Once you have practiced a few times, this vegetarian sushi (also vegan) is an incredibly easy dish to make for afternoon snacks or dinner. It is also one of my favorite things to bring to a pot luck.
Sea vegetables are an incredibly rich source of minerals, and nori sheets made into sushi are a very yummy way to eat this highly nutritious food. Experiment with different fillings, make a variety and have fun sharing them with friends and family!
Disclaimer: I am not actually Japanese, and am not qualified to teach sushi making as the art form that it is. I am going over the basics here, from a white girl’s perspective.
Vegan Sushi Recipe
Prep time:
Cook Time:
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Makes enough for 4 people as a main dish, or 8 as an appetizer. They look small, but are quite filling!
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Ingredients
- 1 cup short grain brown rice
- 1-2 Tbsp brown rice or apple cider vinegar
- 4 nori sheets
- 1 small carrot, julienned
- 2-inch section of zucchini, julienned
- 1 large mushroom, sliced
- sea salt
- 1 Tbsp tamari
- 1 green onion, sliced lengthwise
Equipment
A sushi rolling mat is not necessary, but will make things much easier for your first few times. They are sold individually for a few dollars, or in a kit with some other fancy sushi stuff for a lot more. Check your grocery store or Chinese food store.
Directions
- Cook the rice ahead of time, and let it cool. (How To Cook Whole Grains) Short grain brown rice will be sticky enough to use instead of the white sushi rice, while long grain brown rice will not work. Stir in a tablespoon or two of vinegar, just enough to make the rice stick to itself.
- Marinate the mushrooms ahead of time as well, by placing the slices in a container with a sealing lid. Sprinkle sea salt and tamari on the mushrooms, seal the container and shake. Allow the mushrooms to marinate about an hour until they are very soft. Squeeze any excess tamari off the mushrooms, otherwise it will come out in your sushi roll.
- Lay out a sheet of nori on your rolling mat. There are often grooves in the nori to show where you should cut your sushi – these lines should be oriented parallel to the direction you’re facing, not perpendicular.
- Spoon some rice onto the nori, wet your hands and spread the rice out to cover the sheet. Leave a space along the back edge of the sheet to seal the roll. Place a row of vegetables along the close edge of the sheet, perpendicular to the direction you are facing. Dry your hands, then roll the sheet up & over the row of vegetables. Press tightly back towards you, and also down onto the roll. Do not squish, but make sure you are getting a tight roll. Peel the rolling mat up, and continue to roll. Press the roll together as you go, finishing with the strip at the far edge that has no rice to seal.
- Allow your sushi roll to sit for a few minutes for the nori to be softened by the rice, then cut into slices and serve. A dipping bowl of tamari, some pickled ginger and some wasabi are the common accompaniments, and it is much more fun to eat with chopsticks!
