So this is our first attempt at home made sushi…and just to be safe we decided against raw fish and opted for fresh veggies and some bar-b-q chicken instead (this is texas after all). The first roll was a little rough…we figured out that pre-bought rice really needs to be warmed up (like steaming) so that it will stick to the seaweed. And that little bamboo mat in the back is essential for compressing the roll. BTW, Becky was the one that figured all this out…i just stood back and did what I was told!