Veggie Roll Recipe

Rinse and cook rice

Place the sushi rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water, gently rubbing, until the water runs mostly clear (about 2–3 minutes). Drain well. Combine rinsed rice and 1.75 cups water in a medium pot with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit, covered, 10 minutes.

Season rice

While rice rests, warm the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan over low heat or microwave briefly just until sugar dissolves; do not boil. Transfer cooked rice to a wide shallow bowl. Gently fold in the vinegar mixture with a wooden spoon or rice paddle, fanning the rice as you fold to help it cool and become glossy. Let rice come to near room temperature (about 15–20 minutes).

Prepare asparagus

Trim woody ends from asparagus (about 1–1.5 inches). Blanch in boiling water for 30–45 seconds until bright green and slightly tender, then immediately plunge into ice water to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry. Toss with 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and 1/4 tsp kosher salt; set aside.

Prepare cucumber

Trim ends from the cucumber. Cut cucumber into long thin batons roughly 1/4 inch thick so they match the length of the nori sheet. If cucumber has a lot of seeds, scoop them out before cutting.

Prepare avocado

Halve, pit and peel the avocado. Slice into long thin strips about 1/4 inch thick. To prevent browning, you can brush lightly with a few drops of rice vinegar or lemon juice, but this is optional.

Set up rolling station

Place a bamboo sushi mat on a clean surface and cover with plastic wrap (optional for easier cleaning). Keep a small bowl of warm water nearby to wet your fingers and the nori edge for sealing. Have the prepared rice, vegetables, toasted sesame seeds and nori sheets within reach.

Spread rice on nori

Place 1 nori sheet shiny side down on the mat. Wet your fingers and take about 3/4 cup of sushi rice (adjust slightly) and gently spread it in an even layer over the nori, leaving a 1-inch strip at the top edge of the nori free of rice for sealing. Press rice gently — not too hard — to compress slightly.

Add fillings

About 1 inch from the bottom edge of the rice-covered nori, lay a single row of avocado slices, cucumber batons and 2 asparagus spears (trim to fit if needed). Do not overfill; keep the vegetables aligned and centered lengthwise.

Roll sushi

Lift the near edge of the mat and begin to roll away from you, tucking the fillings in with your fingers as you roll. Apply gentle even pressure with the mat to form a tight cylinder. When you reach the exposed 1-inch nori edge, wet it lightly with warm water and finish sealing the roll.

Slice rolls

Using a very sharp knife dipped in warm water and wiped dry between cuts, slice each roll into 6 to 8 pieces (for full-size nori, typically 8 pieces). Clean and wet the knife between cuts to keep slices neat.

Finish and serve

Arrange rolls on a platter, sprinkle lightly with toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi on the side.