Huron Valley Aikikai Kids Camp Sushi!
- mibudokan
- Sep 2, 2025
- 2 min read
Kids today have more sophisticated palates than some of us did growing up. At our summer camp, while Pirate Booty never lasts long, some of the greatest enthusiasm at snack time consistently is on Sushi Day! Sushi is a great, mostly flame-and-knife-free kitchen project that is endlessly adaptable to your kids' palate.
Here Terri Sensei shares a recipe with the basics of making some maki (rolls) so you can experiment at home. Have a read and watch the video and you'll get the hang of it in no time!
Ingredients
All of these ingredients should be available in most grocery stores. Cutting all your vegetables into thin strips is the key to preparing them. The strips should be small enough that you can have some of each in the center of each roll. In addition to the vegetables listed below, Japanese pickled radish ("takuan" - typically yellow in color or brownish if you get the un-dyed style) is a great add. If you want some protein in the mix, you an also throw in some firm tofu strips, strips of scrambled egg, or a bit of tuna with mayonnaise...
● 1 cup of uncooked sushi rice*
● 1 ½ cup water
● ½ tablespoon rice vinegar
● 4 sheets of nori
● 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
● 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
● ½ avocado, thinly sliced
● 1 cup carrots cut julienne style
● 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
● optional - tamari or soy sauce
Directions
Rinse the rice in a rice cooker until the water runs clear.
Combine the sushi rice and water in a rice cooker.
Meanwhile, chop all vegetables.
Once rice is cooked, let cool to room temperature, add rice vinegar. [Note: there's a LOT more to cooking rice "just so" for sushi, but we're keepin' it simple here!]
Lay a sheet of nori, shiny side down, flat on a bamboo sushi mat on a cutting board. Cover with a handful of rice, leaving ¼ inch empty on the bottom and 2 inches on the top of the nori sheet. If the rice becomes too sticky, moisten your hands with cold water and press the rice with your wet fingers across the nori. (Make sure hands are washed or use food service gloves).
Lay a few pieces of each vegetable across the middle of the nori paper and rice - some strips of avocado slices, strips of cucumber, and carrots.
Moisten the ends of the nori roll with a little water, so it will stick together.
Using the sushi mat, roll the nori away from you, keeping a firm grip so the roll sticks together.
Using a very sharp knife, cut through the center of the roll. Place the two pieces next to each other and cut identical ¾ inch pieces.
Repeat until all vegetables or nori are gone.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with your choice of sauce (like soy sauce or sesame oil) and maybe some wasabi (spicy green horseradish) if you or your kids are up for it!
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