Heller! Welcome back
I've created something great that I want to share with you today, and it's something you may not know that you have been missing in your life. Gourmet Vegan sushi.
Sure regular sushi may be delicious to some, but it's filled with cholesterol, micro-plastics, mercury, animal cruelty and who knows what else... So today- and every other day, we're sticking to plants, and gourmet ones at that...fancy!
Inside our sushi we'll be layering in some sexy, miso maple tofu. I'll teach you the importance of pressing, and how-to press tofu, as well as give you this delicious tofu recipe. In fact the marinade is good for so much more than just tofu. I like it a lot on roasted brussles!
We'll also be making some smokey carrot slices to stuff in our sushi rolls, paired with vegan cream cheese for a nice flavor combo, charred jalapeño (you know i like it spicy!) and panko breaded asparagus! BAM! In your face with all this flavor and texture.
now lets get to business
Let's talk about the necessities first. I'll link some of my recommendations if you'd like to order online and roll along with me.
Wasabi + Pickled Ginger (optional)
For equipment you'll be needing, pull out a medium saucepan and wooden spoon for making the rice. A cutting board and knife for cutting the sushi. A cereal bowl filled with water and a splash of vinegar (aka tezu water). A sauce cup for the wasabi/soy mixture and a plate for plating it all up.
Ready to roll?
Well hold your horses... we haven't even broken down the recipes!
Miso Maple Tofu, uh yuuuuuum.
Miso Paste + Pure Maple Syurp + Rice Wine Vinegar + Sesame Oil + Ginger/Garlic Paste. Are you drooling yet? Please don't do that on the tofu...
First things first, let's talk about pressing this bean curd. Yeah you read that right. Bean curd. That's what tofu is. Think about soy milk, blended soybeans- that have been filtered, so that there are no skins or bean. Now add something acidic, like lemon juice, salt, lactic acid. As you can imagine the milk begins to spoil and creates curds. These curds can be pressed together to make TOFU! Bean curd, bean cheese, tofu. Whatever you call it- it's a dang modern miracle. Even though its anything but modern- dating back as far as 2000 years.
Today we're using extra-firm tofu for the purpose of this recipe & all that 'extra-firm' means is that it contains the least amount of water, of all the different tofus. Firm & extra-firm can be used almost interchangeably- but extra-firm is always going to be easier for pan frying and things of that sort.
We need to start by pressing our tofu. Before cutting, before marinating, before breathing... just kidding. But seriously. Press your tofu! It's very important. Pressing the tofu will help get any excess moisture, still locked in those bean curds- out. Which will in-turn help us get marinade and flavor IN! To Press: wrap the block of tofu in paper towels or a towel and place something heavy on top. I opt for a cast iron skillet. Leave it for 10 - 20 minutes, then go ahead and cut and begin to flavor/marinade.
Preheat your oven to 400F. We're bout to bake!
For the purpose of our sushi, were going to cut our tofu into thin strips and bake on a parchment line baking sheet, after its marinated for 30 minutes or so in the delicious sauce. If you have longer for marinating- great!
The sauce is made by mixing 1 tbsp of miso paste, 3-4 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp white pepper, 1 tbsp sesame oil and 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated or minced. Once mixed together well, marinate strips of tofu!
Bake the tofu for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
The RICE! Don't forget the sushi rice!!! Sushi is a short grain white rice, that has a 1:1 rice to water cooking ratio. It's important, that before cooking your sushi rice you rinse it very well. Rinse the rice, drain and repeat- until the water runs clear. You want to release some of the excess starch to ensure your rice is sticky but not gummy.
Place 2 cups or thoroughly washed sushi rice and 2 cups of water into a saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid and steam for 30 minutes or until the rice is done. Take lid off, add 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar and fluff the rice. Keep the lid on until ready for use.
The jalapeños get cut into thin strips, seeds and ribs removed. Fry the jalapeños in 1 tsp of olive oil until the skins blister. You can add a little salt here too if you'd like.
The Smokey Carrots are really easy and all you need is a non-stick skillet (the same one you used to fry your jalapeños) and a mixing bowl. Cut the carrots into long thin strips, and begin by frying them over medium/high heat in a 1 tsp of olive oil. Mix together 1 tbsp paprika, 1/2 tbsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1/4 cup coconut aminos, 1/4 cup water, and 1 clove garlic, minced.
