Cuisine : Japan : Veggie Rolls

Travel Through Food - Japan: Veggie Rolls and Cucumber Salad

Don't have time or money to spend traveling the world? Then bring the world to you through food. Native cuisine is a quick and delicious way to learn about a new culture and community. The possibilities of travel through food are endless and you don't even have to pack a bag!

Does the thought of making your own sushi first make you cringe and then make you run to the phone book for takeout? Never fear as making your own sushi meal is easy, especially when you eliminate the raw fish factor. Once you master the basic techniques you'll feel brave enough to try some more "exotic" variations.

We'll start with the necessary elements - a sushi mat and rice cooker. That's it you say? There are many other accoutrements to enhance your experience. Chopsticks, sushi plates, bamboo placemats and a sake set should do the trick. One of the key elements to Japanese sensibility is simplicity. Add a lucky bamboo for a centerpiece , put on some soothing instrumental Japanese music and you'll be transported to Tokyo in no time.

Sushi Rice

First we'll start with the rice. Rinse 1 cup short grain rice several times before adding to the rice cooker. This will prevent the rice from being overly glutinous. Add 1 cup water and let the cooker do its thing. After the rice is cooked add 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar (found in most grocery stores), 1 tablespoon sugar and a couple pinches of kosher salt. Mix well and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Cucumber Salad

While the rice is cooking make the cucumber salad. Peel (leaving thin stripes of green), seed and thinly slice one cucumber. Place sliced cucumber in a bowl, add 1 tablespoon  rice wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon Mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine), a drop or two of sesame oil (it's potent so be careful) and a pinch of salt. Mix well, sprinkle with sesame seeds and set aside. It's ok if this sits for awhile.

Vegetable Rolls

Our Vegetable Rolls start with julienned carrots, julienned cucumber and sliced avocado. Gather together your ingredients and prep as much as you can before assembling the rolls. When nori (seaweed) sits too long once assembled, it can get chewy. Pit and slice the avocado. Use a mandoline to quickly slice the vegetables in to perfect matchsticks. Just be sure to use the finger guard!

Lay a piece of nori, shiny side down in front of you, on top of your cellophane covered bamboo mat. Wet your fingers and cover the nori with a thin layer of rice, leaving about 1 inch of the furthest edge uncovered. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and flip over. Add a small amount of your julienned veggies and avocado horizontally across the seaweed, leaving about the top and bottom edges exposed - don't overfill your roll! Using the mat, roll up the rice and seaweed, applying even pressure to compact the ingredients. Wet a sharp knife and slice.

Variations on the ingredient might include bell peppers, zucchini, fresh crab (or Krab)...some people even put thin strips of beef in their sushi! The possibilities are endless but always starts with rice and nori.

The Meal

Serve your freshly made rolls with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi. The cucumber salad plus sake makes a complete meal. Feeling ravenous? Add edamame (soybeans in their pods) to give your meal a boost of protein. Serve Green Tea or mochi ice cream to round out your Japanese dining experience.

TIP: GiftStashers, create a registry called Sushi and save choices there until you're ready to buy.