How To Make Vegetarian Sushi

When considering how to make vegetarian sushi, you might think it requires expert culinary skills. All that is really required for making vegetarian sushi are a few ingredients, a little practice and a desire to make vegetarian sushi. The following article should provide a basic guideline for how to make vegetarian sushi and can be modified to include ingredients that are available or desired.

Ingredients:

• Sushi rice
• Nori (type of seaweed)
• Wasabi (Japanese horseradish paste)
• Shoyu (soy sauce)
• Pickled ginger (optional)
• Cucumber, matchstick carrots, avocado or other desired vegetables
• Sushi vinegar (or rice vinegar, sugar, salt)

1. Cook the rice. This is best done using a rice steamer. When finished, scoop the rice out into a large platter and separate the grains gently. Allow to cool.
2. Prepare the vegetables. Carrots should be cut into matchsticks or grated to make them easier to bite into. Slice cucumber and avocado into long slices. If you wish, you may remove the seeds from the cucumber.
3. If you do not have sushi vinegar, combine equal amounts of rice vinegar, sugar and salt (about 2.5:1 ratio) until sugar and salt are dissolved. Add to the rice and stir gently to incorporate. For four cups of dry rice you want about five to six tablespoons of sushi vinegar depending on flavor preferences
4. Lay a sheet of waxed paper or plastic wrap on top of a kitchen towel. Lay a sheet of nori on top of the waxed paper or plastic wrap. Gently scoop some sushi rice onto the nori and press down lightly, leaving about 1-1/2 inches of nori on one end.
5. Line up vegetables in a strip in the middle of the rice. Carefully roll the sushi up so the vegetables are in the center and the nori overlaps itself. Wet the free edge of nori with a little water and roll over so it seals.
6. With a sharp knife, slice into sushi pieces. Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi and shoyu.