Sushi Rice Salad

There are many ways to enjoy sushi rice without ever going near a piece of fish. One way is with a refreshing rice salad called chirashi-zushi, which means "scattered sushi."

Serves 4

What You Need:

• 1-1/4 cups glutinous or sticky rice (sushi rice)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons tamari soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon white miso paste 
• 1 teaspoon mirin (rice wine seasoning)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup stemmed and sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 1 carrot, cut into long shreds
• 3/4 cup snow peas, trimmed and cut into strips
• 1/2 cup fresh bean sprouts
• 2 tablespoons chopped scallions
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

What You Do:

1. Place the rice in a bowl with enough cold water to cover it completely. Soak for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain the rice, then place it in a saucepan with 2 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, remove from heat and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Transfer the rice to a shallow bowl and set aside to cool at room temperature. In a small saucepan, heat the rice vinegar with the sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Drizzle the vinegar mixture over the cooked rice.
3. Combine the tamari, miso paste, mirin, and 1 cup of water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the miso. When water is simmering, add the mushrooms and carrots and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the snow peas and cook about 30 seconds longer, or until snow peas turn bright green. Add the bean sprouts, scallions, and sesame oil to the vegetables and toss to coat. Remove from heat. To serve, spoon the rice into individual bowls and top with vegetables. Serve at room temperature.