Sushi

This recipe comes from Edie, Alex and Topher's fourth grade teacher. Every spring to conclude their study of Japan, the class with help from Edie and parents prepared a Japanese feast complete with sushi rolls (no raw fish --- just cucumbers and carrots) and chicken Yakitori and finished with the not so Japanese but absolutely delicious Ericson's ginger ice cream. I had not made this in many years but was inspired a few years ago when John served delicious avocado and Maine crab sushi aboard More-at-Rest in Northeast Harbor.

Rinse until water runs clear (I usually don't; rinsing it to remove added talc which most rice I buy does not have)

1 1/2 c sushi rice

Put rice in large saucepan, add 2 1/2 c water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Cool

VARIATION: I find it quicker and less messy to use a rice cooker. If making avocado rolls (leftover sushi with avocado filling does not keep well), I sometimes make a smaller batch of rice 1/2 c rice : 7/8 c water for 2 rolls or 3/4 c rice : 1 1/4 c water for 3 rolls; 1 roll = 8 pieces).

While the rice is cooking, combine in small saucepan:

½ c [I use 1/3 c] rice wine vinegar
1 T [I use 4 T - this is not a typo, in this recipe I do use more sugar!] sugar
1 t salt [I omit]

Heat just until sugar has dissolved.


Prepare:

1 cucumber, sliced in long “matchstick” strips
2-3 carrots, sliced in long “matchstick” strips

Add vinegar mix to rice and toss to mix well.

Preheat nori over gas flame (holding nori in tongs) for a few seconds (until nori turns bright green)

Place a square of

Nori seaweed (you will need ~ 6 pieces in all)

Shiny side down on a bamboo mat made for rolling sushi. Spread it evenly with a ¼” layer of rice, leaving a 1“ boarder (no rice, just nori) at the top edge. Place a strip of cucumber and carrot running full length of the mat about 1/2 inch from the bottom. Use the mat to tightly roll the nori around the rice forming it into a log. The rice is sticky so rinse hands in water as needed to keep rice from sticking to them.  Slice rolls into 8 pieces and serve with

Soy sauce
Wasabi
Ginger, peeled and thinly sliced with vegetable peeler and/or pickled ginger

VARIATIONS:

My Favorite: Instead of carrots and cucumber, use thinly sliced avocado sprinkled with lemon juice and toasted sesame seeds with/without crab or wild smoked salmon.

Omit carrots, use wild smoked salmon spread lightly with Duck Trap Farm Mustard Dill Sauce and "matchstick" cucumber. I don't serve wasabi with this variation.

Omit carrots, add cooked crab or wild smoked salmon to the “matchstick” cucumber.

One afternoon right after launching Condor, I got out all the ingredients I had brought to make sushi and discovered I must have taken the sushi mat home for the winter. I did have some small bamboo skewers and aluminum foil on board and from this I made a very serviceable mat.

Reviewed 5/15/17