Sushi rolls can make for fun dinner party finger food. But, figuring out what you need for a good sushi party host can be tough. So I’ve outlined some of the basic steps you’ll have to take, and ingredients you’ll need, to have a rockin’ sushi party. You can do this yourself ahead of time, or have your guests take part and make it interactive.

Get the Right Ingredients: In addition to seaweed sheets, rice, and dipping sauces, you’ll want the right complement of filling ingredients in your rolls. These can be a mix of purely vegetarian items or raw seafood. Just remember, if you do use raw seafood make sure it’s sushi grade to ensure that it’s fresh-enough to be eaten raw. This can usually be found at Asian supermarkets. Some typical ingredients are:

-short grain white rice
-white sugar and rice wine vinegar (for the rice)
-nori (seaweed sheets) for the wrap
-soy sauce and wasabi paste for dipping
-thin strips of cucumber
-thin strips of avocado
-artificial crab sticks (also called surimi)
-raw tuna, cut into thin strips
-raw salmon, cut into thin strips
-caviar like Tobiko

Prepare the Rice: Sushi rice is a mixture of short-grain white rice, rice wine vinegar, and white sugar. To make the rice, prepare the desired amount of rice per package instructions. Once the rice is done you’ll want to fold in the vinegar and sugar. The ratio is: 1 cup cooked rice: 2 tablespoons vinegar: 2 tablespoons sugar. You can also add a pinch or two of salt.

Roll Your Sushi: Below are step-by-step directions on how to roll your sushi. I recognize that seeing is sometimes better than reading, so I found this clip on YouTube that’s pretty easy to follow.

1. First, I recommend you use a sushi rolling mat, a mat made of bound bamboo rods, to help you roll the sushi and keep the rolls tight.
2. Put the mat down, and place a sheet of nori on top.
3. Spread about a ½ cup of prepared rice over the sheet, leaving about a ½ inch strip of sheet exposed.
4. On the unexposed part of the sheet, add the ingredients you want and begin to make the roll. Use the rolling mat to apply pressure to the roll so that it holds together.
5. Once you get to the exposed part of the sheet, dip your finger in water and dab it across the exposed edge. Finish rolling the roll. The wet edge binds to the roll to keep it closed.
6. Using a very sharp knife, cut the roll into 1-inch cross sections (should result in 6-7 pieces per roll).

Get Drinks Ready:  If it’s a sushi party, the appropriate drink would be sake. If you go for wine, beer, or something else altogether, that’s okay. But sake would make the evening a little more authentic.

Warm Side Dishes: Now, this is optional but I like to diversify our meals a little. Sushi rolls are awesome, but sometimes it’s nice to have some hot items as well. Here are some tasty, easy Japanese recipes you might want to include:

Pork Tonkatsu: Tonkatsu is a thinly cut pork tenderloin that is coated in panko crumbs and pan fried. It’s hearty, savory, and surprisingly light given the preparation method.
Okonomiyaki: A Japanese-style omelet, okonomiyaki is a blend of egg with your choice of veggies or meat. Served with a sweet and sour sauce, this easy dish is sure to delight your guests.
Miso Soup: Familiar to most folks who have visited Japanese restaurants, miso soup is a pleasantly light way to start any Japanese meal.

Photo by Su-Lin (Flickr)

Laura Troyani heads up Marketing and Business Development for Plummelo. Not content with just being another behind-the-scenes pencil pusher, Laura decided to give blogging a shot and writes practical, everyday tips for the home cook (or aspiring home cook). Laura’s favorite foods are ice cream, olive oil, ice cream, parmesan cheese, ice cream, and occasionally ice cream.