Sophie likes sushi in her lunch bento box, so I made some sushi rice this morning when I got up. Sushi rice is very easy to make, but if it’s cooked improperly, it resembles art glue more than rice.
SOPHIE’S BENTO BOX SUSHI
2 cups sushi rice
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
sheets of Nori seaweed
julienned cucumbers, carrots, zucchini, red bell pepper or whatever your kid will eat
1. Rinse the rice under cool running water until the water runs clear.
2. Combine the rice with 2 cups of water into a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and bring to a boil, uncovered. Turn down the heat to very low, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
3. Transfer the rice into a the largest mixing bowl you have and add the vinegar. Fold thoroughly to coat the rice with the vinegar. Allow to cool to room temperature before using.
4. Once the rice is cool. take a sheet of nori and lie it flat over a sushi mat (if you don’t have one, use a doubled square of tin foil) and carefully spread a loose 1/2-inch layer of sushi rice over the top 1/3 of the sheet. Dip the tips of your fingers in water, as the rice is very sticky. Spread a small amount of vegetables in a horizontal line over the middle section of the rice.
5. Tightly roll up the nori, enclosing the rice and any filling, and pressing down so that the rice forms a snug tube. Brush the edges of the nori with a little water to seal.
6. Using a very sharp knife, cut the roll in half. Line the halves up evenly, then cut through both at the same time, cutting the halved rolls in thirds. Place the six cut rolls upright, so that the rice is facing upwards.
7. Pack in a lunch or serve immediately, with a small bowl of soy sauce.
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Do you use seasoned (aji-tsuke) or unseasoned (yaki) nori? Can you get both easily? I love yaki-nori. One of my favorite snacks, munching on pieces of it like crackers.