Maki Sushi with Bell Pepper

Ingredients

• 300 g sushi rice
• 1 piece kombu seaweed (approx. 8 x 8 cm)
• 4 tbsp Rice vinegar
• Salt
• 10 g sugar (1 tsp)
• 1 red bell pepper
• 50 g Baby Spinach
• Pepper
• 25 g light sesame seeds
• 25 g dark sesame seeds
• 150 g bamboo shoots (glass; drained weight)
• 4 nori sheets
• 6 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp wasabi paste

Instructions

1. 1.

   Rinse the rice in a sieve under running water until clear.

2. 2.

   Bring rice, 450 ml water and kombu seaweed to a boil over high heat. Then simmer covered on low for about 10 minutes (do not lift the lid). Remove from heat and let rice steam for 3–5 minutes.

3. 3.

   Heat the rice vinegar and stir in ½ tsp salt and sugar.

4. 4.

   Transfer the cooked rice to a bowl, remove kombu. Use a chopstick to cross‑cut the rice, slowly pour the seasoning over while fanning air with a fan so the rice cools to room temperature and gains shine.

5. 5.

   Wash, trim and slice the bell pepper into thin strips.

6. 6.

   Wash spinach and blanch in boiling salted water until wilted. Remove, shock in cold water, squeeze out excess moisture, then season with salt and pepper.

7. 7.

   Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan until fragrant, remove and let cool. Drain bamboo shoots and pat dry.

8. 8.

   Place one nori sheet on a bamboo mat and spread sushi rice over it, leaving about 1 cm at the top and bottom edges.

9. 9.

   Cover the rice with plastic wrap. Flip the nori so the rice faces down on the bamboo mat. On the lower third of the nori lay spinach first, then bell pepper strips, followed by bamboo shoots.

10. 10.

    Using the bamboo mat, roll tightly and remove the wrap. Press the ends together, then roll the finished sushi in sesame seeds.

11. 11.

    Slice the roll into eight pieces with a sharp knife. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make three more rolls, served with soy sauce and wasabi.