Veggie Sushi

Veggie Sushi

 

The best sushi is of course the one you get in Japan. There are restaurants dedicated to sushi and chefs who have dedicated their lives to sushi (I highly recommend the Netflix documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi). But, of course, what do you do when you get sushi cravings on a plant-based diet? Make vegetable sushi of course. This is a relatively easy recipe. The tricky part is rolling the nori. Using a sushi mat helps, but is not mandatory. Practice makes it perfect.

 

This sushi is Makizushi. Makizushi, also known as “norimaki,” refers to a type of sushi where rice and ingredients are carefully rolled in a sheet of nori seaweed, which is then cut into smaller pieces.

 

Ingredients –

 

Nori (seaweed) sheets 4

Avocado 1

Cucumber 1 small

Carrot shreds 1 cup 

Unpolished organic rice (A sticky variety works better. It should be little sticky or overcooked.)

Water for spreading rice and cleaning knife

Sesame seeds black and white (optional) 

Vegan mayonnaise 1/3 cup (see recipe below)

1/4 tsp lemon juice

 

For the vegan mayonnaise:

Cashews 8-10 (soak for at least 3-4 hours; you can use hot water if you are short of time); alternatively you can use tofu

1 small potato

Roasted mustard seeds powder – 1/4 tsp

Lemon juice 1/2 tsp

Jaggery powder 1 tsp (or dry date powder or date syrup)

Salt to taste

To make the mayonnaise, blend all the ingredients until smooth.

 

Instructions –

Cook the rice to a soft and sticky consistency. 

Add salt , lemon juice and a little jaggery or dry date powder to the cooked rice and set aside.

Dice the avocado into thin slices. Cut the cucumber and carrots into long strips. 

Season the cut avocado, cucumber, and carrots with salt and jaggery and keep aside.

Assemble the sushi roll:

 Lay a sheet of nori, shiny side down, on a chopping board.

 Wet your fingers (by dipping in water) and spread 1/2 cup rice on the nori. Leave around 1-inch space at the lower end.

Place 1/4th of the seasoned veggies in the center of the sheet. 

Spread the mayonnaise on top of the vegetables.

Roll the sushi, pressing firmly on the board for a firm roll. Take care that the nori sheet doesn’t tear.

Cut the rolled nori into 6 pieces. If the knife gets sticky, dip in  water. 

Repeat with the remaining nori sheets.

Sprinkle roasted unpolished sesame seeds on top of the rolls and serve with soy sauce.

 

Notes –

 

1.You can also make the stuffing with a mixture of steamed tofu, peanut butter, salt, and jaggery.

2.You may also skip the mayo and just enjoy veggies in the roll.