Temaki Sandwich

Ingredients

• 8noriHalve the sheets or cut to palm size, only just before eating
• 7 ozsushi ricewashed, cooked and cooled
• 2 tbspVinegarfor seasoning the rice
• 1 tspsugarstirred into the vinegar
• ½ tspsaltfor the rice or its seasoning
• 1cucumbercut into sticks
• 1avocadocut into wedges
• 1carrotgrated or in fine sticks
• 4Lettuceleaves, torn to bite size
• 3½ ozSpinachas filling
• 3Egghard-boiled and chopped, or as a thin omelette
• 8Sliced white breadslices, for the bread version
• sesame seedsfor sprinkling
• soy saucefor dipping or stirred into the spreads
• wasabito serve
• butterspread thinly on the bread slices (optional)
• 2⅛ ozCream cheesefor the spreads served with the bread version (optional)
• 3 tbspmayonnaisefor egg or tuna spread (optional)

Method

1. Wash the sushi rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear, then drain well. Put it on with water, bring to the boil, cover and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, then take it off the heat and let it stand.
2. Stir the rice vinegar with the sugar and salt until both have dissolved, then fold the seasoning gently through the warm rice with a spatula. Let the rice cool completely, or it will soften the nori.
3. Wash the cucumber and cut it into sticks, peel and grate the carrot or cut it into fine sticks, cut the avocado into wedges and tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces.
4. Blanch the leaf spinach briefly in salted water, refresh it in cold water and squeeze it out well. Blanch the other vegetables the same way if you like.
5. Hard-boil the eggs and chop them, or fry them as a thin omelette and cut it into strips. If you want spreads, mix the egg with mayonnaise, or stir the cream cheese smooth with a little soy sauce.
6. Only just before eating, halve the nori sheets or cut them to palm size and set them out dry; keep your hands dry too, so the sheets stay crisp.
7. Lay a sheet of nori shiny side down on your hand and spread a thin layer of rice over it — or put down a slice of white bread, thinly buttered.
8. Pile the filling in the middle, not too high, then roll the nori into a cone or fold the four corners in to make a parcel. Seal the edges with a little water or a few grains of rice and cut the parcel in half.
9. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and eat straight away, with soy sauce and wasabi for dipping. Keep all the ingredients in bowls on the table so everyone can carry on rolling.

Tips and variations

Instead of sushi rice, a slice of white bread can go on the nori sheet and be rolled up with the filling. For a sweet round, top the bread with banana, strawberries and blueberries, with three whipped cream cheese spreads flavoured with mentaiko, yuzukosho and orange marmalade. If you prefer the classic shape, twist the hand roll into a cone rather than a square parcel. For something heartier, use egg and tuna spread, Vienna sausages, ham and sliced cheese; with raw or smoked fish, shiso and takuan, serve gari, wasabi and soy sauce alongside. The quickest version is the most minimal: a spoonful of rice on a palm-sized piece of nori with whatever is on the table. Sriracha mayonnaise also works well for dipping instead of soy sauce.