centerpiece of a special dinner party. And because they travel well, they also make great picnic or potluck fare.
When you first start making nori rolls, or if you experiment with long-grain rice, be sure to cook it with about one-third sweet brown rice to help the rice stick together. Otherwise you might end up with a roll that doesn’t stick together well or that just doesn’t turn out right. Don’t despair! Just serve the ingredients artfully arranged in a bowl and call it chirashi sushi (which means “scattered sushi”). No one will be the wiser. In fact, they’ll think you’re ahead of the curve and onto the next big thing in sushi. Either way, it will still taste delicious.
Short-Grain Brown Rice
Although white sushi rice is traditionally used for making nori rolls, brown rice is nutritionally superior, having more B vitamins and fiber. And unlike long-grain brown rice, which cooks up fluffy, short-grain brown rice has a slight sticky quality that’s perfect for nori rolls, especially if you cook it in a pressure cooker as in the variations below.
Makes enough rice for at least 8 nori rolls
2 cups short-grain brown rice, rinsed
4 cups cold water
Pinch of sea salt
Combine the rice, water, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed. Uncover the rice and let it stand for about 1 hour, until cool enough to handle, before making nori rolls. If the rice is too hot, it will steam holes in the nori.
Variations
Cook the rice with 3 slices of fresh ginger.
Use 1 cup each of short-grain brown rice and sweet brown rice.
Swap Jade Pearl rice for the brown rice and decrease the simmering time to 20 minutes.
To use a pressure cooker with a rice crock instead of a saucepan, decrease the amount of water to 3 cups and cook for about 40 minutes, following the method on page 36.
Exotic Rice Blend
Cooking with Chinese black rice or Bhutanese red rice adds more color to nori rolls, making them a feast for the eyes, as well as the palate.
Makes enough rice for at least 8 nori rolls
1½ cups Chinese black rice, such as Forbidden Rice, or Bhutanese red rice
½ cup sweet brown rice, rinsed
4 cups cold water
Pinch of sea salt
Combine the rice, water, and salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed. Uncover the rice and let it stand for about 1 hour, until cool enough to handle, before making nori rolls.
Variations
To use a pressure cooker with a rice crock instead of a saucepan, decrease the amount of water to 3 cups and cook for about 30 minutes, following the method on page 36.
Trio of Rice
Enhanced nutrition along with fantastic flavor makes Chinese black rice, Bhutanese red rice, and sweet brown rice a great rice combination. This trio also makes for an attractive mosaic of colors. Nori rolls that pair this rice blend with steamed beets, carrots, and kale are especially delicious.
Makes enough rice for at least 8 nori rolls
¾ cup black forbidden rice
¾ cup Bhutanese red rice
½ cup sweet brown rice, rinsed
4 cups cold water
Pinch of sea salt
Combine the rice, water, and salt in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed. Uncover the rice and let it stand for about 1 hour, until cool enough to handle, before making nori rolls.
Variations
To use a pressure cooker with a rice crock instead of a saucepan, decrease the amount of water to 3 cups and cook for about 30 minutes, following the method on page 36.
Jade Pearl Rice Eco-Cook Method
I came up with this quick cooking method quite by accident and have since used it time and time again. A neighbor called me just as the rice had come to a boil and I needed to go over to her house. I turned off the rice, and when
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