Making Sushi & Spicy Veggie Rolls

If you're going to make sushi, I highly suggest you get Sushi For Dummies.  My sister got me the book last year for Christmas, and when I followed the directions exactly, the rice and everything else came out PERFECT.  Though it is an involved process (do it when you're in the mood to make a big production in the kitchen), it was actually easier than I thought it would be.

First, I bought everything I needed.  As far as equipment goes, you only need a rolling mat, which I got at the grocery store next to the nori for like $2.  I used a shallow dish for turning the rice and a piece of cardboard for a cooling paddle.  (Nothing fancy.)  You need nori (seaweed sheets), short or medium grain rice, and unseasoned rice vinegar (definitely not the seasoned kind, the book says you need to season your own), among other things:

I was amazed that the rice turned out perfectly.  I just followed the directions exactly.  You are supposed to toast the nori in the oven for 30 seconds first, so I did that too.  Then you put the rice on, and like magic, it sticks!  You can even then turn the whole thing over to make inside-out rolls, and somehow the rice doesn't fall off when you do.  I made a few types of rolls, including california rolls and rolls with shrimp.  My favorite, though, is just a veggie roll with spicy mayo:

Then you just roll it tight:

And slice it into pieces:

In this picture below, I have some inside out rolls.  They actually turned out to have a high rice ratio, but were still good:

I just make the nori-on-the-outside kind now because they are just as good and one step easier.

If you are wondering about making your own, you should!  It is a lot of fun and deciding what to put inside and trying different combinations lets you be a little creative.  Here's what I put in my favorite spicy veggie rolls:

Avocado

Red Pepper

Tomato (Optional)

Cilantro (A Must-Have)

Green Onion

Spicy Mayo (Mayo, Siracha, and a little Soy Sauce)