Once the carrots have begin to brown, turn the heat down to a medium/low. Add in the spice/aminos mixture and cook for 5 minutes over low heat to reduce the sauce. Strain and set aside to cool.
For the baked panko asparagus, we're going to first make a flax egg, then roll the asparagus in the egg and dredge in the panko spice mixture. To make a flax egg, mix together 2 tbsp ground flax, and 1/4 cup water. Let the flax egg sit for 5 minutes and it will thicken. Meanwhile prepare the panko by adding 1 cup panko, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp coriander, and 1 tsp dried ginger to a shallow dish (like a plate) and mix well so it's all flavorful!
The asparagus, once battered can bake on the same parchment lined sheet tray as the tofu.
Baking for 30 minutes at 400F
Now all you need to prep is the cream cheese! I'm using Tofutti brand cream cheese, and I like to freeze it for a little bit before cutting it into small strips and pieces for my sushi rolls.
To begin assembling your roll, you'll need to make what's known as 'tezu' water. Or vinegar + water, the tezu water will keep the sticky rice from sticking to your hand... and your knife when you cut the sushi.
Once your tezu is set up, it's time to get sticky with it!
Get our sushi rolling mat, place it on top of a cutting board. If you have saran wrap, cover your rolling mat in the wrap to keep rice from sticking to it. Place a sheet of nori on top of your rolling mat. The nori has a textured side, and a smooth side. The textured side should be facing up- because that is the side that rice sticks to best.
Dip both of your hands into the tezu water, and grab a 'tennis ball' size, ball of steamed sushi rice. Place your rice in the middle of the roll and begin to disperse the rice over the length of the nori. Use your fingertips to spread out the rice and be gentle not to squish the rice too much. Leave the side of nori closest to you, free of any rice for about 1/2 an inch, see photo below. This will be like the glue strip for your sushi.
Once your sheet of nori is covered in rice, begin by laying all the ingredients horizontally on the rice, about an inch from the edge closest to you. Try to pack all your ingredients close together. Layer your cream cheese down first, then you smokey carrots, miso maple tofu on top of that, panko asparagus next to those, and charred jalapeños- wherever you can fit them in. Once you have all this deliciousness packed in... let's roll!
First off, get your form right. Thumbs go underneath your rolling mat. Index fingers hold onto those rice-free corners of nori. Middles, ring and pink finger all keep the ingredients secure as you make the first roll.
To begin, slowly pull the mat up and over your ingredients. Placing the nori on the rice, opposite the side of ingredients. Once the nori has made connection with the rice, hug the rolling mat over the roll and give it a little squeeze to make sure the nori is stuck to the rice. Pull the mat back, and make sure you have something that is beginning to look like a sushi roll.
If you're lost and don't understand- watch the video!
Now that you've gotten this far it's time to finish it off and slice it up. Roll your mat back over the sushi roll and give it another hug, roll the mat a few inches at a time until your sushi roll is sealed. Then remove the mat from the cutting board and place your sushi roll seam side down.
Get the knife you're going to be working with and dip it in the tezu water- this is going to keep the rice from sticking. In between each cut, dip your knife in tezu water. Cut your roll in half, then those halves in half. Then those quarters in half- resulting in 8 pieces! If your roll gets a little misshaped in the cutting process, line the pieces back up on the rolling mat and give it a little love squeeze. Now you're ready to plate! Mix together some wasabi and soy sauce or coconut aminos, and enjoy!
Miso Maple Tofu + Smokey Carrot Vegan Sushi
makes 4 sushi rolls
Ingredients
for sushi rice:
2 cups sushi rice
2 cups water
1/4 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar
for miso maple tofu:
1 tbsp miso paste (place in medium bowl with next 5 ingredients)
3-4 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
8oz extra-firm tofu, sliced into thin strips
for smokey carrots:
4 large carrots, sliced into long thin strips
1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
1/4 tbsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/4 cup liquid aminos or soy sauce
1/4 cup water
1 clove garlic, minced
for panko asparagus:
8 asparagus, trimmed
2 tbsp ground flax seed
5-6 tbsp water
1 cup panko
1 tsp salt
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp dried ginger
nori sheets
jalapeño
vegan cream cheese (tofutti is what I used)
wasabi + liquid aminos or soy sauce
Thanks for cooking with me! Please, like and subscribe to my Youtube for more cooking videos, and if you have any questions please comment below!
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