Salmon temaki with cream cheese and chives

Ingredients

For Shari

• 150 g short-grain Japanese rice

• 200 ml cold water, plus water to wash the rice

• 30 ml unseasoned rice vinegar

• 13 g of sugar

• 3 g of salt

For filling and assembly

• 240 g of skinless, boneless salmon, from a trusted supplier and intended for raw consumption

• 90 g cream cheese

• 12 g of finely chopped chives

• 5 g of toasted black or white sesame

• 3 whole sheets of toasted nori, cut in half to form 6 rectangles

• Shoyu, wasabi and pickled ginger to serve, optional

Preparation method

1. Wash and moisturize the rice

Place the rice in a bowl, cover with cold water, stir gently and discard the water. Repeat 4 to 5 times, until the water becomes much less cloudy. Drain for 5 minutes, transfer to a small, thick-bottomed pan, add 200 ml of water and leave to hydrate for 20 minutes with the pan covered.

2. Cook the rice

Place the covered pan over medium heat until it starts to boil. Lower to low and cook for 12 minutes without opening the lid. Turn off and let rest for 10 minutes, still covered, for the steam to finish cooking the grains.

3. Season and cool the shari

Mix rice vinegar, sugar and salt until dissolved. Transfer the hot rice to a wide dish, distribute the seasoning over the top and incorporate with a spatula in cutting and turning movements, without kneading. Spread the rice to release steam and let it come to warm or room temperature; it should remain moist and shiny, not cold and dry.

4. Prepare the filling

Keep the salmon refrigerated until this point. Dry the surface with a clean paper towel and cut into cubes of approximately 1 cm. Mix gently with the cream cheese, chives and sesame seeds, just until distributed. Return to the refrigerator while you organize the nori and shari.

5. Position the nori and rice

Pick up a rectangle of nori in your left hand, leaving the rough side facing up and the shiny side outside the cone. Lightly moisten the fingers of your other hand and spread about 50 to 55 g of shari over the left half of the nori, forming a thin diagonal layer. Leave the right half free to go around the cone.

6. Fill without overloading

Place about 55 g of the salmon mixture over the rice, following the diagonal. The filling may go a little over the top edge, but the base should be free enough for the cone to close without leaking.

7. Close the cone

With the nori resting in your hand, move the lower left corner towards the upper edge, enclosing the rice and filling. Then wrap the right half of the nori around the first movement until it forms a tight cone. If the outer tip insists on opening, use one or two grains of shari as “glue”. Repeat with the others only when serving.

8. Serve immediately

Deliver each temaki as soon as it is assembled. If using soy sauce, preferably dip only the edge of the filling or add a few drops on top; Soaking the nori accelerates the loss of crispiness.

Right spot / how to know it’s ready

The finished temaki must maintain a cone shape without opening at the seam, with the lower tip closed and without liquid running out. The nori must be dry and crispy, the shari must have defined and adherent grains without turning into a paste, and the filling must remain cold and creamy. If the cone bends when you pick it up, the nori is wet or there is too much filling.

Tips for the recipe to work out

Use little rice

A thick layer takes up the filling space, makes it difficult to close and makes the temaki heavy. For this size of nori, 50 to 55 g of shari per piece is a good guideline.

Don't ride with a hot shari

Very hot rice releases steam, softens the nori and heats the salmon. Wait for the shari to be warm or at room temperature before assembling.

Keep the nori dry until the last moment

Open the nori packet close to serving time and work with only slightly moistened hands. Excess water on your fingers or on the counter will soften the seaweed quickly.

Treat raw salmon as a risky ingredient

For raw consumption, buy from a supplier that informs the destination for this use and parasite control. Previously frozen fish reduces the risk of parasites, but freezing does not eliminate all microorganisms; Keep the salmon at 4°C or below and avoid leaving it out of the refrigerator during assembly.

Substitutions and variations

Can I use cooked salmon?

Yes. Cook the salmon completely, cool under refrigeration, and shred or cut into pieces before mixing with the cream cheese. The texture is firmer and less greasy, but eliminates the consumption of raw fish. This is the most prudent option for pregnant women, children, the elderly and people with weakened immunity.

Can I change the cream cheese?

Japanese mayonnaise can replace part or all of the cream cheese, making the filling more fluid and less dense. Use less quantity to prevent the liquid from moistening the nori.

Can I use regular chives?

Yes. The green part of common chives works well. Cut very thinly to distribute the flavor without creating strings that make it difficult to bite.

How to store

Assembled temaki is not a good preparation to store: the nori loses its crunchiness and the raw filling requires refrigeration. Assemble and consume immediately. Keep salmon, cream cheese and prepared filling at 4°C or below; for fresh fatty fish like salmon, official home storage references indicate 1 to 3 days under refrigeration, but for this recipe, prefer to prepare the filling on the same day it will be served. Make the shari close to serving time. Do not leave cooked rice or other perishables unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the environment is above 32°C. If you need to store the shari, refrigerate it in a shallow, well-closed container; the texture hardens and loses quality to temaki.

How to serve / side dishes

Serve the temakis one by one, with soy sauce, a small portion of wasabi and pickled ginger on the side. A sweet and sour cucumber or miso soup salad works well as a side dish without competing with the filling.

Common mistakes

Why does my temaki open in my hand?

The most common reasons are rice spread to the right edge, too much stuffing or too loose first folding movement. Leave half of the nori free and make the first firm closure before wrapping it with the rest of the sheet.

Why was the nori rubbery?

Usually the temaki was assembled in advance, the rice was hot or there was excess moisture on the hands and filling. Keep the components separate and only assemble when ready to eat.

Why did the rice turn into pasta?

The shari was stirred like risotto or squeezed tightly. After seasoning, use chopping and turning motions to distribute the vinegar without crushing the grains.