This might be the best vegan sushi ever. Not only does it taste unbelievably delicious and satisfies every sense with it's salty and umami flavor and creamy and crunchy texture, it's super healing with nourishing ingredients.
This sushi is extra special in that it contains pre and probiotics with the asparagus (a great source of prebiotics) and kimchi (awesome source of health bacteria or probiotics). It also contains hydrating cucumber (perfect for the spring), farmers market green onions (check your local market for these flavor bombs or simply grab them from your grocery store), local butter lettuce and, of course, seaweed wraps which are chock-full of minerals like iodine, calcium, iron and magnesium.
It's really simple if you precook the rice and have all of the ingredients pre-cut, ready to go. Just keep everything in the refrigerator until you're ready to make the sushi. You can use any veggies! I made two varieties. I added strips of baked tofu and Follow Your Heart Chipotle Mayo to one and added pickled green beans to the veggie mix to another. Below are the two varieties I made.
What You'll Need
Sushi rice (short grain rice)
Seaweed wraps*
Veggies, julienned and cut, ready-to-go (avocado, cucumber, carrots, asparagus, green onion, etc)
Kimchi
Sesame seeds (optional)
Wasabi powder*
Low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
Fresh or jarred ginger*
Tea Towel — basically any linen or cotton towel you use to dry dishes
*Find the seaweed wraps, wasabi powder and ginger in the Asian or ethnic section of the grocery store.
First, make the sushi rice
The most important component with sushi is the texture of the rice. It must be short grain rice for it to be sticky.
1 1/2 cups short grain brown rice (dry)
3 cups water
Cook the rice according to directions: Heat the water and rice in a pot until boiling. Lower the heat to simmer, cover and let cook for approximately 30 minutes or until the rice is soft. Drain and add the rice to a medium size bowl.
Add the following sushi rice ingredients to a small bowl:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup coconut aminos
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1/4 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black sesame seeds
Mix the sushi rice ingredient blend with the sushi rice. Stir well and set aside.
Prep the veggies for the first sushi roll
I cut cucumber, chives and avocado into thin long strips. I also cooked the asparagus for a few minutes before cutting it into halves for the sushi. Other things I had on hand included butterhead lettuce, sesame seeds, microgreens and kimchi.
Second sushi roll
For the second roll, I spread Follow Your Heart chipotle Vegenaise on the seaweed wrap before adding the rice. Then I added the rice, cucumber, chives and tofu* that I made beforehand. (The addition of the mayo combined with the wasabi made it extra spicy and so so good!)
*On pressing and cooking the tofu
If you want tofu to be firm and crispy on the outside when you pan fry or bake it then it's important to press the water out of it at least an hour before you cook it. Wrap the tofu in paper towels or a clean tea towel and setting something heavy on top of it, like a cast iron pan or a few heavy books. Or, if you want to be more official, purchase a tofu press. Let it press for about an hour if possible. Cut into thin strips and either pan fry with a little avocado oil or bake in the oven for 25-35 minutes at 350 degrees. I typically sprinkle a little salt and pepper on it as well. You could also marinate it in Braggs aminos or coconut aminos before baking.
Making the sushi (Once the sushi rice is ready and veggies cut, making the rolls should only take 15-20 minutes. Have fun!)
Lay the tea towel on top of a clean working surface and place all of the ingredients you plan to use around the towel so you can easily grab them while making the sushi.
Place a nori sheet lengthwise on the tea towel with the shiny side down. Fill a shallow bowl with cool water and wet your hands. Take a handful of rice and place it in the center of the nori sheet. Spread evenly, leaving a 3/4 – inch strip of the nori sheet uncovered on the top.
Place thin strips of cucumber, green onion, asparagus, avocado and kimchi in a line on the near edge of the nori sheet. Make sure not to overfill the nori.
Tuck your thumbs underneath the tea towel and hold the ingredients with your fingers. Then roll the tea towel and the nori sheet towards your fingers with slight pressure. Make sure that the ingredients are fully covered with the rice and the nori sheet. Roll slowly to ensure that the sushi is rolled evenly.
Place the sushi roll on a cutting board and carefully cut it in half with a sharp knife. Put the knife under cold water before and after cutting. Put the sushi halves beside each other and carefully cut them into small slices.
Sprinkle the vegan sushi rolls with sesame seeds and serve with soy sauce or coconut aminos. You could also add wasabi and pickled ginger for an extra spicy kick!
Follow the same procedure for the tofu and chipotle mayo roll, spreading a light layer of the mayo on the seaweed before adding rice. Then proceed with your ingredients (tofu, cucumber, etc.).
Take photos and share with me here on on Instagram! I'd love to see your sushi creations.
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