Thai-Spiced Maki Rolls

Oh my god. That's about all that I can say. These rolls are intended to be spicy however you can easilly adjust the level to your own taste. Also, mango slices or clementines would work well in replacement of the mandarines. Nearly anything acidic and bright in flavor will do. There are many online guides on how to successfully roll sushi, cook the rice, etc. so I will not swim in that area for too long. Just the basics, my dear friends, and obviously my own thai addition.

2 sheets toasted nori

1 cup short grain rice
1 1/4 cup water
1 block extra-firm tofu
1carrot
2 mandarine oranges
4 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp curry paste
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes


The rice:
-Combine rice and water in a medium sized pot
-Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and continue to cook for 20 minutes
-Meanwhile, combine rice vinegar and sugar in a small bowl to form a solution. After rice is cooked, take off of heat and allow to sit for ten minutes until all of the water has been absorbed
-Spoon the cooked rice onto a flat surface, carefully folding in the sugar/vinegar solution. Fan the rice with a magazine or whatever you have on hand (alternate between fanning and folding).
-Once cooled, place half of the rice in the center of the nori sheet (placed dull side up), and spoon out evenly leaving only 1/2 inch of exposed nori at the end.

The filler:
- Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a pan on medium heat, add in 1 tsbp curry paste and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes. Add in slices of tofu and cook until slightly browned.
- Slice the carrots and peeled orange pieces into sticks.
- Place the tofu, carrots, and oranges in the center of the rice and slowly roll the nori.
*As mentioned before, many guides can be found online about rolling sushi*
-Allow roll to settle for a few minutes and then cut into 4-5 large pieces

Top with peanut sauce and chopped peanuts, recipe should yield 2 rolls.