Sushi (California Roll)

I'm sure there are a lot of you out there that are not fans of sea food. If this is you but you're up for a little adventure this recipe is for you. It doesn't really have any seafood in it. There is Nori, but that is anything from real seafood. It is also the hardest thing for anyone to get past. I love these and wish we had them more often. Good luck and you might as well give it a try, what do you have to lose?


Sushi Rice

1/3 c. vinegar
5 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. salt
4 c. Japanese rice
4 c. water

Heat vinegar, sugar, and salt in a pot on the stove over medium heat until everything has dissolved. Let cool.

Rinse rice several times. Then let drain 30 minutes in a strainer. Put rice and water in rice cooker and let sit (not cooking) for 15 minutes. Cook the rice. If you don't have a rice cooker use this link to help walk you through cooking it on the stove, but make sure you use the same amount of water and rice as called for on in this recipe. (I have not tried this method since I have always used a rice cooker, so I hope it works.)

Put cooked rice and vinegar solution in a big wooden bowl (I don't have one so I always use a cookie sheet and it turns out fine). Use a rice paddle or some similar device like a spatula or large spoon to carefully use a cutting motion and stir rice and vinegar. Continuously stop and fan it to help cool. Or if you are lucky to have someone help you, you can have someone fan while you cut and stir. Once rice has cooled to room temperature it is ready.

Scrambled Eggs
2 eggs
1 tsp. sugar

In a bowl beat eggs with sugar. Heat a small frying pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray over medium heat. When hot pour eggs in it. Let it cook without stirring. If air bubbles form you may break them, but make sure some of the raw eggs fill the hole. Once the egg is set, use a spatula and flip it to the other side to cook all the way through. After it is cooked and cooled, cut the eggs into strips the same size as your carrots and cucumbers.

California Roll

Nori (seaweed sheets)
Sushi rice
Cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into long strips
Steamed Carrots, cut into strips (you want it to still have some bit to it)
Scrambled eggs

Lay out a sheet of nori shiny side down, horizontally, on a bamboo mat (I'm sure you can just do it on the counter if you don't have one, but the mat does help roll it). Spread out a thin layer of sushi rice on the nori. In the middle lay the cucumber, carrots, and eggs so you have some all the way across. Take the edge closest to you, bring it up and roll it over the eggs, cucumber, and carrots and continue to roll tightly until it is all rolled up. If you aren't eating it right away wrap it in plastic wrap, or you can cut it and put it in tubberware and put it in the fridge.