Uramakiuramaki “Inside Out” roll
Maki, Shou Si, is the Japanese term for “roll”. As such, any Japanese food item found on a menu that ends in “maki”, refers to a traditional roll made of vinegared sushi rice and wrapped in anything from seaweed to an egg omelet. Although “makizushi” is the correct name for sushi rolls, there are many variations.
Uramaki: The “rebel role”
Uramaki, also known as makizushi or traditional sushi rolls in Japanese cuisine, is one of five traditional sushi rolls. Its name literally means “inside out” roll. Because it is not the norm to wrap rice rolls from the outside, it could be called a “rebel” roll. Instead, the contents of the roll are wrapped in nori and rice is then rolled around them.
Instead of seeing a typical sushi roll with seaweed on the outside, you’ll see the rice inside and the nori on the inside. The sushi artist can add sesame seeds or roe (fish eggs), tempura (crispy flakes) and other creative options to make the rice bind.
It takes precision and care to roll this type of maki, especially when you have to cut it into pinwheels that are delicious with soy sauce. Uramaki is one of the more difficult types of maki.
It is believed that uramaki was an American version of sushi, and was created back when Americans and Canadians were not yet used to eating seaweed. Read more about the possible origins for uramaki.
