Vegetarian Sushi Recipes

Steps:

• Place rice and water in a saucepan over high heat, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to very low. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer rice until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove rice from heat and allow to stand covered for 10 minutes.
• Mix red wine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl until sugar has dissolved. Fluff rice with a fork and transfer into a large bowl; pour vinegar mixture into the rice and stir to coat rice. Spread rice out onto a large piece of parchment paper and fan the rice until cool. Cover rice with damp paper towels.
• Sprinkle avocado slices with lemon juice in a bowl.
• Spread a thin layer of sesame seeds onto a sushi mat. Pick up about half a cup of cooled rice and place onto sushi mat in an even layer. Place 1/4 of the cucumber, avocado slices, bell pepper, and zucchini in a line down the middle of the rice.
• Pick up the edge of the sushi mat, fold the bottom edge of the sheet up, enclosing the filling, and tightly roll the sushi into a thick cylinder. Once the sushi is rolled, wrap it in the mat and gently squeeze to compact it tightly. Repeat with remaining ingredients to made 4 rolls. Place rolls on a serving plate, slice into 6 or 8 pieces per roll, and cover with damp paper towels until serving time.

Steps:

• Make the rice. Combine the rice and 3 1/4 cups water in a rice cooker and cook according to the manufacturer's instructions. A rice cooker is the best way to get perfect sticky-firm rice, but if you don't have one, just use a saucepan. Fold in the vinegar. Combine the vinegar, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Transfer the cooked rice to a large wooden bowl (traditionally, a wooden tub). Drizzle a quarter of the vinegar mixture over a wooden spoon or spatula onto the rice. Fold the rice gently with the spoon to cool it and break up any clumps; be careful not to smash the grains. Fold in the remaining vinegar mixture and let the rice sit 5 minutes. Spread the rice.
• Cover a bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap. Place a half nori sheet rough-side up on the mat. Moisten your hands and scoop a handful of rice, slightly larger than a lemon, onto the nori. Press the rice to spread it evenly up to the edges of the nori, moistening your fingers as you go. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Prepare the vegetables. Peel the cucumber and slice into matchsticks. (Morimoto cuts the entire cucumber into a paper-thin sheet, then quickly slices it into strips-but he's had some practice.) Thinly slice the avocado, tomato and red onion; peel the tough ends of the asparagus. Add the filling. Carefully flip over the nori so it's rice-side down on the mat with the short end facing you. Spread a bit of wasabi paste in a line about one-third of the way up the nori-it's spicy, so use it sparingly. Arrange a few pieces each of lettuce, cucumber, avocado, tomato and onion in a tight pile in the lower third of the sheet. It's OK if the vegetables hang over the edges of the nori. Roll the sushi. Roll the sushi away from you with your hands, tucking in the vegetables as you go. Remove the mat from under the roll and place it on top. Press the roll into a compact rectangular log, using the mat to help you. Slice the roll. Cut the sushi roll into 4 to 6 pieces. Repeat with the remaining nori, rice and vegetables. Serve with pickled ginger and more wasabi. Photography by Rick Lew

Steps:

