Sushi rolls are delicious, but they can be quite expensive, which is why a lot of us dream of making them at home.
If you’re wondering how to cut avocado for sushi, you’re probably not the only one.
There are several techniques to slice an avocado for sushi, but we will focus on the half-futomaki style.
While the process might seem intimidating at the outset, you will soon ace it with a tad bit of practice.
Before proceeding with the chopping and slicing, make sure the avocado is fresh.
Although you can use an avocado slicer to cut the avocado, we prefer knives as the cuts are more accurate.
Once you’ve arranged the knife, a cutting board, and a couple of fresh avocados, you’re all set to begin the task!
How to Cut Avocado for Sushi
If you’re slicing avocados for the first time, you might want to consider the following tips.
- Always use fresh and ripe avocados because old or unripe ones may not taste as good with your sushi roll.
- Use a sharp, moderately sized knife for slicing the avocado.
- While cutting the avocado, make sure you have the right grip; else, you might damage your hands or the avocado.
- Be patient while cutting the avocado and avoid scooping the entire avocado meat at once.
Now that you have a basic idea about the things you need to consider, let’s take a closer look at the steps you need to follow.
Step 1: Wash and Remove the Top
Start by thoroughly washing the avocado.
Next, slice a tiny portion from the top.
This should remove the area where the stem connects with the fruit.
Step 2: Slice Vertically
Once you’re done removing the top, gently slice the avocado in a vertical motion until you sense the knife has reached the pit.
Now, gradually rotate the fruit in a straight line until you’re back to the point where you began while slicing the avocado.
Note that it’s much easier to rotate the fruit than to rotate the avocado cutting tool or the knife.
Rotating the avocado will also help you maintain a straight cutting line.
Step 3: Remove the Pit
Removing avocado seeds is quite simple when you follow the right method.
First, cut the avocado in half by following our mentioned techniques.
Now, gently remove the pit or the avocado seed with a knife, a scooping spoon, or your fingers.
Keep your knife aside and twist the halves of the fruit in opposite directions.
Use the knife for removing the avocado pit.
Do this by steadily tapping the knife inside the pit.
Now twist your knife in a counter-clockwise direction with your right hand.
As you do this, steadily hold the avocado with your left hand.
Since some avocado pits tend to be stiffer than the rest, you might end up cutting through your hands if you aren’t paying attention.
If the seed is extremely hard or difficult to strike, cut the fruit in half once again.
Now, pull new halves apart and remove the seed with your fingers.
In case you aren’t confident with this step, scoop out the pit with a spoon.
Step 4: Slice!
While slicing the avocado, you can use two techniques.
The first technique involves peeling the avocado before slicing it.
The second technique involves slicing the avocados with its peel on.
For the first method, grip your knife properly and start removing the peels of every individual avocado half.
Make sure the slices are thin with an average width of three to five millimeters.
For the second method, start by dragging the top of the avocado along its peel.
Now slice the avocado meat when it’s still inside the peel.
As with the previous method, start with one half of the avocado before gradually moving to the second half.
Once you’ve reached both sides, use a spoon to scoop out the contents.
While you can use a big knife for slicing, it is usually easier to deal with a small or moderately sized knife for this job.
We will also suggest you start from the bottom before working your way into both sides.
The second technique produces bigger and thicker avocado slices, which are ideal when the slices are being used for making a sushi roll.
You can also use the same method for making an avocado wrap or avocado sandwich.
FAQs
1. How long can I keep the avocado after cutting it?
Sliced or cut avocado will stay fresh for the next two to three days, depending on the quality of the fruit.
You can then store the unused or excess parts of the avocado in an airtight container.
Add a dash of lemon juice to retain freshness and store the container in your refrigerator.
If you don’t have an airtight container, consider sealing your container with a plastic wrap.
Note that although most avocados stay fresh for up to two to three days, it is best to check it once every day to make sure it’s fine.
2. Should I eat the avocado if it develops brown or black spots?
The brown or black spots in your avocado are commonly known as flesh discoloration.
It usually happens when you leave the avocado exposed to extreme cold temperatures for a long period before it starts ripening.
The discoloration might also develop from compression, which is a result of improper or rough handling.
Sadly, there’s no accurate way to identify this issue by looking at the fruit’s exterior.
However, these brown and black spots aren’t harmful, and you can still consume the avocado after slicing out the bruised or discolored areas.
3. How to understand if the avocados are fresh for consumption?
To check the ripeness of your avocado, give it a gentle squeeze with your palm (do not use the fingertips).
If the fruit yields to the pressure, it’s ready for your consumption.
It is worth noting that avocados won’t ripen on trees.
Instead, they are ripened after the fruit is harvested.
Depending on the season, it might take two to eight days for the fruit to fully ripen when you store it at room temperature.
Bottom Line
Now that you have a clear insight about how to cut avocado for sushi, follow our techniques, and make your delicious, home-made sushi roll right away!
Since we’ve also clarified your common queries, we hope you won’t encounter any issues while making the first cut.
