Sushi, California roll


Ingredients


  • 4 nori sheets
  • 3 cups (15 oz / 470g) sushi rice
  • 8 pieces fresh smoked salmon
  • 1/2 cucumbers, cut into thin, lengthwise slices
  • 1-2 avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
  • 175g / 6 oz uncooked, matured short-grain rice
  • 225ml / 8 fl oz cold water
  • For sushi vinegar:
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon caster sugar [superfine granulated sugar]
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method


Anything else like spring onion, carrot, toasted sesame seeds, etc...

Lay 1 nori sheet on a rolling mat and put 3/4 cup sushi rice on it. Spread rice over nori sheet, leaving 2cm of bare nori at far side.

Place 2 strips of salmon along centre of ricewith one-quarter of cucumber strips.

Lay one-quarter of avocado slices along centre with spring onion & sesame seeds

Using your fingertips to keep ingredients in place roll mat over once, away from you, pressing ingredients in to keep roll firm, leaving2-cm strip of nori rice-free.

Covering roll (but not rice-free strip of nori), hold rolling mat in position and press all around to make roll firm. Lightly wet un-riced edge & roll completely to seal& hold.

Using a sharp knife, cut each roll in half, then cut each half in half again. Then cut each quarter in half crosswise to make a total of 8 equal-size pieces. Cut gently to maintain shape.

Sushi Rice

To vary the quantity of cooked rice, remember that the ratio of uncooked rice to water should be 1 part rice to 1 1/4 parts water.

This recipe will make one quantity of rice, which is sufficient for 2 uncut large

Wash rice thoroughly until the water comes clear. Let the rice drain for 30 to 60 minutes, allowing grains to absorb moisture and start to swell.

Put the rice & water in a pan with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to the boil over a medium heat. Cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes. (Simmering time will vary depending on the quantity of rice.) Resist the temptation to lift the lid while the rice is cooking.

Turn off heat, remove lid and cover the pan with a tea towel. Leave to cool for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together the ingredients for sushi vinegar in a pan. Heat ‘til sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and pour sushi vinegar into a cool bowl. To stop the vinegar distilling off, sit the bowl in cold water to speed cooling.

Using a wooden rice paddle, spoon the rice into a rice tub or bowl. Spread it out evenly, then run the paddle briefly through the rice cutting it first from side to side, then from top to bottom.

Continue cutting - never mashing or stirring - the rice, adding the sushi vinegar a little at a time. It should take about 10 minutes to mix in the sushi vinegar thoroughly and bring the rice to room temperature.