• Place the rice in a strainer and rinse under cold running water until the water is fairly clear, about 5 minutes. Shake the water out and allow the rice to dry in the strainer for 15 minutes.
• Put the rice in a pot with exactly 3 cups of water and cook covered over high heat until it starts to foam, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and sprinkle with 1/4 cup mirin. Replace the lid and allow the rice to steam for 15 minutes. Place in a bowl and cool to room temperature.
• To prepare the sushi, place a bamboo sushi roller flat on a table with the bamboo reeds horizontal to you. Sprinkle lightly with water. Place 1 nori sheet on top, smooth side down, and moisten lightly with mirin. With damp hands, press 1 1/4 cups rice flat on top of the nori, leaving 1 1/2-inch edges on the top and bottom, but pressing all the way to the sides. Make sure the rice is pressed even and smooth.
• Spread 1/4 teaspoon of wasabi paste in a horizontal stripe near the lower edge of the rice. Over the wasabi, lightly sprinkle the red onions in a horizontal stripe. Place strips of carrots in a horizontal stripe, on top of the wasabi and onions, and follow by piling the red and yellow peppers, scallions, and cucumbers on top, making a tight, straight bundle of vegetables. Place 1 layer of pickled ginger slices on top.
• To roll the sushi, pick up the near edge of the bamboo roller and hold it with the nori, then pull them up and over the vegetable bundle until the nori reaches the rice on the other side. Press the roller to make a round bundle, then roll the bundle to the far edge of the nori and press again to make a round bundle. (The nori should totally enclose the rice and vegetables in a round tube, but the ends will have rice and vegetables sticking out.) Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients. Keep the rolls under a damp towel and refrigerate until ready to serve. To serve, slice off the ends with a very sharp knife and slice each roll into 8 equal pieces.
• Meanwhile, for the sushi dipping sauce, combine the wasabi powder and water to make a paste. Mix in the red pepper flakes, ginger, scallions, vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Serve the sushi at room temperature with the dipping sauce.

Steps:

• Drain the tofu and slice in half width wise and then slice each half in half so you have 4 short pieces.
• Holding your knife parallel to the cutting service, slice the tofu blocks in half.
• Take each piece and cut in half again to yield 32 short pieces of tofu.
• Cut off top quarter of each nori sheet along short end.
• Place one sheet of nori with the shiny side down on a sushi mat.
• The long end should be toward you.
• Moisten your hands and mold 3/4 cup rice in a tube like line over nori, leaving a 1-inch border on one long end of the sheet.
• Place 2-3 pieces of tofu, 2 carrot strips, 2 slices avocado, 1 green onion top, and 2 cucumber strips along top third of the rice-covered nori sheet.
• Lift the edge of the nori closest to you and fold it over the filling.
• Now lift the bottom edge of the sushi mat and begin to roll toward the top edge.
• You need to press firmly on the roll to keep it tight.
• Continue rolling to the top edge and press the mat at the top to seal the roll.
• Let the roll rest for 5 minutes with the seam side down.
• Repeat the procedure until all 6 sheets of nori are filled and rolled.
• Slice each roll into 8 pieces and serve.
• Note: Save any extra tofu pieces for another batch of avocado rolls or use in a salad or fry them up and serve as a crispy treat.

Steps:

• Slice cucumber into wide, flat pieces and blot with a paper towel to dry.
• Lay cucumber slices flat on a work surface, slightly overlapping each piece. Place nori sheet on top and arrange bell pepper and carrot slices along the edge that is closest to you. Gently roll the sushi, slice into 6 pieces, and top with avocado slices.

Steps:

