Ingredients:

Soy sauce, for dipping

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Skewer the shrimp from head to tail with toothpicks. Add skewered shrimp to boiling water and cook 3 minutes; transfer to bowl of ice water to stop cooking. When cooled, remove the shell and skewers from shrimp. Make a slit in the underside of the shrimp and cut through almost to the top but not completely. Remove the dark vein. Moisten your hands with a mixture of cold water and vinegar. Take a 1 1/2 tablespoons of the sushi rice and form into a rectangular block about 2-inches long with rounded edges and sides. Scoop up a tiny amount, about ? teaspoon, of wasabi paste with the tip of your finger and spread it on the inside of the shrimp. Place the shaped rice on top of the wasabi and press gently. Press into the shrimp, but make sure it holds its shape. Serve with soy sauce for dipping.

3 cups short-grain brown or white rice

cucumber

zucchini

green bell pepper

red bell pepper

carrots

daikon radish

asparagus

scallions

mushrooms

Directions:

Bring the water to a boil. Add the rice, lower the heat, and simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Seed and julienne the cucumber, and julienne the vegetables. Steam these vegetables, except avacado which should be raw, over boiling water for 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Mix together the vinegar and brown sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. When the rice is cooked, stir in the vinegar and brown sugar mixture, and cool to room temperature. When the vegetables and rice are cool enough to handle, lay out the first nori sheet. Place a handful of rice in the center of the sheet, moisten your hands with water, and gently but firmly press the rice to the edges of the sheet so that there is a thin layer of rice in a line on the sheet. Spread a bit of wasabi paste on top of the rice, approximately 1 1/2” from one edge of the nori sheet. Lay vegetable strips parallel to the wasabi in a width of approximately 1” along the wasabi line. Carefully wrap the closest edge over the vegetables, then roll the nori delicately but tightly. Seal by moistening the edge of the nori. Once the nori sheet is completely rolled, slice the roll into 6 pieces and arrange on a platter. Repeat with the remaining nori sheets.

Makes 6 rolls.