Tasty and refreshing – this is exactly what I feel like eating on a hot summer day or night. But don’t let that stop you from making it any time of year.
The peppery greens paired with the naturally sweet carrot sauce make a really delectable combination. These rolls would work well with plain cooked millet in place of the rice if you’re in the mood to change it up.
MAKES 4 ROLLS
INGREDIENTS
4 toasted nori sheets (see sidebar)
600 g (1 lb 5 oz/3 cups) cooked brown and sweet rice (page 63)
1 ripe avocado, quartered
140 g (5 oz) mixed trimmed rocket, spinach and watercress leaves
Carrot dipping sauce
Sweet, tangy and full of flavour, this sauce is a cinch to make. Once you taste it, you’ll want to drizzle it over everything. When used as a dressing, it lends a lovely Asian flavour to crisp lettuces or coleslaw.
MAKES 300 ML (10 FL OZ/11⁄4 CUPS)
135 g (5 oz/11⁄2 cups) grated carrots
2 tablespoons unpasteurized apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon unpasteurized sweet white miso
1 teaspoon umeboshi paste
1⁄2 garlic clove
1⁄4 teaspoon fresh ginger juice (see sidebar on page 174) 120 ml (4 fl oz/1⁄2 cup) filtered water
1⁄4 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
METHOD
Place 1 sheet of nori, shiny side down, on a sushi mat. Wet your hands with cold water to prevent rice from sticking to them. Gently press 140 g (5 oz/ 3⁄4 cup) cooked rice thinly over the surface of the nori, covering all but a 5-cm (2-in) strip at the end furthest from you. Cut each quarter of avocado into 3 long slices and place them along the edge closest to you. Place a quarter of the greens over the avocado.
To roll, moisten the exposed strip of nori with a little water. Carefully lift the end closest to you up and over the filling, squeezing firmly. Lift the mat up and continue rolling until you reach the moistened nori; seal the roll. Wrap the mat around the whole roll and squeeze gently to secure.
Remove mat and place roll seam- side down. Use a moistened knife to slice into 6 to 8 pieces. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Carrot dipping sauce
Place carrots, vinegar, miso, umeboshi paste, garlic, ginger juice, water and salt in an upright blender; blend until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Add sesame oil and olive oil and blend for another 20 seconds or until creamy. Pour into a bowl and serve with rolls, or place in a jar and store in the fridge for up to three days.
Recipe and image from At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen by Amy Chaplin (Quarto) $39.99.
