"Sushi" Rolls

These are cheap to make and kind of help curb our craving for sushi. I love making this dish because the rice is the only thing that needs to be cooked- fewer dishes and cooler kitchen! Accompanying Miso Soup recipe coming soon.

Stats
Cost to make: About $1.90*, depending on your preferred ingredients.
Portions: 2-3
Pain-in-the-Ass Factor: Significant, until you get the hang of making sushi rolls. (It gets way easier with a little practice)
How long until dinner: 1 hour 30 minutes (active kitchen time: 30 minutes)

Notes
If you don't have a sushi mat, you'll need to invest in one. I bought mine at the Asian market for under 3 dollars. If you don't want to buy one, you can cut the nori into four squares and make little hand-rolled cones.

Having tried both methods, I find this to be more time-consuming, tedious, and more difficult. It does, however, leave more room for experimentation as each one can be different. I'm not good enough at it to give advice, so I would suggest googling it if you are interested. If you go this route, you'll need only half as much rice.

You can use anything you want in the rolls. Leftover chicken or fish, or even sliced egg omelet are good protein in these rolls. Tuna salad is actually not bad, in fact. I use the tofu because we don't usually have leftover meat hanging around, and it keeps well in the fridge.

The flax or sesame seeds are optional. We always have flax seeds around, and I sneak them in whenever I can because of all of the amazing health benefits. I think they add good flavor and texture to the rice. 

Brown rice is a healthier alternative, but white sushi rice is easier to work with. I won't hold it against you if you opt for the easier, tastier rice. :) You still have my permission to abandon it for quicker, cooking, tastier, non pain-in-the-ass white sushi rice. :) I won't hold it against you, but the rolls will be less filling.

Trial and error! Your first couple of rolls will probably not be picturesque, but it gets a lot easier once you start to figure it out.

Down to Business

2 cups uncooked brown rice

2 tablespoons roasted flax seeds or sesame seeds

1 section red or yellow bell pepper, cut into 8 thin strips

4 baby carrots, cut into strips

1/2 cucumber, "

1/3 package alfalfa sprouts

4 oz firm tofu, sliced into 8 1/2" thick sections

4 sheets nori 

about 4 tablespoons sushi vinegar (to taste)

Cook brown rice as usual, with just water. You'll want to undercook it just a little, as it's less likely to get mealy when you're working it if it's slightly dry. When it's still hot, transfer it into a large bowl, at least twice the size needed to contain the rice. Sprinkle with the sushi vinegar while gently folding it around with a rice paddle. Continue until the rice is no longer steaming and slightly cooled. Mix in the flax or sesame seeds. Cover with a kitchen towel and set aside (in the fridge if it will fit).

Prepare your ingredients while the rice cools. Have a bowl of very cold water handy next to your rolling mat.

Lay out a sheet of nori on the sushi mat, shiny side down. Spread a thin, even layer of rice across. You'll need to keep wetting your fingertips in the cold water to keep the rice from sticking to you. Be sure to press very gently so the rice won't get mushy. Spread the rice all the way to the very edge of the side, this will help the end pieces hold together.

Now lay your ingredients across the center.

 

Pick up the edge of the mat closest to you, and hold onto the ingredients with your fingers while you slowly start to roll the mat over the roll.

Now cut the roll in half 4 times, so you have 8 pieces. Repeat until you have your desired amount of rolls, and you're done!