Vegetarian Norimaki

Ingredients

4 scallions, each about 8 inches long

1 carrot

1/2 cup sauerkraut

4 sheets fine-quality pre-toasted sushi nori

3 cups pressure-cooked short-grain brown rice

4 teaspoons umeboshi paste

Preparation

Wash and trim scallions; set aside

Peel the carrot and cut into long 1/4-inch thick strips. Steam in a covered saucepan with an inch or so of water over medium heat until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.

Rinse the sauerkraut, if you wish, to remove excess salt and press well in a colander until quite dry.

To assemble to norimaki rolls, have handy a small bowl of water and a sushi mat. The mat allows you to make the rolls neatly and firmly, as the nori itself is very fragile. (If you have no sushi mat, use a strong paper towel that has been moistened ans squeezed dry). Place the mat or towel on a clean, dry surface and place the nori, shiny side down on top.

Place two ice-cream scoops of rice, or about 2/3 cup, on the sheet of nori. Dampen your fingers lightly in the water and press the rice out evenly, making a slight groove or depression across the middle of the rice, and leaving about a 2-inch strip of nori uncovered.

Place the assembled sheet of nori on the sushi mat with the extra margin of nori furthest away from you. Spread the teaspoon of umeboshi paste across the rice with your finger and then add a bit of sauerkraut, a carrot strip and a scallion leaf neatly in a row.

Pick up the edges of the mat and nori together and begin to roll, tucking firmly into the center while bending the mat slightly up, takinf care no to catch it in the roll. If you're using a paper towel, follow the same procedure; make sure, after rolling it up, to squeeze the middle of the cigarlike roll to avoid a bulge and make it even.

Complete the roll, holding it tightly in the mat a moment to help seal the edges. The moisture from the filling will enable the nori to stick together. You may leave this roll seam-side down for a few minutes while you assemble the rest.

Using a wet, sharp knife, cut each roll into six slices with a back-and-forth sawing motion; dip the blade occasionally into the water.