Vegan Sushi Roll with Avocado, Carrot and Cucumber

Wash rice. In a container, add water. With your hand, stir rice in a circular motion for 10 seconds and drain water. Repeat process 2 more times. Make sure all the water is drained before adding to pot.

In a pot, add washed rice. Add 2 1/2 cups water. Place lid on and turn heat to high. Once rice water starts to boil, reduce flame to low. Cook rice for 30 minutes over low flame. After 30 minutes, turn off heat and let rice sit in pot with lid on for another 10 minutes.

While rice is cooking, cut vegetables. Peel carrot and slice into long thin pieces. Cut cucumber about the size of the width of seaweed and slice into thin pieces. Slice avocado in half. Then with your hands, twist into two halves. With the knife, remove pit. With spoon, carefully scoop out avocado and then slice into thin pieces.

In steamer pot, add some water. Place carrot in steamer and place lid on pot. On oven top, after steam starts to rise, steam carrot for 7 minutes. With knife, poke carrot—carrot should be soft yet still intact.

Prepare sushi dressing for rice. In a small bowl, add vinegar, salt and sugar. With small spoon, dissolve sugar and salt into vinegar.

With a rice paddle, mix rice. Add sushi rice vinegar mixture and mix into rice.

On a cutting board, lay out seaweed sheet. With rice paddle, lay out sushi rice evenly and thinly. Sprinkle sesames seeds on rice. Closer to edge of seaweed, lay cucumber slice first, then carrot and then avocado.

Now you’re ready to roll sushi. With your hands, raise seaweed edge and start rolling. As you roll, apply a little pressure with your hands to tighten the roll.

With a bread or sharp knife, cut off the end of the roll and then slice roll into 1-inch pieces. Finally, sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Serve with some soy sauce and wasabi. Makes about 5 rolls.