Nori Rolls Recipe

Serves 4

Preparation time: an hour or less. Makes 7 nori rolls (35–42 pieces). Good for all seasons. Sattvic, calms vata and pitta, neutral for kapha. Moderate use is fine for all doshas.

Directions:

1. Cook plain basmati rice. Wash well:

1 1⁄2 c. white or brown basmati rice

2. Put it in a medium-sized stainless steel saucepan with:

3 c. pure water 1⁄8 tsp. salt

3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover until cooked.

Grains of rice will be tender. Remove saucepan from heat and let the rice rest for 10 minutes before you remove the cover.

4. Mix together:

1 1⁄2 Tbsps. fresh lemon juice 2 Tbsps. raw honey or brown rice syrup

5. Add these to the rice, stirring the mixture thoroughly with a fork.

You can mash the rice a bit as you do. Let the rice cool to room temperature.

6. While the rice cools, wash and prepare:

2 carrots, finely grated 2 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and finely grated (you can omit or use less ginger to calm pitta) 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced 1 avocado, in narrow wedges Set these aside on plates close to a cutting board that you will be using to roll your nori.

7. Toast in a small skillet over low heat:

1⁄2 c. raw sesame seeds Set these aside to cool.

8. Put out close to the other ingredients:

A small bowl of cold salted water

9. Open:

1 package pre-toasted sushi nori (7 sheets)

10. Now comes the fun part.

Place one sheet of sushi nori on your cutting board in front of you. Spoon two large serving spoonfuls of rice on the sheet of nori, and spread it evenly over the sheet about 1⁄4–3⁄8" thick. Leave the last inch of nori farthest from you vacant. Now place your vegetables in 2 or 3 rows running across the spread rice, with the avocado and carrot on the bottom row closest to you, and the celery and ginger in the next one. Lightly garnish the entire surface with sesame seeds. Now tuck in the edge of the nori closest to you and keep rolling, just as if you were rolling up a sleeping bag. When you come to the end of the rice, lightly moisten that last inch of bare nori with the salted water and continue rolling, allowing the weight of the roll and a gentle pressure from your hand to seal it.

11. With a sharp knife (a serrated bread knife works well), cut the roll crosswise into 5 or 6 pieces.

Repeat for the rest of the sheets of nori. Arrange your vegetarian sushi on a pretty plate and serve with dipping sauce, below This is one of those recipes that takes longer to explain than to actually do. Wade on in and play! Variations include spreading a bit of hummus or marinated tofu on the bottom row (which becomes the center), or use vegetables of your choice. One analysis gave this 950 mg of calcium per serving.

Dipping Sauce

Makes 1⁄4 Cup

Preparation time: 5 minutes. Good for all seasons. Sattvic bordering on rajasic, good for all doshas in moderation, can increase pitta or kapha in excess.

Mix together in a small bowl:

2 Tbsps. Bragg’s Liquid Aminos 1 tsp. raw honey or brown rice syrup 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger root 2 Tbsps. water