Dressing Preparation:

Dissolve (must completely dissolve) 5 Tbsp sugar in 6 tsp unseasoned rice vinegar.

(Marukan(?) has green trimmed label for unseasoned). Add about 4 tsp sea salt. (I do not like it quite so salty. Taste the dressing and see what you think).

Bring rice to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until all water is absorbed. Wrap pot lid in a towel and cover again.

Turn off heat and let stand for 15 minutes. Pour rice into a large bowl. My large Rubbermaid bowl is a perfect sushi-rice making instrument, and I don't question that, I just use it. The book recommends a wooden bowl.

Stir the rice, and slowly drizzle the dressing over it while you stir.

As you do this, either have someone fan the rice with a piece of newspaper or something, or aim a small fan at it, at low speed.

Try to stir gently and not break the grains of rice. After about 10 min, the rice will be sticky and somewhat cooler.

Filling & Stuff Preparation:

You'll need about 8 sheets of nori seaweed.

Anything veggie *can* be a filling. I recommend combinations of any of the following:

Place a piece of nori on a sushi mat (looks like lots of little bamboo rods tied together; stiff in one direction and flexible in the other).

You should be rolling the nori along its long axis. Cover about 2/3 of the sheet of nori with a 1 cm. layer of rice, leaving about 1/2 inch bare at the bottom and 1 1/2 inch at the top.

Place desired fillings in a line across the rice, approximately in the middle.

Fold nori over so that the rice rolls around the fillings; tuck short edge of bare nori into the inside of the roll and wrap long edge around. Wrap the sushi mat around the roll and use it to firmly pack the rice together.

Gentle pressure should be used, so that the nori doesn't crack; the end product should be round and firm enough to be easily sliced with a sharp knife. This requires some practice, yes.

Leftover nori rolls make a great lunch.

Servings:
Source: Cynthia Gibas
Submitted by: Recipe Group Member
Date: Nov 8, 1993

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