Lunchbox Sushi--It's Simple!

When Scott asked me for a "springy" recipe for the March issue of the magazine, one of my daughters suggested "Spring Rolls." Her idea reminded me of the homemade sushi rolls that she and her twin sister taught me to make. They learned how to make sushi in their Japanese class at Ferrum Enrichment Camp this past summer. I always thought sushi would be hard to make--but it really isn't that difficult.

Easy Veggie California Roll Recipe

1 cup of uncooked Nishiki sushi rice

8 sheets of nori (dried seaweed)

1/4 cup rice vinegar 

1 Tbsp white sugar

1 cucumber, julienned

1 carrot, julienned

2 avocados, peeled pitted and sliced in thin slices

Rinse uncooked rice. Drain well and cook according to package directions. Mix vinegar and sugar in heated pan until sugar has dissolved. Add to cooked rice and mix well. Allow to cool.

Lay a sheet of nori, shiny side down, on wax paper. Press a thin layer of rice over nori, leaving 1/4-inch of nori uncovered at the bottom edge of the sheet.

Slice the vegetables lengthwise.

Add a line of cucumbers, avocado slices, and carrots in the middle of the rice-covered sheet of nori.

 Fold the bottom edge of the wax paper up, enclosing the filling. Carefully roll the rice mixture and vegetables into a tight cylinder. Gently squeeze to seal the sushi.

Cut each roll into 1-inch pieces with a sharp knife. Serve with soy sauce and wasabi.

Enjoy!