VEGAN SUSHI

Steps:

• Place the rice in a sieve, and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. Set the sieve over a bowl, and let the rice drain for 20 minutes.
• Place 4 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar, the sugar, and the salt in a small nonreactive saucepan set over medium heat, and stir just until dissolved, about 3 minutes; set hot vinegar mixture aside.
• Combine soy sauce with remaining 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon rice-wine vinegar and mirin; set the soy mixture aside.
• Place drained rice and 1 3/4 cups water in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer. Cover, and cook over very low heat until rice is tender and the water has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from heat, and let rice rest, covered, 20 minutes.
• Transfer the rice to a large bowl, and toss with 2 tablespoons reserved vinegar mixture. Place a clean, damp kitchen towel over the bowl, and set aside.
• Prepare an ice bath. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the carrots, and cook until just tender, about 1 1/2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the carrots to the ice bath to cool. Dry on paper towels, and transfer to another large bowl. Add the cucumber and remaining vinegar mixture to carrots; toss to combine.
• Using a pair of tongs, hold one sheet of nori over the flame of a burner until the nori is lightly toasted, about 30 seconds. Place the nori on a bamboo sushi mat with the longer side toward you. Dampen your fingers, and cover the nori with 1 cup reserved rice, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the edge nearest to you. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds over rice, cover with a second bamboo mat, and turn over so rice side is down. Remove top mat from nori.
• Spread 1/4 teaspoon wasabi across the lower third of the nori. Arrange 2 carrots, 2 cucumbers, one-quarter of the daikon, 4 lettuce leaves, and one-quarter of the pea shoots in a line across the bottom third of the nori so that the vegetables extend beyond the edges. Using the bamboo mat, roll into a cylinder, enclosing the vegetables. Squeeze, sealing the cylinder, and remove the mat. Using a serrated knife, slice the cylinder into six equal pieces.
• Repeat steps seven and eight with the remaining ingredients, making three more cylinders. Serve sushi with the remaining wasabi, the reserved soy mixture, and the pickled ginger, if desired; garnish with shiso leaves, if desired.