30 DAYS OPEN PURCHASEThe bamboo sushi rolling mat is one of the kitchen’s most underestimated hygiene problems. The cotton threads collect rice starch and moisture, the surface turns black, and no dishwasher in the world can rescue a soaked bamboo structure that has been dried out and rewetted a hundred times. It is a tool that works, but not without a price.
Hasegawa’s FMK series is made from plastic and monofilament threads, the same type of material used in fishing line, with no fibres to absorb water and no microscopic cracks where bacteria can establish themselves. The surface is embossed with a pattern that reduces the rice’s contact with the mat, preventing sticking and allowing the mat to be rinsed clean in seconds. In other words, no more cling film either. It is dishwasher safe, resistant to cleaning agents and withstands temperatures up to 100°C. No splinters. No black mould. Antibacterial. EU FCM certified. Made in Japan by Hasegawa.
The mat rolls and provides resistance in the same way as bamboo, so it feels familiar in the hand. The difference becomes apparent afterwards, not while you are working.
Choose the size according to what you are rolling. Small (250×165 mm) suits thin rolls such as hosomaki, half sheets and temaki, situations where you do not need the full depth of a nori sheet in the rolling direction. Medium (250×240 mm) is the standard choice for regular maki, accommodates a full sheet of nori with room to spare and is the size most restaurants use. Large (250×305 mm) provides extra room in the rolling direction for futomaki, thick rolls and uramaki such as California rolls, where the additional depth makes it easier to keep the roll tight and symmetrical.
