Ume & Shiso Are A Classic Combo
Do you know those flavor combinations that just work really well together? Well, in Japanese cuisine, umeboshi (pickled plum) and perilla leaves are a match made in heaven.
I’ve always loved how the sour and salty taste of umeboshi goes well with the refreshing aroma of perilla. As a sushi roll, the combination of these two unique ingredients are like a mini explosion of flavor in your mouth!
This isn’t your typical sushi roll. You don’t even need to dip it in soy sauce!
Key Ingredients
- Vinegared Sushi Rice: The foundation of any great sushi dish. This tasty mix of short-grain Japanese rice, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt is a great combo. If you want the perfect texture and authentic taste, I highly recommend following my detailed sushi rice recipe.
- Umeboshi (Japanese Pickled Plum): These tangy, salty gems pack a flavorful punch. I’ve used a bigger variety with more pronounced acidity, but feel free to experiment with sweeter types to suit your taste. Umeboshi comes in different flavors, from very sour & salty to mild & sweet. Or we use ume as a paste here, so you can just get store-bought ume paste.
- Perilla Leaves: Known as shiso or ooba in Japan, these aromatic leaves add a unique, refreshing flavor to our sushi.
- Sushi Nori Seaweed: We cut these squares in half to create ideal rectangles for hosomaki (thin sushi rolls). Look for nori that’s dark green and slightly shiny – that’s a sign of freshness and quality.
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Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Ume Shiso Maki at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
This section aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the cooking steps and techniques with visuals. It also includes more in-depth tips and tricks and explains why I do what I do.
In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt together until everything is dissolved. This mixture will season your sushi rice.
Next, pour the mixture over the warm, cooked rice and gently fold it in using a rice paddle or wooden spoon. Use a cutting and folding motion to keep the rice grains intact. The rice should be nice and glossy, but not mushy.
Let the rice cool to room temperature, fanning it gently to remove excess moisture.
This will give the rice its ideal texture.
Cover the rice with a damp towel to keep it from drying out while you get the rest of the ingredients ready.
Cut a sheet of nori in half, either with sharp kitchen shears or by folding and tearing it along the crease. Place the nori, shiny side down, on a bamboo rolling mat with the bamboo knots facing up.
Set up your rolling station with a bowl of cold water nearby to wet your hands and keep the rice from sticking.
Lightly wet your hands with cold water, then take about 80 grams of sushi rice and shape it into a rough cylinder.
Just put it on one side of the nori. Gently spread the rice across the sheet, leaving a small border (about a finger-width) along the top edge.
Pinch the rice along the top border to create a ridge. This will help seal the roll later.
Wetting your hands will stop the sticky rice from sticking to your fingers, so you can work more smoothly.
Remove the seeds from the umeboshi (pickled plum) and use a knife to finely chop and mash the flesh until you have a smooth paste.
Place two fresh shiso leaves on top of the rice and spread 1-2 tbsp of umeboshi paste through the middle.
Line up the bottom edge of the nori with the edge of the bamboo mat to get an even roll. Just lift the bottom edge of the mat and fold it over the filling until the bottom edges of the rice meets the ridge of rice at the top.
Just give it a little push to make sure the initial fold is secure.
Keep rolling by lifting the bamboo mat and guiding the nori forward. The empty space at the top will seal the roll as you firmly press it into shape.
Use the mat to give the roll a little compression, just enough to keep it firm but not too tight.
Dampen a sharp knife with a wet cloth to make sure the rice doesn’t stick. Use a quick, steady motion to slice the roll in half.
Just push the knife forward, then pull it back towards you. Wipe the blade clean after each cut to keep the slices nice and clean, and to stop the nori from tearing.
Be careful not to press down with too much pressure as this can squash the rolls and deform the shape.
Cut each half roll into thirds to make six even pieces.
Serve immediately to enjoy the best texture.
Jump to Full Recipe MeasurementsI hope you enjoy this Ume Shiso Maki recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
More Hosomaki Recipes
- Tekka Maki (Tuna)
- Kappa Maki (Cucumber)
- Kanpyo Maki (Simmered Gourd)
- Shinko Maki (Pickles)
Ume Shiso Maki (Pickled Plum & Perilla Leaf Sushi Rolls)
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ¼ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 320 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice
- 6 pickled plums (umeboshi)
- 8 perilla (shiso) leaves
- 2 sheets sushi nori seaweed
Instructions
- Pour 1 tbsp rice vinegar, ¼ tsp sugar and ½ tsp salt into a bowl and mix until dissolved.
- Sprinkle the mixture over 320 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice while it's still warm, then mix gently using the edge of rice paddle while fanning to cool. Once evenly distributed, cover the rice with a clean damp tea towel to stop it from drying out.
- Remove the seeds of 6 pickled plums (umeboshi) and use a knife to finely cut and mash the flesh into a paste.
- Fold 2 sheets sushi nori seaweed in half and pinch along the crease before tearing them down the fold. (You can use scissors for a cleaner cut.)
- Lay the bamboo rolling mat on a flat surface with the bamboo sticks lying horizontally. Place a piece of nori at the bottom of the mat with the rough side facing up.
- Wet your hands and shape an 80g (approx ½ US cup) handful of rice into a rough cylinder.
- Place the rice on the nori and spread it out while leaving a finger-width border along the top. Pinch along the top edge of the rice to make a ridge, then place two perilla on each side and spread the umeboshi paste through the middle.
- Lift the bottom of the mat fold over until the rice meets.
- Press firmly to shape, then lift the edge of the mat and roll once more so that the edge of the nori seals the roll.
- Wipe a sharp knife with a damp cloth and cut the sushi roll in half. Use a short, sharp sawing motion to cut the roll without applying too much pressure (pressing down will squash it).
- Cut each half into thirds, wiping the knife between each cut.
- Enjoy!
I’m leaving 5 stars based on my excitement to find this recipe! The ume-shiso flavor combination is among my favorites among Japanese flavors. I do have a question aobut the preparation. My Nihonjin mother always toasted the nori sheets lightly by passing it gently over a stove burner, but this recipe does not call for that. Do you think I should skip that step? Thank you for posting this recipe!
Hi Erika,
Thank you so much! It’s one of my favorite combinations too.
Yes, lightly toasting the nori improves the texture and aroma of the nori. Unfortunately my stove burner has a safety feature that won’t let me use it without the pan being on it so I can’t demonstrate this. It’s okay to skip the step, but if you can do it then it’s up to you!
Thank you again and I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Yuto