Christmas tree made from rolls

Step-by-step preparation

Cooking time: 1 hr 40 mins

1. STEP 1

   

   Prepare all the ingredients and equipment for making rolls. You will need a mat and cling film. You definitely need to buy Japanese rice, short-grain rice, or special rice for sushi. Long-grain and steamed rice are absolutely not suitable, since due to the low starch content in the grains, such rice does not have the necessary gluten, and the prepared dish will simply crumble. For dressing it is necessary to use rice vinegar.

2. STEP 2

   

   Pour the rice into a bowl, pour in cold running water and, in order not to damage the grains, rinse the rice with gentle movements, drain the cloudy water and pour in clean cold running water again. The rice must be washed at least 4 times, the water should become clean and clear. Place the washed rice in a colander and leave it there for 10 minutes, during which time all excess liquid will drain.

3. STEP 3

   

   Pour the rice into a saucepan and add water, put on fire. It is very important to maintain the rice to water ratio. It should be 1:1. When the water boils, cover the pan with a transparent lid, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. During this time, the moisture should completely evaporate. The lid cannot be opened during cooking, so in order to see the cooking process, it is better to use a transparent lid.

4. STEP 4

   

   After the specified time, remove the pan with rice from the heat and leave the rice to steam under the closed lid for another 10 minutes. Do not open the lid; the rice must be completely cooked.

5. STEP 5

   

   At this time, prepare the dressing. Pour rice vinegar into a small ladle (turk), add sugar and salt. Place the ladle over low heat and, stirring, dissolve the bulk ingredients. Once the sugar and salt have dissolved, immediately remove the dressing from the heat. The dressing should never boil, so you cannot cook it over high heat.

6. STEP 6

   

   Place the finished rice in a wooden bowl, wiped with a damp towel, so the rice will not stick to the dish. It’s better to use a special hangiri tub made of cypress, but I don’t have one, so I used the one I had. Wooden utensils are used to prevent any interaction with the rice vinegar, and also the wooden utensils absorb excess moisture from the rice while stirring it.

7. STEP 7

   

   Take a wooden spatula and place it over the rice. Pour the vinegar dressing onto the spatula and it will gently spread over the rice. Break the rice with smooth movements and mix it carefully, being careful not to damage the rice grains. Cover with a damp, clean towel and let the rice cool. When the rice has cooled, you can begin to form sushi and rolls.

8. STEP 8

   

   Prepare water to wet your hands. Pour rice bite and water in a ratio of 1:3 into a small container. Wetting your hands in this solution will make it easier to handle the rice with your hands. It is better to use filtered water, since it directly enters the consumer product without further heat treatment.

9. STEP 9

   

   Prepare your mat. It must be wrapped several times in cling film. Cut the nori sheets in half. Place the first half of the nori sheet, glossy side down, on the prepared mat. Wet your hands in the solution, take 120 g. boiled rice and level it over the nori, leaving 1 cm at the top free without rice, and at the bottom we go 1 cm beyond the boundaries of the nori.

10. STEP 10

    

    Now turn the nori over so that the rice is on the mat. At the same time, arrange the nori so that 1 cm of rice free of nori remains on top. Place the filling in the center of the nori sheet: first, squeeze out the cream cheese through a pastry bag, place red fish and fresh cucumber blocks next to it.

11. STEP 11

    

    Holding the filling, begin to carefully roll up the roll using a mat. Once the roll is formed, shape the roll into a round or square shape by pressing it on all sides with a mat.

12. STEP 12

    

    Finely chop the pre-washed and dried greens. Roll the finished roll in chopped dill, then place it on a wooden board and, moistening the knife in the solution, first trim the edges, then cut the roll in half. Connect the two halves of the roll and cut in half again. And cut each half again. You should get 8 rolls. The knife must be wetted, so the rice will not stick to the knife and will not lead to deformation of the rolls.

13. STEP 13

    

    Do the same with the remaining ingredients. The base of the Christmas tree will be formed from the finished rolls. Place the next row of rolls on the base, placing them a little deeper. And so on until the very top.

14. STEP 14

    

    To complete the tree, all that remains is to place red caviar on the rolls using a teaspoon. The Christmas tree is ready!