More than a few people have asked me to post the recipe secrets for my sushi. My maki rolls have been known on many occasions to make sushi lovers out of both fearful sushi virgins and those who’ve had bad sushi experiences, but for the most part my secret is “practice” and a couple simple techniques.

QUICK TIP: Don’t skimp on the fish! Spend the money and get high-quality fish, because there’s nothing worse than fishy-tasting sushi. If you can find one, go to an Asian grocer. I won’t make sushi with fish from anywhere but Mitsuwa for my sushi fish and other Asian ingredients.

There are lots of ways to make su-meshi, sticky sushi rice. This is my method.

INGREDIENTS: TIARAMAKI (Tiara’s maki rolls)

• 2 cups Calrose Rice, Sushi Rice, or Brown Sushi Rice. I swear by Kagayaki Brown Sushi Rice.
• Rice Vinegar, 3 tbsp
• White sugar, 7 tsp
• Sanrio Hello Kitty Furikake … wait, what?

I came across this at first because it was adorable. Then it became what I consider my signature ingredient that makes my Tiaramaki special. The Hello Kitty brand includes dried bits of 7 different vegetables in all: broccoli, tomato, radish, green pea, spinach, pumpkin, seaweed and carrot. You can also use the seasoning packet that comes with most brands of roasted nori, the seaweed for rolliing.

I prepare my rice with my Black & Decker Handy Steamer, adding a little extra water. Mix the rice vinegar with the white sugar and set aside. When the rice is cooked, put into a mixing bowl. Add the vinegar and sugar with two packets of the vegetable furikake.Put in the fridge until cool, at least 30 minutes.

More on the recipe behind the cut…

To make the rolls, you will need:

• 1-2 small pieces of sushi-grade fish; I use tuna or salmon for my dinner parties
• 1 package roasted seaweed nori
• 1 small zucchini, sliced julienne style
• 1 small carrot, sliced julienne style
• 1 bunch spring onions
• 1 avocado, sliced (how to slice an avocado)
• Mayonnaise
• Sriracha Thai Chili Sauce
• Pickled Ginger
• Penzey’s Wasabi Powder
• San-J Premium Tamari Soy Sauce (don’t skimp on the soy sauce… this is by far the best I’ve tried)
• Sushi mat

Slice the fish thinly across the grain and set aside. Mix 3 tbsp mayonnaise with a small squirt of the chili sauce. This will be your spicy mayo, so make it as mild or spicy as you’d like. Mix the fish with the mayonnaise until coated.

You can find many YouTube videos and step-by-step instructions for making maki rolls; this is how I do it. Lay your sushi mat in front of you with the slats laying horizontally. Place a piece of nori on your sushi mat, the shiny-side out. Using a rice paddle or wet fingers, take a bit of rice and put it in a thin layer across the entire piece of nori. This is the part that takes the most practice, so don’t be alarmed if it seems like your first few rolls are too thick or skimpy. About 1″ from the bottom, layer in a thin line some fish, one line of julienne carrots and one line of zucchini, 1–2 spring onion segments, a slice of avocado and a layer of coated fish. Using your mat to help you, begin rolling the nori by folding the first bit over and pressing down. Continue rolling the sushi, keeping pressure on the roll. Again, this will take practice. Set aside and make the rest of the rolls.

Chill the rolls for at least 10 minutes. You will cut this into pieces using a VERY sharp knife. Wet the knife first, then use a slicing motion with as little pressure as possible. Cut it into 3/4 inch segments.

Serve well-chilled with pickled ginger, tamari sauce and wasabi.