Vegetarian Makizushi (Vegetarian Classic Rolled Sushi)

Friday night is bonding time with my sister in the kitchen.We are both busy in our respective careers but this once-a-week activity gives us chance to cook together and share updates on the goings-on in our lives. Don't get me wrong. Although my sister and I share apartment, she's not much of a talker like me. In fact, I learn most happenings at her school from our close friend who happens to be the head of the Kindergarten where she works. Funny, I know but that is how she is.

Last week's menu was Makizushi, popularly known as the classic  rolled sushi. We developed an urge to make them at home after our Thursday night dinner at Nippon Kai.  Instead of hailing a cab after meal, we went grocery  shopping. Friday came, we made sushi without consulting the internet or any recipe books. Well, it was an experiment and we had so much fun making rolled sushi!

For the rice:
1 cup Japanese rice
1 and 1/4 cup water 

I rinsed rice under running water two times. I added water and let the rice cooker do its job.

For the filling:

Cucumber and carrots sliced in long slices
Scrambled egg cut in long slices
Fried marinated tofu cut horizontally

How to assemble:
Place the nori sheet  (seaweed) on the rolling mat.
Gently spread the rice on the nori sheet. Make sure the rice covers almost the entire sheet.

Lay the cucumber sticks on the edge of the nori sheet, along with carrot sticks, fried tofu,egg and so on. Be creative but don't put too much filling as this will make sushi difficult to roll.

Start with the edge closer to you and close on the filling. Be sure you tighten it by pulling the mat inwards.

Continue rolling, keeping it tight in every move until you reach the other end.

I put a little pressure on the roll, going from the edges to the center to tighten it, just like how I do Swiss roll.

Cut the rolled sushi with a sharp knife.I like my sushi small so I sliced it 1 inch in diameter. Enjoy!