Christmas Sushi
Wow your guests this Christmas by creating a Christmas Sushi Tree. Sushi is the perfect Christmas appetiser for a summery Christmas Day.
If you love the idea of a Chrismtas Sushi starter other recipes that could work as well would be Sushi Balls, Rainbow Sushi or Sushi Hand Rolls.
Ingredients you will need
Ingredient Notes, Substitutes, & Alternatives
- Sushi Rice: You can make homemade sushi rice either on the stove top, in a rice cooker or if you have a pressure cooker try instant pot sushi rice.
Furikake (Seaweed Sprinkle)
- Nori: I use sheets of nori to create the sprinkle on the outside of the sushi,
- Sesame seeds: I like to use a mix of white and black sesame seeds but you can use just one colour.
Fillings
- I fill my Christmas Sushi with salmon cream cheese, avocado and cucumber, The pink white and green combo seems festive to me. But you can make any flavor sushi you would like. You could go for your favourite flavours and simple fillings like carrots, tuna or teriyaki chicken. Or lean into a red, green and white theme with: Green Beans, Red Capsicum, Sushi Mayo,
- Yellow capsicum/bell pepper: This is to create a star for the top of the sushi tree.
Build A Christmas Sushi Tree Step-By-Step Instructions
Below are illustrated step-by-step instructions to make my Christmas Sushi recipe, if you prefer just the written instructions then head straight to the printable recipe card below.
FURIKAKE (SEAWEED SPRINKLE)
Step One: Toast the sesame seeds. Preheat a pan to a low heat, add the sesame seeds and heat until they are lightly toasted and fragrant.
Step two: Place the nori sheets into a food processor, pulse until they are crumbled .
Add the sesame seeds and salt to the food processor. Pulse just a couple of times to combine all the furikake ingredients.
FILLINGS
- Skin and debone the salmon, cut into 1 cm batons.
- Pop the cream cheese into the freezer for ½ an hour so it is very firm.
- Slice the cream cheese into 1 cm batons, then return to the freezer. Peel then slice the avocado into 1 cm batons. Slice the cucumber into 1 cm batons.
ROLL THE URAMAKI SUSHI
Make 6 of these sushi rolls so that you end up with 36 pieces of sushi.
Step One: Start by cutting the nori sheet in half. Place a halved piece of nori on the bamboo sushi mat with the shiny side down.
Place roughly ¼ - ½ cups of sushi rice on the nori sheet and spread it so it covers the seaweed in an even layer. I find a damp spatula, or the damp back of a spoon works best.
Step Two: Lay a piece of baking paper or parchment paper on top of the rice. You can also use a piece of cling film or tin foil for this step.
Flip the seaweed, rice and baking paper over so that the baking paper is now face down on the bamboo mat and the nori is face up.
Step Three: Lay the cucumber, salmon, cream cheese and avocado across the centre of the nori.
Step Four: Start rolling from the bottom, until the sushi is formed int a cylinder.
Step Five: Unroll the bamboo mat, remover the baking paper then roll the sushi roll in the seaweed sprinkle.
Step Six: Slightly wet the blade of a sharp knife and slice the roll into 6 evening sized pieces. First, slice it into halves and then the halves into thirds. Clean the knife with a wet towel between cuts to prevent the rice from sticking to the knife.
ASSEMBLE THE SUSHI CHRISTMAS TREE
Step One: Arrange 11 pieces of sushi on a platter in a circle. Then layer 9 pieces of sushi in a smaller circle top of the 11, then 7, then 5, then 3, then 1 to make a Christmas tree shape.
Step Two: Use a star shaped cookie cuter or a sharp knife to cut the yellow capsicum into a star to sop your Christmas sushi tree.
Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
Here is how you can make this Christmas Sushi perfectly every time!
- Don't be tempted spread the rice too thickly over the nori sheet, you want an even covering but not too thick. Less is more when it comes to creating the perfect uramaki sushi roll.
- Water is your friend whenever you are making sushi. Keep your hands and utensils damp when you are handling sushi rice, this will stop it sticking to everything.
