California Rolls

Combine the cooked sushi rice with sea salt, brown rice vinegar, ume plum vinegar, and mirin in a large bowl. Mix gently with a rice paddle or wooden spoon until the rice is evenly seasoned and cooled to room temperature.

Slice the carrot lengthwise into thin, uniform sticks approximately ¼ inch wide. If using avocado, cucumber, or green onions, prepare them similarly into thin strips for rolling.

Place a bamboo sushi mat on a clean, flat surface and lay a nori sheet shiny-side down on the mat. Wet your fingers and spread a thin, even layer of seasoned sushi rice across the nori, leaving a ½-inch border at the top edge.

Arrange a line of carrot strips (and other prepared vegetables if using) horizontally across the center of the rice-covered nori sheet. For California rolls, the vegetables should be placed inside the roll.

Using the bamboo mat as a guide, roll the nori tightly away from you, keeping pressure even as you fold. Stop when the top border of nori seals the roll, then gently squeeze the entire roll through the mat to firm it.

Use a sharp, wet knife to slice the roll into 6–8 equal pieces, wiping the blade between cuts to prevent tearing. Arrange the rolls on a serving plate with the spiral side facing up.

Serve the California rolls immediately at room temperature with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger on the side.