April 2, 2020July 23, 2020

Our Veggie & Brown Rice Maki Rolls recipe is a classroom-certified crowd favourite. Rolling sushi is a fun activity for kids! You can make this recipe your own by choosing ingredients that you like to roll up inside. This is a great opportunity to try new vegetables, increase your vegetable intake and include some more wholegrains in your diet.

Yield: 6 maki rolls
Preparation Time: About 1 hour 40 minutes, including cooking the rice

INGREDIENT LIST

2 cups (500mL) short grain brown rice
4 cups (1L) *if using a rice cooker, use only 2 cups (500mL) water
1/3 cup (75mL) rice vinegar
¼ cup (50mL) sugar
½ tsp (2mL) salt
¼ English cucumber, sliced into thin strips, lengthwise
½ large carrot, grated
1 small beet, grated
1 ripe avocado, sliced into thin strips
½ cup (125mL) pea shoots
6 sheets nori (seaweed “paper”)
low sodium soy sauce, to dip maki rolls

EQUIPMENT LIST

measuring cups and spoons
liquid measuring cup
sieve
medium-sized pot with lid
fork
large bowl
grater
sharp knife
small bowls, for vegetable fillings
maki roller (small bamboo mat) or plastic wrap
spoon
small bowl, with water (for rolling the maki rolls)
plate

METHOD

1. Wash all vegetables.

2. Measure 2 cups (500mL) rice and place in a sieve in the sink. Rinse under cold water until the water runs clear.

3. Put the rice in a pot with 4 cups (1L)* water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave covered for another 10 minutes. (*If using a rice cooker, add only 2 cups/500mL of water)

4. Put the rice in a large bowl and fluff with a fork.

5. Measure the rice vinegar. Add the sugar and salt. Stir together then pour over the rice. Gently toss the ingredients together with a fork. Let cool, fluffing with a fork every few minutes.

6. Cut the cucumber in ½ lengthwise. Use a small spoon to scrape out the seeds from the cucumber (optional). Cut the cucumber into long, thin strips, about 1 cm wide. Place in a small bowl.

7. Grate the carrot on the largest hole of the grater. Place in a small bowl.

8. Grate the beet on the largest hole on the grater. Place in a small bowl.

9. Place pea shoots in a small bowl.

10. Cut the avocado in ½. Remove the pit. Peel the avocado then cut into long, thin strips. Place in a small bowl. (Drizzle with a little lemon or lime juice if not using right away so that the avocado does not turn brown.)

11. Arrange the bowls of veggies and the cooled rice around you at a work area with the maki roller in front of you. Place a small bowl of water by the rice bowl.

12. Place a sheet of nori, shiny side down, on a maki roller (or a piece of plastic wrap)

13. Wet your fingers in the bowl of water and shake off any excess water. Put about ¾ cup of rice in little pieces all over the nori, leaving a strip of nori at the top and bottom without rice. Thinly spread the rice with your fingertips so that it evenly covers the nori (less than 1 cm thick).

14. In a thin strip across the bottom 1/3 of the rice, lay 2 cucumber strips end to end.

15. Place avocado strips on top then sprinkle a tablespoon of carrot and beet. Lay a few peas shoots on top. Lightly press the veggies on the rice.

16. Using the maki roller, roll the nori and the ingredients away from you. Roll the bottom edge of the mat up and over the filling so that the bottom edge of the nori is touching the rice on the other side of the filling. Roll as tightly as you can without tearing the nori, pressing on the nori to shape it and tighten the roll.

17. Moisten the top edge of the nori sheet with a little water to close the nori and finish rolling. Wrap the maki roller around the sushi and press lightly with both hands.

18. Place maki roll on a plate seam side down. Repeat the steps to make 5 more maki rolls.

19. Place the maki rolls on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, carefully cut the rolls into 5cm long pieces. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

20. Serve with low sodium soy sauce.

TASTY TIP

You can make many types of maki rolls. Try adding other vegetables. See what you have in the fridge, what is at the market and what is in season. You can also use different types of fish, such as salmon, tuna or shrimp. Experiment to see which flavour combinations you enjoy.

SKILLS

STEP-BY-STEP – VEGGIE & BROWN RICE MAKI ROLLS

STEP 1
Gather ingredients. Rinse and cook the rice. Use pot method above or use a rice cooker.

STEP 2
Transfer cooked rice to a large bowl, and add vinegar, sugar & salt, gently toss & fluff using a fork or rice spatula.

STEP 3
Wash all vegetables. Cut cucumber in half, seed using a spoon, cut into thin slices.

STEP 4
Grate carrots and beats.

STEP 5
Half an avocado, and remove the seed using a spoon. Cut into thin slices.

STEP 6
Place nori on top of the bamboo roller – shiny side down.

STEP 7
Wet fingers, and put about 3/4cup of rice onto the nori, spread it out evenly leaving a strip without rice on top and bottom. Place ingredients on top of the rice.