• ***Preheat oven to 425º F. Once the rice is soaking, skip to the sweet potato preparation so they will both be ready at the same time!***

Making the Rice

• Soak the rice for 15 minutes in cold water.
• Drain and place in a lidded saucepan with 1 ½ cups of water.
• Cover the pan, bring to a boil then turn the heat down to the lowest setting.
• Cook for 10 minutes, remove from heat, and leave covered for another 15 minutes.
• Remove lid, add 2 - 4 tablespoons of rice vinegar (stirred together with 1 tsp sugar).

  Stir thoroughly to incorporate while the rice cools. Cover with a lid or damp cloth.
• Pro Tip: Keep the cooked rice covered when not in use.
• One More Tip: Keep a bowl of water for dipping finger tips while spreading the rice (prevents sticking).
• Last Tip: Keep a clean, folded kitchen towel next to workspace to keep mat, hands, and surfaces clean and clear for rolling.

Prepping the Sweet Potato Fries (make these while the rice is soaking)

• Preheat the oven to 425º F. Rack on bottom ⅓ of oven.
• Cut the sweet potato into ~¼" rods.
• Dip them in some plant-based milk, then into a bowl of panko bread crumbs.
• Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet that has been drizzled with 1 tbsp of oil. Shake the fries on the sheet to lightly coat the fries. Sprinkle with coarsely ground salt.
• Cook for 10-18 minutes until tender and crisp - shaking (or turning) halfway through. The fries should be tender and sweet on the inside and crispy on the outside.

Vegetable Filling for Sushi Rolls

• Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and skin. Slice each half lengthwise into thick slices.
• Peel and grate the carrots.
• Slice small Persian cucumber into long thin slices or wedges. (Deseed cucumber if too juicy.) 

Spicy Mayo Recipe - 3 minute spicy sushi sauce

Unagi Sauce (Eel Sauce) Recipe

• ¼ cup mirin, ¼ cup soy sauce, 1-2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar: mix together in a small saucepan.

  Optional: add a few slices of jalapeno pepper or a squirt of sriracha for some heat.
• Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring up to a boil then reduce the heat to medium low and let simmer for about 8-10 minutes until it starts to thicken.
• Remove from heat and let cool completely. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. It will end up being about the consistency of maple syrup.
• Store the sauce in the fridge for up to 3 months.

Rolling Sushi

• Lay out your bamboo mat with an piece of plastic wrapped around it (optional: to keep the mat clean).
• For a traditional roll, place a sheet of nori (shiny side down) on the mat.
• Spread a layer of rice evenly over the nori (not too thick) leaving a small space at the top of the sheet. 
• Place your ingredients in the bottom third of the nori sheet in a couple rows.
• Pick up the bottom edge of the nori and pull it up and over the filling ingredients rolling it away from you (curl your fingers over the bamboo mat and gently press along the length of the log through the mat). This will gently compress the filling and rice together.
• Continue to roll and press along the log (lifting the mat out of the way as you roll) until you've rolled past the far edge of the nori sheet.
• See details for inside out rolls in recipe post.
• Place the rolls in the fridge wrapped in plastic until it's time to serve them. 
• At serving time, take a very sharp, clean-edged knife, dip the tip into water, hold the tip of the blade up and let the water run down and off the blade. Wipe the blade between each cut.
• Slice the sushi roll in half. Slice each half in half, slice each quarter in half. This will ensure you have 8 evenly cut pieces. 
• Decorate the top of your rolls with crispy sweet potato shoestrings, a dab of Vegenaise with a jalapeno slice or strawberry slice, some pickled radishes or thinly sliced avocados.
• Arrange them on a serving plate and serve with dipping sauces, pickled ginger, and toasted sesame seeds.