Sudare mat. © Denzil Green / 2005
A sudare is a small, flexible mat made from strips of bamboo to help you assemble and roll up maki sushi.
The mat is usually about 20 cm (8 inches) square.
Using a sudare mat
To use a sudare, you put a large, flat piece of seaweed (“nori“) on the mat, leaving about 2 to 3 cm (an inch) space on all edges. Spread rice evenly on it, put your chosen sushi fillings on top of the rice, then roll the mat up tightly, causing the food inside to be rolled up as well. Roll slowly, pressing as you are rolling. Roll it up as you would a jelly roll, roll away from you.
Then you open the mat, and cut up your sushi roll into slices.
Cooking Tips
If you are not serving the sushi right away, and don’t need the mat to make another roll with, you can leave the sushi roll rolled up in the mat for a while to help stop it from drying out.
Substitutes
A clean, flexible plastic table place-mat or a baking mat.
Language Notes
“Maki” means “to roll.”
Sudare mat. © Denzil Green / 2005