START TO FINISH: 30 minutes MAKES: 12 pieces

California Sushi Rolls

What You’ll Need

2 8-inch-square sheets nori (seaweed)

1 recipe Sushi Rice Filling

Desired fillings (such as small carrot, zucchini, or cucumber sticks; avocado slices; canned crabmeat; smoked salmon (lox-style); and/or small cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined)

1 recipe Honey Ginger Sauce

How to Make It

1. Lay nori on a sushi mat lined with plastic wrap; with damp fingers, spread 1 cup of the Sushi Rice over each sheet to within 1 inch of one edge. Arrange desired vegetable or seafood fillings crosswise just off the center of the rice.

2. Roll seaweed toward the 1-inch unfilled edge. (For a tight, even roll, place your hands under the edge of the mat closest to you. While carefully lifting the edge of the nori, roll it away from you.) Press unfilled edge over top, brushing with water to seal, if necessary.

3. Cut each roll into six pieces; arrange on a platter. If desired, cover and chill up to 4 hours. Serve with Honey-Ginger Sauce for dipping.

Sushi Rice Filling: In a fine-mesh sieve wash ½ cup short grain rice under cold running water, rubbing grains together with your fingers. In a small saucepan combine rinsed rice and ¾ cup cold water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, 15 minutes (rice should be sticky). Remove from heat. In a small bowl stir together 2 tsp. rice vinegar, 1 tsp. sugar, and ½ tsp. salt. Stir vinegar mixture into rice in saucepan; cover and cool about 45 minutes or until room temperature. (Rice can be covered and chilled up to 3 days.)

Honey-Ginger Sauce: In a small saucepan combine ⅓ cup honey; ¼ cup water; 2 Tbsp. plum sauce; 2 Tbsp. soy sauce; and 1- to 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced. Bring to boiling, stirring frequently; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Strain into a small bowl; cool. Cover and chill.

PER PIECE: 73 cal., 0 g fat, 1 mg chol., 293 mg sodium, 17 g carb., 1 g fiber, 1 g pro.

1. Press small handfuls of the sticky rice evenly over the nori. Dip your fingers in water to keep the rice from sticking to them.

2. Just off-center and opposite the unfilled edge of the nori, arrange ingredients crosswise on the rice.

3. Use the sushi mat to lift and roll the nori toward the unfilled edge. Roll as tightly as you can. Wet the edge of the nori with water for a good seal.