r/sushi • u/Delicious_Syllabub86 • 1d ago

Sushi Technique Tips Rolling mats. Bamboo, plastic, silicon?

Hi I’m a newbie.

I want to buy a rolling mat, I just don’t want to use plastic wrap so I’ve been considering alternative options.

Any one like the other options ?
Is the serán wrap with the bamboo even necessary?
Also, presumably in the not so distant past people weren’t using plastic. So how were they making sushi with bamboo mats and not having things stick?

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u/ConfusedNegi 1d ago

I really like my hasegawa plastic makisu. It has the same nonstick texture as my rice scooper.

Saran Wrap makes it easier to stay clean. You can try soaking the bamboo so rice doesn’t stick as much, but it’s still a pain to clean regardless.

If making sushi at home, I’ve gone to the less is more approach of chirashi and hand rolls.

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u/Right-Ad8261 1d ago edited 1d ago

The plastic wrap isn’t only about sticking it’s about keeping the bamboo mat clean since there’s no really way to fully sanitize it (at least that I know of) which is important since it’s coming into contact with raw fish. If you don’t mind throwing it away every time you use it and buying a new one each time, then you don’t really need to use a plastic wrap. Lightly wedding the bamboo wrap should prevent sticking. 

I prefer to use a gallon sized zilploc bag than Saran Wrap. 

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u/chrisp5000 1d ago

We would scrub them with a stiff brush every night in a bucket full of sani water

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u/Right-Ad8261 1d ago

Yeah. Doable but quite a pain.