2 each nori sheets (buy this toasted; available at asian markets or the asian section of most local grocery stores)
wasabe paste (buy in powder form and mix with water, beer or rice vinegar. When mixing, cut, don't shovel, and cover w/plastic wrap)
various fillings of your choice (some ideas, mix and match as preferred: avocado, sarimi (cooked crab meat), ahi tuna, ebi (prawns), unagi (bbq eel, can buy this vacuum packed), radish sprouts, julienned vegetables such as cucumber, carrots, diacon, zucchini, shitake, etc. Note, blanch vegetables by boiling in salted water for 1 minute, then put in cold water for 1 minute, drain and dry.)
Directions
cover a makisu or bamboo mat with plastic wrap, allowing edges of plastic to go under the edges of the mat.
place nori on top of plastic with the shiny side down and the short edge of the nori at the left and right of the mat.
wet your hands with sushi water (water with rice vinegar) and spread 2 cups of rice evenly onto the nori leaving a 3/4-inch gap at the top edge of the sushi. (use your fingers to do this, "placing" the grains of rice to maintain shape and texture. Don't "spread" or mash the rice.)
spread a small line of wasabi (optional) approximately 1/4 of the way of the rice, from left to right.
place fillings in a straight line from left to right above the wasabi. Be careful not to overfill the maki roll.
roll up the nori starting with the edge nearest you. Lightly wet the clean edge of the nori with the sushi water to seal.
place the seam side down and cut into 8 equal pieces using a knife moistened with sushi water.