I experiment with different kinds of homemade sushi, but I keep coming back to this one. I don't remember what made me combine these--probably just the fact that I had them both on hand. These magically disappear at parties: there you'll be, just about to reach over and pick up a few pieces of this sushi when someone will swoosh in, from nowhere, fully italicized, and captivate you with some amazing conversation. Then you look for the sushi you were about to take, and --fffffft! it has disappeared. Really. Someone apologized to me once at a party, "sorry, excuse me, I just have to have another piece of this sushi."
OK, so now that you've had the commercial, here it is. The beautiful thing is it's completely simple to make.
Asparagus and Avocado Maki
2 cups raw sushi rice (I use Kokuho Rose)
2½ cups water
6 Tbsp. rice vinegar (use Sushi Chef or Marukhan unseasoned, or use less sugar)
2 Tbsp. sugar (or less if using glutinous rice vinegar)
1½ tsp. fine or ground sea salt
asparagus (less than a pound, usually)
2 or 3 avocadoes
toasted sesame seeds (optional)
8-10 nori sheets
Cook rice according to directions on the bag. While it's cooking, stir together the second set of ingredients in your smallest saucepan or a metal bowl you can put on a burner. Lightly steam the asparagus (2-3 minutes max). Slice avocado in the skin, then scoop out slices with a spoon.
If you're cooking on an electric range as I am (argh), take the asparagus off the burner, make sure burner is off, and then put the vinegar mix on the warm burner. That will help everything dissolve in the vinegar.
OK, once the rice has cooked and sat, scoop it out with a fork or a rice paddle into a large bowl (2 quarts or more). Add seasoned vinegar and stir well. On a cutting board or a bamboo mat, lay your nori sheet. Spread with a paddleful of rice (probably ¼ to ⅓ cup; experiment), lay down asparagus and avocado, and roll up. I like to use a whole nori sheet for each one because I like seaweed.
Swordfish Over Seasoned Rice
When I'm too lazy to make maki, I buy swordfish steaks, cook them in the toaster oven, and then put them atop the seasoned rice from the recipe above. Sprinkle rice with toasted sesame seeds. This dinner is totally addictive. A good side dish is quickly sauteed chinese cabbage with a little coconut oil, cooking sherry, and a dash of fish sauce. Yum.