Gunkan sushi is my new favorite type of Japanese sushi to make at home! We learned how to make this easy sushi from a sushi chef in Tokyo and have never looked back. The best part of this recipe is that it is entirely customizable, and you can choose your favorite fish or topping!
In this gunkan sushi recipe, I will show you how to make restaurant-quality sushi at home using easy, simple ingredients and foolproof techniques. This battleship sushi is the easiest and most approachable type of sushi that you can make at home.
Gunkan sushi, also known as gunkan maki, is a Japanese sushi roll made by wrapping a small strip of nori seaweed around a small ball of rice to form a small boat, most commonly topped with chopped tuna or salmon, uni, or ikura. It translates to “battleship” in Japanese, which comes from the shape of the sushi.
You can serve this Japanese battleship sushi on its own as a complete meal for lunch or dinner, or paired with miso soup and other types of sushi like nigiri or cut rolls like tekka maki (tuna sushi roll).
Ingredients
You can find all the ingredients for this gunkan sushi recipe at your local Japanese grocery store. Full measurements and links for everything I used are in the recipe card below.
Japanese Short Grain Sushi Rice: is known for its plump and sticky texture that holds well when seasoned and shaped. Here is my full guide for how to make sushi rice.
Rice Vinegar: to add seasoning to the rice.
Sugar: to balance the acidity in the rice vinegar.
Salt: to enhance the flavor of the rice
Nori Sheets: to wrap the gunkan sushi into little battleships
Toppings: I used uni, ikura (salmon roe), chopped tuna, and chopped salmon. Be sure to buy the raw toppings the day you plan to serve them.
Substitutions and Additions
Substitutions
Toppings: negitoro (fatty tuna), kani (crab), sweet corn with Japanese mayo, tamago (egg) salad), chopped scallops, tobiko, or masago.
Soy Paper: instead of nori to wrap the gunkan sushi.
Additions
Spicy Mayo: Toss your fish of choice in spicy mayo for added heat.
Yuzu kosho: Place a dab of yuzu kosho on top of the rice for extra flavor.
Furikake: for added seasoning.
Greens: sliced scallions, thinly sliced jalapeno, or microgreens.
Crispies: tempura flakes, crispy garlic chips, or fried shallots.
How to Make Gunkan
Here are the step-by-step instructions for how to make this gunkan sushi recipe.
Wet one hand with rice vinegar water. Shape about 1 tablespoon of rice in one hand into a small oval ball.
Take one strip of nori and wrap it around the rice, shiny side out. Use one grain of rice to seal the end of the strip.
Gently spoon in your choice of topping into the nori cavity above the rice.
Serve the sushi immediately.
Expert Tips
Use only a tablespoon of rice. The less rice, the better! You want to be able to fit the entire piece of gunkan sushi into your mouth in one bite.
Wet your hands. Be sure to lightly wet your hands with water seasoned with rice vinegar to prevent the rice from sticking.
Use one hand to shape the rice. Use only one hand to shape the rice ball, opening and closing your fingers around it to seal it into an oval, gently yet firmly.
Cut the nori along the perforated lines. Typically, nori sheets have indented lines running along the sheet. Cut along those lines for even strips.
Shiny side out. Wrap the ball of rice with the shiny side of the nori facing outward.
Seal with rice. Seal the end of the nori with a grain of rice to prevent the nori from unraveling.
Gently top. Do not smush or shove the toppings. Lightly drop them in until they fill the boat.
Storage Instructions
Gunkan sushi is best served immediately. At most, you can store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 12 hours.
The best method is to store each part separately and assemble only when you are ready to serve.
Pairing Suggestions
You can serve this gunkan sushi on its own for dinner, or with the following pairings. For a full sushi spread, check out my How to Make Sushi at Home.
This type of sushi can be either raw or cooked, depending on the toppings you select.
What are the best toppings?
The most popular toppings for gunkan sushi include ikura (salmon roe), uni, tobiko (flying fish roe), spicy tuna, spicy crab, chopped salmon, negitoro (fatty tuna), or chopped scallops.
What is the best rice to use for sushi?
Japanese grain sushi rice is known for its sticky texture and ability to hold its shape well when seasoned with sugar, salt, and rice vinegar. Click here for my How to Make Sushi Rice guide.
Why is my sushi falling apart?
This could be because the rice wasn’t pressed firmly enough with your palm, or the nori was cut too small to wrap around the rice.
This easy step-by-step tutorial will show you how to make fresh sushi at home. Gunkan sushi or battleship sushi is the easiest form of sushi to make at any level!
5-6nori sheetscut into 1 1/4 inch strips along the perforated lines
1lbChoice of filling tuna, salmon, uni, ikura, etc.depending on how much you'd like to make
Instructions
Make the sushi rice. Mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Then season the cooked rice with the mixture. Cover with a towel and bring to room temperature.
Shape the rice. Wet one hand with rice vinegar water. Shape about one tablespoon of rice in one hand by opening and closing your fingers over the rice in your palm until you shape a small oval ball about 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches long.
Wrap. Take one strip of nori and gently wrap it around the rice, shiny side out. Use a single grain of rice to seal the end of the strip.
Add the filling. Gently spoon in your choice of topping into the nori cavity above the rice. Avoid pressing down on the filling.
Serve. Serve the sushi immediately with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger.
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