Scattered Sushi With Five Colors - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Sushi Rice
3 cups uncooked short-grain rice
3 cups water
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup sugar or 1/4 cup honey
Mushrooms
8 -10 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water for 3 to 4 hours (or 2 cups sliced white button mushrooms)
1/4 cup water or 1/4 cup shiitake stock (from soaking)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin or 1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon sugar or 1 tablespoon honey
Carrots
2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/2 cup water or 1/2 cup shiitake stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin or 1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon sugar or 1 tablespoon honey
Peas
1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar or 1 tablespoon honey
Tofu
8 ounces firm tofu, cut into matchsticks
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar or 2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pinch ground turmeric (optional)
Nori
3 -4 sheets nori

Preparation

Rice: Place the rice and water in a pot and let soak at least 1 hour.
(Overnight is okay.) Bring to a boil, cover, lower the heat and simmer 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let sit 10 minutes.
In a small saucepan, combine the rice vinegar with the salt and sugar or honey.
Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.
Let cool before using.
(This step can be done the day before; if you are short on time, however, simply stir the ingredients to dissolve the salt and sugar.) Transfer the hot rice from the pot to a large bowl.
With a large spoon, mix the rice as you pour in the cold vinegar mixture a little at a time.
(It is important that the cold vinegar be poured over hot rice, or the vinegar will not be properly absorbed.) Keep the rice covered while you finish the recipe.
Mushrooms: Combine all the ingredients in a skillet and simmer over low heat 15 minutes.
Drain.
Carrots: Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and cook briefly until tender.
Drain.
Tofu: Heat all the ingredients in a skillet over medium heat until the tofu absorbs the flavors and turns yellow.
Nori: Briefly pass each nori sheet over an open gas flame or electric burner until crisp.
With a pair of scissors, cut each sheet in half, then stack the sheets together.
Shred with scissors.
To Assemble: Place the rice in a large serving dish or on a platter.
Arrange the mushrooms, carrots, peas and tofu on top of the rice in separate piles.
Mound the nori in the middle.
At serving time, toss together all ingredients.
Variation: For more colors, add sliced radishes, pickled ginger and wasabi (hot mustard).