Natto Maki: Japanese Natto Sushi Roll
Natto Maki is a classic Japanese sushi roll filled with natto, nutty and stringy fermented soybeans. It is made with savory hikiwari natto, sweet-tart sushi rice, and umami-rich nori to create hosomaki-style thin sushi rolls. I'll share a few tips for handling sticky and stringy natto and rolling it without a mess!
Ingredients
- 320 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice (1½ cups) use freshly cooked hot rice or reheated until hot
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2 packages natto You can also use frozen natto for easy rolling *see note 1
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 nori sheets cut into halves
Instructions
- Make the sushi rice. Add the hot cooked rice to a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Pour the mixture over the hot rice and use a rice paddle or spatula to gently fold it in. Let it cool until warm or room temperature.
- Prepare the natto. Open the natto packages and remove the plastic film. Add soy sauce and mix well. Optional: for easier handling, transfer the natto to a small plastic bag and cut off about 1cm (⅓ inch) from one corner.
- Prepare the nori. Cut each nori sheet in half to make 4 half sheets.
- Arrange the rice. Place one half sheet of nori on a bamboo sushi mat, shiny side down. Spread about 80 g of sushi rice (about ¼ of the sushi rice) evenly over the nori, leaving a ½ inch strip uncovered at the top edge.
- Arrange the natto. Pipe or spoon about ½ package of natto in a thin line across the rice, in the center of the rice layer.
- Roll. Lift the near edge of the bamboo mat and roll the nori and rice over the natto to cover it completely. Continue rolling to the end, gently pressing to shape it into a tight roll.
- Cut and serve. Wet a sharp knife or wipe it with a damp towel. Cut each roll into 6 pieces, wiping the knife between cuts. I like to cut the roll in half first, then cut each half into 3 pieces. Serve right away.
Notes
Note 1: Frozen Natto For Easy Rolling
Natto is less sticky when frozen, so you can take advantage of that when rolling it into sushi! Take the natto out of the freezer and let it sit just until you can cut it with a knife, for 5 to 10 minutes. Cut it into sticks, arrange the sticks on sushi rice, then roll. The natto will thaw naturally.
Please note that the nutritional information provided is just an estimate, and accuracy is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1rollCalories: 161kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 7gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 460mgPotassium: 39mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 65IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 0.3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!