• In a small pot over medium heat, add the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil and continue whisking until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat.
• Add the cooked sushi rice to a large bowl and the cooked black rice to a separate medium bowl. Add ¾ of the rice vinegar mixture to the sushi rice and the remaining ¼ to the forbidden rice. Mix until the vinegar mixture is well distributed.
• Make the shiitake veggie roll: Heat the sesame oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Once the oil is simmering, add the shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, garlic powder, and pepper and cook for 6-8 minutes, until the mushrooms have released their juices and begin to crisp up.
• Place 1 sheet of nori over a bamboo sushi mat. Scoop 1 cup (230 g) of sushi rice on top of the nori. Fill a small bowl with water to dip your fingers into--this will prevent them from getting sticky when handling the rice. Using your fingers, spread the rice in an even layer over the nori, leaving a 1-inch (2-cm) border at the top to seal the roll.
• Over the bottom quarter of the nori, layer the spinach, cucumber, carrot, and shiitake mushrooms. Use your fingers to hold the vegetables in place while you begin to roll the nori. Squeeze the bamboo mat around the roll as you go to ensure a tight sushi roll. Transfer the sushi roll to a cutting board and cut it in half, then cut each half into quarters for a total of 8 sushi pieces.
• Make the sweet potato tempura roll: Heat the vegetable oil in a medium pot until it reaches 375ºF (190ºC).
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper and mix well with a fork. Pour in the ice water and mix until incorporated--some lumps are okay. Drop the sweet potato sticks into the batter and toss with your fingers to ensure they are thoroughly coated.
• Transfer a few of the sweet potato sticks at a time to a spider and carefully drop them into the hot oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until crispy, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Place 1 sheet of nori over a bamboo sushi mat. Scoop 1 cup (230 g) of sushi rice on top of the nori. Using your fingers, spread the rice in an even layer over the nori, leaving a 1-inch (2-cm) border at the top to seal the roll.
• Over the bottom quarter of the nori, layer the sweet potato tempura and avocado. Use your fingers to hold the vegetables in place while you begin to roll the nori. Squeeze the bamboo mat around the roll as you go to ensure a tight sushi roll. Transfer the sushi roll to a cutting board and cut it in half, then cut each half into quarters for a total of 8 sushi pieces.
• Make the avocado cucumber mango roll: Place 1 sheet of nori over a bamboo sushi mat. Scoop the forbidden rice on top of the nori. Using your fingers, spread the rice in an even layer over the nori, leaving a 1-inch (2-cm) border at the top to seal the roll.
• Over the bottom quarter of the nori, layer the avocado, cucumber, and mango. Use your fingers to hold the filling in place while you begin to roll the nori. Squeeze the bamboo mat around the roll as you go to ensure a tight sushi roll. Transfer the sushi roll to a cutting board and cut it in half, then cut each half into quarters for a total of 8 sushi pieces.
• Make the teriyaki tofu roll: Place 1 sheet of nori over a bamboo sushi mat. Scoop the remaining cup of sushi rice on top of the nori. Using your fingers, spread the rice in an even layer over the nori, leaving a 1-inch (2-cm) border at the top to seal the roll.
• Over the bottom quarter of the roll, layer the teriyaki tofu, red bell pepper, and carrot. Use your fingers to hold the filling in place while you begin to roll the nori. Squeeze the bamboo mat around the roll as you go to ensure a tight sushi roll. Transfer the sushi roll to a cutting board and cut it in half, then cut each half into quarters for a total of 8 sushi pieces.
• Serve the sushi with wasabi, pickled ginger, and soy sauce.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Rinse rice well and bring to a boil with 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon soy sauce in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan, then reduce heat to very low and simmer, tightly covered, until water is absorbed, about 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let rice stand, covered, 10 minutes.
• While rice is standing, stir together vinegar and remaining teaspoon soy sauce.
• Transfer rice to a wide nonmetal bowl (preferably wood, ceramic, or glass) and sprinkle with vinegar mixture, tossing gently with a large spoon to combine. Cool rice, tossing occasionally, about 15 minutes.
• Stir together wasabi and remaining teaspoon water to form a stiff paste. Let stand at least 15 minutes (to allow flavors to develop).
• Place sushi mat on a work surface with slats running crosswise. Arrange 1 sheet nori, shiny side down, on mat, lining up a long edge of sheet with edge of mat nearest you. Using damp fingers, gently press half of rice (about 3/4 cup) onto nori in 1 layer, leaving a 1 3/4-inch border on side farthest from you.
• Arrange half of cucumber in an even strip horizontally across rice, starting 1 inch from side nearest you. (You may need to cut pieces to fit from side to side.) Arrange half of carrot just above cucumber in same manner. Peel avocado half and cut lengthwise into thin slices, then arrange half of slices just above carrot in same manner. Repeat with radish sprouts, letting some sprout tops extend beyond edge.
• Beginning with edge nearest you, lift mat up with your thumbs, holding filling in place with your fingers, and fold mat over filling so that upper and lower edges of rice meet, then squeeze gently but firmly along length of roll, tugging edge of mat farthest from you to tighten. (Nori border will still be flat on mat.) Open mat and roll log forward to seal with nori border. (Moisture from rice will seal roll.) Transfer roll, seam side down, to a cutting board. Make second log in same manner, then cut each log crosswise into 6 pieces with a wet thin-bladed knife. Serve with wasabi paste, soy sauce, and ginger.