The Ice Cube Tray Tip To Assemble Homemade Sushi Without A Mat
When it comes to popular takeout foods, sushi is up there. The combo of rice, fish, vegetables, and more originated in Japan sometime around the ninth century, but its popularity has spread across the globe. In fact, one of the most popular sushi orders, the California Roll, is named after the U.S. state where it originated, and can now be found on restaurant menus worldwide.
When you're craving sushi, ordering takeout for a crowd can get pretty pricey. Of course, there are ways to make it yourself at home — bamboo mats make it easy to lay out your sushi fillings and roll them up. Then, you can slice the long roll into individual pieces. However, this process can be time-consuming if you're trying to make sushi for a crowd.
One food blogger shared their hack for making sushi prep quick and easy on TikTok, and it uses a kitchen item you may already have on hand.
This trick makes sushi prep easy
Deimante Dabravolskis, who goes by @dliciouslyinspired TikTok, recently shared her go-to method of preparing perfectly proportioned sushi in a video she posted to the social media platform. Though it's far from traditional, it is an easy way to make sushi at home if the craving hits — and it all starts with an ice cube tray.
@dliciouslyinspired Full written recipe can be found on my IG dliciouslyinspired. Can click the tab in my bio! #foodhack #homemadesushi #sushi #sushihack
Dabravolskis covers the ice cube tray with plastic wrap to prevent the toppings from sticking to it. Then, she adds thinly sliced fillings, like avocado, cucumber, or tuna. Once each slot has its fillings, she presses in the sushi rice. Once the rice has been added, she gently presses down on each slot, ensuring that the rice and toppings will stick together.
She then places a board on top of the entire tray, flipping the sushi over onto it so the rice is on the bottom. To top off the sushi once it's finished, Dabravolskis adds homemade spicy mayo and crunchy onions. She grabs some soy sauce to dip each sushi piece in and then enjoys the fruits of her labor.
People were excited about the idea
Deimante Dabravolskis shared her method and exact recipe with Good Morning America. She also noted that this recipe is easily customizable, so everyone can make the sushi in accordance with their own personal preferences. Dabravolskis shared in a comment on her TikTok video that she typically purchases her tuna from her local H Mart and her smoked salmon from Costco.
TikTok users were excited about the ease of assembling the food with the general consensus among them as the hack was a game-changer. One shared that they were initially skeptical, commenting, "I came here ready to be mad at this but I can proudly admit my mistakes." Another user noted that this method may make food preparation easier for those with disabilities. They wrote: "My dad has RA [rheumatoid arthritis] and doesn't have a good range of motion anymore so this is so accessible! I can't wait to show him!"
The next time you catch yourself craving sushi, grab an empty ice cube tray and try making your own with this trick! Looking for extra inspiration? Reliably Southern grocery chain Publix has a tray sushi recipe that calls for cucumber and chopped fried chicken.