Sushi has become very popular within the last decade and you can make it with whatever veggies you have in your kitchen. The sticky rice and crunchy veggies dipped in a wasabi soy sauce makes me smile just thinking about it. Going out for sushi can get a little expensive, I know I can eat three rolls in one sitting!
Making sushi at home can be just as fun as going out and your friends and family will be impressed with your culinary skills because no matter what's in the roll, they look delicious. Using our Pink Madagascar Rice makes the rolls so pretty you may feel bad about eating them but trust me, you won't be able to put your chop sticks down!
Ingredients:
- For the Rice
- 1 cup Natural Zing Pink Madagascar Rice, rinsed until water runs clear
- 2 cups water
- 3 Tbsp organic rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp sugar (Xyla)
- 1/2 tsp celtic sea salt
- Everything Else
- 4 sheets nori (dried seaweed)
- 1 cup chopped veggies – (carrot, cucumber, red pepper, avocado)
- 1/4 cup Sesame Seeds
- Nama Shoyu Soy sauce, pickled ginger, wasabi for serving
- Bamboo Sushi Mat (I like to line mine with plastic wrap to make an easier clean up)
- Chop Sticks (not required but it's always fun to eat with chop sticks)
* Rice - you can use grated parsnip dyed with beet juice for a raw version.
* Soy Sauce - you can also use low sodium Tamari, Coconut Aminos (or even the teriyaki or garlic aminos)
* Rice Wine Vinegar - If you can't find organic rice wine vinegar try: 1/3 cup brown rice vinegar, ½ tsp maple syrup, ½ tsp brown rice syrup, ¾ tsp sea salt.
How to Prepare:
Cooking the Pink Rice:
1.) Bring the water to a boil. (if using an electric stove I find it helps to heat a second burner on low to transfer the pot to once the water has begun to boil).
2.) Add the rice. Turn the heat down to low.
3.) Put the lid on and KEEP it there for 20-30 minutes.
4.) Turn off the heat and wait 5 minutes. (If you’re using an electric stove, move the pan off the burner.)
5.) While rice is cooking - add rice wine vinegar, sugar and sea salt to a small saucepan and heat on low until dissolved, stirring occasionally. Let cool until rice is finished.
6.) Once rice is finished transfer to a glass or wooden bowl and add cooled vinegar mixture, mix with a wooden spoon or spatula as not to over mix. Let cool to room temperature, do not refrigerate.
Making the Rolls:
1.) Use a julienne slicer to cut raw veggies into strips. A ceramic knife works well too.
2.) Slice nori sheet in half.
3.) Place nori sheet on sushi mat rough side up.
4.) Spread thin layer of rice across entire sheet of nori. I like to keep a bowl of warm water to dip my hands in as the sticky sushi can get messy.
5.) Sprinkle sesame seeds across the middle from left to right. Flip to make rolls with rice on the outside or don't to make inside out rolls.
6.) Add sliced veggies from left to right about 1/4 way up from the end closest to you.
7.) Using your sushi mat, roll from bottom to top squeezing gently making sure the rice sticks closing the roll.
8.) Cut into 6 pieces. And continue on to the next roll! Now you've got the hang of it, easy peasy :)
I like to make an assembly line of sorts: nori sheets sliced and ready, rice prepped in a large bowl, sliced veggies, sesame seeds readily available to grab a pinch and any other spices you would like to sprinkle on top. I like Old Bay, here in Maryland we put this spice on everything!
Serve with pickled ginger (this is used as a palate cleanser when eating traditional sushi with different flavors or fish, not necessary but who doesn't love ginger!) and a dipping bowl of soy sauce mixed with wasabi.
Sushi can be whatever you like, the basic things are the rice and nori sheets, what goes inside is to your liking.
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