- Sushi can be made in advance, you just need to be sure to keep it refrigerated. Sushi that is left at room temperature for longer than 2 hours should be discarded, but if it is stored in the fridge at less than 4 degrees celsius
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Christmas Sushi
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Ingredients
Sushi Rice
- 2 cups sushi rice
- 3 cups water
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
Furikake (Seaweed Sprinkle)
- ½ cup white and black sesame seeds
- 3 sheets nori
- ½ teaspoon salt
Fillings
- 150 grams salmon
- 100 grams cream cheese
- 1 avocado
- ½ cucumber
- 6 sheets nori
- ½ yellow capsicum
Instructions
Sushi Rice
- Start by rinsing the sushi rice under cold water in a fine mesh strainer. This step is crucial—it helps remove excess starch and ensures your rice turns out fluffy and not sticky. In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed sushi rice and 2 ½ cups of water. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for about 18-20 minutes. Avoid lifting the lid during this time to keep the steam in!Once the rice has cooked, remove it from the heat and let it sit, covered, for another 10 minutes. This resting period allows the rice to finish steaming.
- While the rice is cooking, mix together the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Leave the ingredients to soak while the rice cooks, it should then be easy to get the sugar to dissolve in the vinegar.
- Transfer the warm rice to a large bowl and drizzle the vinegar mixture over it. Gently fold the rice with a spatula or paddle to mix it in without mashing the grains. This step adds that classic sushi rice flavor!Let the rice cool
Furikake (Seaweed Sprinkle)
- Toast the sesame seeds. Preheat a pan to a low heat, add the sesame seeds and heat until they are lightly toasted and fragrant.
- Place the nori sheets into a food processor, pulse until they are crumbled .
- Add the sesame seeds and salt to the food processor. Pulse just a couple of times to combine all the furikake ingredients.
Fillings
- Skin and debone the salmon, cut into 1 cm batons.Pop the cream cheese into the freezer for ½ an hour so it is very firm. Slice the cream cheese into 1 cm batons, then return to the freezer.Peel then slice the avocado into 1 cm batons. Slice the cucumber into 1 cm batons.
Roll The Sushi
- Start by cutting the nori sheet in half. Place a halved piece of nori on the bamboo mat with the shiny side down.
- Place roughly xx cups of sushi rice on the nori sheet and spread it so it covers the seaweed in an even layer. I find a damp spatula, or the damp back of a spoon works best.
- Lay a piece of baking paper or parchment on top of the rice. Flip the seaweed, rice and baking paper over so that the baking paper is now face down on the bamboo mat and the nori is face up.
- Lay the cucumber, salmon, cream cheese and avocado across the centre of the nori.
- Start rolling from the bottom, until the sushi is formed int a cylinder. Slightly wet the blade of a sharp knife and slice the roll into 6 pieces. First, slice it into halves and then the halves into thirds. Clean the knife with a wet towel between cuts to prevent the rice from sticking to the knifeRoll the sushi: Cut the sushi:
- Unroll the bamboo mat, remover the baking paper then roll the sushi roll in the seaweed sprinkle.
- Using a sharp knife slice the sushi into 6 pieces.
- Make 6 of these sushi rolls so that you end up with 36 pieces of sushi.
Assemble The Sushi Christmas Tree
- Arrange 11 pieces of sushi on a platter in a circleThen layer 9 pieces of sushi in a smaller circle top of the 11, then 7, then 5, then 3, then 1 to make a Christmas tree shape.
- Use a star shaped cookie cuter or a sharp knife to cut the yellow capsicum into a star to sop your Christmas sushi tree.
Video
Notes
- Don't be tempted spread the rice too thickly over the nori sheet, you want an even covering but not too thick. Less is more when it comes to creating the perfect uramaki sushi roll.
- Water is your friend whenever you are making sushi. Keep your hands and utensils damp when you are handling sushi rice, this will stop it sticking to everything.
- Sushi can be made in advance, you just need to be sure to keep it refrigerated. Sushi that is left at room temperature for longer than 2 hours should be discarded, but if it is stored in the fridge at less than 4 degrees celsius
- Sushi Rice: You can make homemade sushi rice either on the stove top, in a rice cooker or if you have a pressure cooker try instant pot sushi rice.
- Sesame seeds: I like to use a mix of white and black sesame seeds but you can use just one colour.
- I fill my Christmas Sushi with salmon cream cheese, avocado and cucumber, The pink white and green combo seems festive to me. But you can make any flavor sushi you would like. You could go for your favourite flavours and simple fillings like carrots, tuna or teriyaki chicken. Or lean into a red, green and white theme with: Green Beans, Red Capsicum, Sushi Mayo,
- Yellow capsicum/bell pepper: This is to create a star for the top of the sushi tree.
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