Start by cooking the rice. Add the rice and water to a saucepan, bring it to a full boil, then lower the heat to the gentlest simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat, crack the lid, and let it cool to room temperature.

While the rice cooks, make the rice seasoning. Combine the vinegar, kombu, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Heat until just below a boil, then turn off the heat and let it cool. Remove and discard the kombu.

Once both the rice and seasoning are cooled, drizzle the seasoning over the rice and gently fluff it with a fork. Be gentle. The rice did nothing wrong.

Mix all the spicy mayo ingredients in a bowl and chill if not using right away.

For the salmon filling, cut the salmon into strips, then into small cubes. Add it to a bowl with the spicy mayo, furikake, soy sauce, and sriracha. Stir gently and refrigerate until ready.

To assemble, place a sheet of nori on the bamboo mat with the dull side up. Spread a thin layer of rice over the surface, keeping your fingers slightly wet so the rice doesn’t cling to you forever.

Add a thin line of salmon filling near the bottom edge, top with cucumber, sprinkle with sesame seeds or furikake, and roll away from you using the mat to keep it tight.

Slice into pieces, drizzle with spicy mayo, add garnishes, and eat immediately.