Veggie Sushi

Mary Hunt often thinks about how many years she could have been enjoying sushi at home, but thought it was too hard to make. Wrong! It takes a certain technique, but time wise it's ready in minutes. Sushi is like making a sandwich, just make sure something is between two slices of bread and you're good. In this case, whatever you want to roll up in sheets of nori and rice -- you're good.

Tip 1: Use white, short grain rice (sometimes named sushi rice on the package). Short grain rice is stickier. If you have a rice cooker or an instant pot, use it. You can be cutting up veggies while it's cooking.

Tip 2: Let the rice cool a bit before loading up on the nori (seaweed sheets) to make it easier to handle. (wet your hands, it's sticky)

Tip 3: Use about 2/3 cup rice to cover the sheet - it doesn't have to be solid, just make sure it reaches the edges and you leave about an inch on the one end.

Get creative - layer with something crunchy, something mushy, and something spicy. Here she used carrots, avocado, and pickled ginger.

Don't worry about the fancy bamboo rolling mats, a silicone mat or even parchment paper will be enough to help you start rolling. Grab and really tighten the first squeeze to get all the parts sticking together. (see below)  Stop rolling before the last inch.

Tip 4:  Dab water on the last inch before rolling up. If you do this too soon, it will curl up and you won't be able to roll it up.

Tip 5: Use your sharpest (non-serrated) knife to segment the roll. This is the difference between a crowd-pleasing and crowd-running presentation.

Serve with soy, sweet chili, or hoisin sauces. Top with more pickled ginger or wasabi.

For more tasty recipes, go here.