California Nori Rolls

California Nori Rolls

This is regarded as the basic Sushi roll that appears to be everywhere. Easy to make and you can use whatever you like as the filling.

Ingredients

5 1/4 cups dry sushi rice (or any short grain, sticky rice)
1 cup rice vinegar (or Namida® Wasabi Vinegar)
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp salt
1 package (ten sheets) nori (a type of seaweed)
vegetables of your choice: cucumbers, carrots, avocado, spring onions (scallions), celery, red or green peppers, etc.
optional: soy sauce, pickled ginger, Namida® 100% Pure Wasabi Powder
5 1/2 cups water

Method

1. Combine rice with 5 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until water is absorbed.
3. Let cool for at least 10 minutes.
4. In a non reactive bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt.
5. Mix until the sugar and salt are dissolved.
6. Drizzle over the rice and gently mix. (You may have to experiment with the amount of vinegar, sugar, and salt that you like.)
7. Slice the vegetables in long thin strips.
8. Now you are ready to roll! If you want to, you can use a bamboo mat (available at your local asian grocery) to help you roll, but I have found its fairly easy to use a piece of plastic wrap.
9. Lay a sheet of nori out on a large plate or cutting board on top of the plastic wrap.
10. Then spread on about 1 1/2 cups rice, pressing firmly until the rice is evenly distributed across the sheet. Leave the edge farthest from you uncovered.
11. Lay the vegetables in a line from left to right across the center of the rice.
12. Now starting with the edge nearest to you, roll up and over enclosing the vegetables. Wetting the far edge helps seal the roll.
13. You should end up with a long roll, with the nori on the outside and the rice and vegetables in the middle.
14. Repeat with the remaining nine sheets.
15. To serve, slice crosswise into about eight pieces. Wet the knife to stop it sticking.

They are usually eaten with soy sauce with a little wasabi mixed in (or use Namida® Wasabi Soy Sauce). You can also eat nori rolls with pickled ginger, which is not as hot, but very tasty.

Makes 80