Vegetable Sushi

• servings: MAKES 40; Serves 10-12

Ingredients

1¼ POUNDS sushi rice (23/4 cups)

3 cUPs water

¼ CUP mirin, plus additional for moistening nori

5 SHEETS nori (1 package)

4 TEASPOONS wasabi powder, mixed with 2 teaspoons water

½ CUP small-diced red onion

1 carrot, julienned

1 red bell pepper, julienned

1 yellow bell pepper, julienned

1 scallion, julienned (green part only)

1 hothouse cucumber, seeded and julienned

1 10-ounce jar pickled ginger

Sushi Dipping Sauce (recipe follows)

Directions

Place the rice in a strainer and rinse under cold running water until the water is fairly clear, about 5 minutes.

Shake the water out and allow the rice to dry in the strainer for 15 minutes.

Put the rice in a pot with exactly 3 cups of water and cook covered on high heat until it starts to foam, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with 1/4 cup mirin. Replace the lid and allow the rice to steam for 15 minutes.

Place in a bowl and cool to room temperature.

To prepare the sushi, place a bamboo sushi roller flat on a table with the bamboo reeds horizontal to you. Sprinkle lightly with water. Place one nori sheet on top, smooth side down, and moisten lightly with mirin.

With damp hands, press 1¼ cups rice flat on top of the nori, leaving 1½/-inch edges on the top and bottom, but pressing all the way to the sides. Make sure the rice is pressed even and smooth.

Spread ¼ teaspoon of wasabi paste in a horizontal stripe near the lower edge of the rice.

Over the wasabi, lightly sprinkle the onions in a horizontal stripe. Place strips of carrots in a hori- zontal stripe, on top of the wasabi and onions, and follow by pilling the red and yellow peppers, scallions, and cucumbers on top, making a tight, straight bundle of vegetables.

Place one layer of pickled ginger slices on top.

To roll the sushi, pick up the near edge of the bamboo roller and hold it with the nori, then pull them up and over the veg- etable bundle until the nori reaches the rice on the other side. Press the roller to make a round bundle, then roll the bundle to the far edge of the nori and press again to make a round bun- dle. (The nori should totally enclose the rice and vegetables in a round tube, but the ends will have rice and vegetables sticking out.) Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.

Keep the rolls under a damp towel and refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, slice off the ends with a very sharp knife and slice each roll into 8 equal pieces. Place on a platter and serve with more pickled ginger and Sushi Dipping Sauce.