I made this last night after hearing my daughter’s lament on her being tired of cooking her own meals.

So this one is for her, as will some other posts related to Japanese cuisine, or what is easy cooking.

The type of rice used in Japanese cuisines that we know, sushi, maki, -don (rice bowl dish) is the short grain or Japonica or calrose rice. It is starchy and as such makes it a good type of rice grain to use for their dishes. There are also different types or rather grown by different countries and farmers.

If you do like Japanese foods, you can buy a small bag of the short grain rice to keep. I have used Arroz brand of short grain rice for sushi and it works just fine. Quality of the rice is different, but you get the same end results, if you are not picky.

Rice vinegar is added to the cooked rice as it helps to bind the rice further as well as give it a shiny appearance.

My recipe for this handroll does not include mayonnaise as my family prefers without. You can use regular mayonnaise for this. Japanese mayonnaise is sweet.

Ingredients: for 6-8 handrolls and more

3/4 cup sushi rice

1 avocado, sliced

1 mango, sliced

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

3 pieces sushi nori (seaweed)

Method:

• Cook rice according to instructions.
• Scoop half of the rice into a bowl and add the vinegar. Give it a good mix.
• Cut the seaweed squares into halves.
• Watch the video on how to make the handroll. Mine is not the greatest, looks alright and edible.

• Basically, you place half of a nori sheet on your left hand (if you are right handed).
• Scoop about 1/4 cup cooked cooled rice onto the left half of the nori.
• Spread the rice to cover almost half of the nori sheet you have, leave some room at the ends.
• Use your finger to make an indent in the rice.
• Place ingredients on the indent.
• Add mayonnaise, if you are using, on the ingredients.
• Roll up into a cone, tucking in as you turn.
• Use a grain of rice, mashed, to close the end of the nori.