevent rice from sticking and ensure smooth spreading
- Start with less coloring agent and gradually add more – you can always make colors more vibrant but can’t tone them down
- Use a sawing motion when cutting rolls rather than pressing down to maintain clean, intact shapes
- Wrap finished rolls in plastic wrap if not serving immediately to prevent drying out
- Chill completed rolls for 30 minutes before cutting for cleaner slices and better presentation
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 pieces