Makizushi
Makizushi, also known as “norimaki,” refers to a form of sushi that carefully rolls rice and ingredients into a sheet of nori seaweed, which is then cut into smaller parts. It is assumed that in the early 1700s, makizushi came into being, shortly after sheet nori was developed using a related method used for paper production. Two Japanese words compose of the term norimaki: “Maki” means to roll and “nori” applies to the toasted layer of nori seaweed used to seal the ingredients.
Usually, long , thin rolls of only one ingredient are called hosomaki, like a strip of fresh tuna, cucumber, or pickled daikon. A thicker variety of makizushi is Futomaki (futo means fat) and contains a mixture of complimentary ingredients. Futomaki is less likely to be at sushi bars, unlike in international countries, but can typically be sold in bento boxes and supermarkets. Uramaki, also referred to in English as ‘inside-out sushi,’ is a new variant of makizushi that was considered to have been developed in the 1960s in California. It is achieved by layering the rice on the bamboo sushi mat first, then laying the nori sheet on top before rolling, accompanied by the remaining ingredients. It is also rolled into sesame seeds that quickly adhere to the outer rice or topped for extra crunch with tobiko fish eggs.