Cucumber and Avocado Vegetarian Sushi Rolls

Inside-out sushi rolls with avocado, cucumber and carrot, rolled in sesame seeds.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 1h 5m
Cook: 25 min
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Vegetarian
✅
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Medium

Ingredients

  • 300g sushi rice
  • 360ml cold water
  • For the sushi vinegar: 3 tbsp rice vinegar
  • For the sushi vinegar: 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • For the sushi vinegar: 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 4 sheets nori
  • 2 avocados, stoned, peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 cucumber, deseeded and cut into thin batons
  • 1 carrot, peeled and cut into thin batons
  • 3 tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted
  • Cling film, for the mat
  • A small bowl of water mixed with 1 tbsp rice vinegar, for wetting your hands
  • Light soy sauce, for dipping
  • Pickled sushi ginger and wasabi paste, to serve

Method

  1. Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold running water, rubbing the grains gently, for about 2 minutes until the water runs almost clear. Drain, then put the rice in a lidded saucepan with the 360ml cold water and soak for 30 minutes.

  2. Bring to the boil over a high heat, cover tightly, reduce to the lowest heat and cook for 12 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from the heat and leave, covered, for 10 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, stir the sushi vinegar ingredients together in a small bowl until the sugar and salt have dissolved, warming for 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave if needed.

  4. Tip the rice into a wide, non-metallic bowl, pour over the vinegar mixture and fold gently with a spatula using cutting strokes, fanning the rice as you go, for about 5 minutes until glossy and cooled to room temperature. Cover with a damp tea towel until needed.

  5. You will need a bamboo sushi rolling mat, available from supermarkets and online. Cover the bamboo mat with cling film. Lay a nori sheet on it, shiny-side down, and wet your hands in the bowl of vinegared water. Spread about 150g of rice over the nori in an even layer, right to the edges, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Turn the sheet over so the rice is face-down on the mat. Lay a few slices of avocado, cucumber batons and carrot batons along the middle of the nori.

  6. Using the mat to help you, roll away from you, pressing gently but firmly, then squeeze the mat to shape the roll. Repeat with the remaining nori and rice. Wet a sharp knife and cut each roll into 8 pieces, wiping the blade between cuts. Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi.