Japanese Vegetable Sushi Rolls

Rinse the sushi rice in cold water, swirling and draining repeatedly until the water runs completely clear — this removes excess starch and is essential for the rice to cook to the right sticky-but-separate texture. Place in a saucepan with 360ml cold water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and cook for 13 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to steam, still covered, for 10 minutes — do not lift the lid. While the rice steams, gently warm the rice vinegar, caster sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until the sugar and salt dissolve completely. Tip the cooked rice into a wide, shallow bowl — a wooden bowl is traditional as it absorbs excess moisture. Pour the seasoned vinegar over the rice and fold through gently with a spatula using cutting motions, not stirring, to avoid breaking the grains. Fan the rice as you fold to cool it quickly to room temperature — warm rice tears the nori. The rice should be glossy, slightly sticky, and seasoned throughout.

While the rice cools, prepare all the fillings and arrange them in neat piles on a board so everything is within reach before you begin rolling. Cut the avocado into thin, even strips — if it is very ripe, handle it gently to avoid bruising. Deseed the cucumber and cut into thin batons the same length as the nori sheet is wide (roughly 18cm). Cut the roasted red pepper and pickled daikon into similarly sized batons. Trim the spring onions to the same length. Pat all the vegetables dry with kitchen paper — excess moisture is the enemy of clean sushi rolling, as it makes the rice slip and the nori go soggy before you can seal the roll. Have a small bowl of water with a splash of rice vinegar nearby for wetting your hands — this prevents the rice from sticking to your fingers as you work.

Place the cling-film-wrapped bamboo mat on a flat surface. Lay a nori sheet shiny-side down on the mat, with the long edge facing you. Wet your hands with the vinegared water and take a handful of cooled sushi rice — roughly 120g. Spread it evenly across the nori in a thin, even layer, leaving a 2cm strip bare at the far edge. Press gently but firmly — the rice should cover the nori completely without gaps or thick patches. Lay a line of your chosen fillings across the centre of the rice: a strip of avocado, 2–3 cucumber batons, a strip of red pepper, a few pieces of pickled daikon, and a spring onion baton. Sprinkle a pinch of toasted sesame seeds over the fillings. To roll, lift the near edge of the mat and fold it over the fillings, pressing firmly to form a tight cylinder. Pull the mat back, advance the roll, and press again to tighten. Seal the bare nori edge by dampening it lightly with water — it will stick to itself. Repeat with the remaining nori and rice to make 6 rolls in total.

Using a very sharp knife, wet the blade with cold water before each cut — this prevents the rice from sticking to the knife and tearing the roll. Slice each roll in half first, then cut each half into 3 even pieces to give 6 rounds per roll, 36 pieces in total. Wipe and re-wet the blade between every cut. Arrange the rounds cut-side up on a plate or board so the colourful cross-section of fillings is on display. Serve with small dishes of tamari for dipping, a mound of pickled ginger on the side for cleansing the palate between rolls, and a small amount of wasabi for those who want heat. Sushi is best eaten within 30 minutes of rolling — the nori softens and the rice firms up if left too long.