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1
Process the hanpen or surimi in a food processor until completely smooth — or press it through a fine sieve. No lumps should remain. The paste must be uniform before any liquid is added; a coarse paste will produce an uneven texture in the finished roll.
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2
Combine the beaten eggs, smoothed hanpen paste, sugar, mirin, and sake (if using) and mix until fully homogeneous. The ratio of egg to hanpen determines the final character: a higher proportion of hanpen gives a firmer, more resilient slice; a lower proportion gives a softer, more custard-like result.
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3
Pour the mixture into a rectangular baking pan for even cooking — this is preferable to a frying pan for home production. Bake until the surface is set, golden, and the egg-hanpen mixture is cooked through with no liquid movement at the centre when the pan is gently shaken. The golden colour is both a doneness marker and the visual hallmark of datemaki in osechi arrangements.
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4
This is where the dish lives or dies: turn the hot omelette immediately onto a bamboo sushimaki mat and roll it tightly. Secure the mat with rubber bands and leave undisturbed as it cools. Rolling must happen while the omelette is still hot and flexible — if it has cooled, it will crack and the characteristic crinkle ridges that define datemaki will not form.
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5
Leave the rolled omelette, still bound in the mat, to cool completely. Only when fully cooled and set should the mat be removed and the roll sliced. Premature cutting will cause the roll to lose its shape and the cross-section will be ragged rather than clean.