Vegan Sushi Rolls

I started making sushi rolls in January. When I went to the Japanese store to get the burdock, I asked to woman who works there if she can recommend items to put in my sushi rolls. She told me that she really doesn’t make sushi at home. She and her husband go out for sushi. She made some vain suggestions then showed me the sushi she had waiting in the glass refrigerator. She kind of made me feel stupid for wanting to make my own sushi. I made my rolls, and they were pretty darn good, but I was haunted by the Japanese store lady. I kept hearing her say, “Oh, I, we really don’t make sushi, Japanese go out for sushi.” I felt like there is something wrong with my sushi. I had to get to a Japanese restaurant where I will have REAL vegan sushi rolls.

I went to Misaki’s, a Japanese restaurant on Monday. This was the first time that I have gone there since I became a vegan. I did not know what to order. Usually, I’d take a box 13, which is the grilled salmon, California rolls, tempura vegetables, rice, soup, and salad. In the lunch box section of the menu, there was not a vegetarian choice. Everything contained some type of animal whether cow, chicken, or fish.

I sat at the bar. I usually sit at a table. I was not comfortable. The space at the bar was small, and I do not like having my back to the door. The waitress seemed impatient and rushed me to order. When I asked if there were vegetarian options for items on the menu, she could not answer my questions. I should have had her come back, but I felt rushed. I wanted to order the fried tofu, a salad, soup, cucumber/avocado rolls, and rice. I had the taste for the tempura vegetables, and I asked the waitress about them, then the guy behind the counter (the sushi maker guy) said, “Get the tempura vegetables, it has rice and soup. So, I ordered the tempura vegetables and cucumber/avocado rolls.

The rolls were okay. I did not like sitting in front of the guy making my lunch. I could not relax and enjoy my lunch. I wish the rolls had more spice to them, they were rather flavorless. In rolls with fish, the flavor comes from the fish. When the rolls do not contain fish, the vegetables must be flavorful, and there must to be some type of spice or herb.

Vegan food does not have to be boring and bland. Vegan food requires imagination on the part of the cook. It takes more effort than just putting vegetation on a plate. Nutrition and flavor are important. As a vegan, I want to be satisfied after I eat a meal. I don’t want to pay $20 for lunch and still feel hungry. I want food to taste and look good.

The tempura vegetables were greasy and tasteless. All I could taste was oil. The serving size was enormous. There was no way, I was going to eat a big ass plate of fried tasteless vegetables. I ate two pieces and that was it. I got my check. I put $2 in the tip bowl and paid my bill. The hostess asked if I liked my lunch. I said, “No, not really.” I left.

The Misaki encounter had me thinking all week about sushi rolls. I can make rolls that have more flavor than the Misaki rolls. I have made rolls that are delicious. You’re probably thinking, “Now, she is going to ask me to make sushi rolls, is this chick nuts because I don’t have a bamboo mat, I cannot roll, and I’d rather buy sushi.” You do not need a bamboo mat to make sushi rolls. Take a clean dry cutting board, lay down a sheet of cling wrap then place a paper towel on top of the cling wrap. Now you have your rolling surface.

I decide to make rolls yesterday. Check out the recipe.

Vegan Sushi Rolls
Ingredients:
3 cups of cooked brown rice
Seasoned Rice vinegar
Black sesame seeds
Sesame seed oil
Agave nectar
Nanami Togarashi (usually contains chili pepper, orange peel, black sesame seed, white sesame seed, Japanese pepper, ginger, seaweed)
Wasabi powder (mix to paste by adding water)
1 pk of burdock
1 cucumber sliced length wise
Sliced pickled ginger
Mushrooms
1 avocado

4 sheets of nori

Step to prepare:

The trick to making rolls is having all the ingredients prepared and ready before beginning to roll. I am not going to give exact measurements for the seasonings, just add a little at a time, and taste it to see if you like it. Use your taste buds to determine how much vinegar you needs. Use your eyes to add the sesame seeds. Remember to go easy on the sesame seed oil because it is strong and can overpower your rice, so start with a little (a capful) and go from there.

1. Mix your rice with some black sesame seeds, sesame oil, seasoned rice vinegar, and a squish of agave nectar, and divide the rice into four sections, so there is enough rice for each nori sheet.
2. Toast your nori sheets over the burner on low heat to keep from getting burned. The toasting takes just a few seconds.
3. Spread a bed of rice over a nori sheet, but do not spread the rice to the ends of the nori sheet. Now sprinkle the rice with Nanami Togarashi, this is hot, so sprinkle to your taste.
4. On the bed of rice, lay down some cucumber, avocado, mushrooms, ginger, three sprigs of burdock, (note: make sure that there is enough vegetables for each roll. You can also mix and match the vegetables.)
5. Put some wasabi on the tip of your finger and run it on the rice bed next to the vegetables (note: wasabi is strong, so use it to taste)
6. Roll the nori sheet with the bed of rice and vegetables.
7. Make sure the seam side is down and cut into six pieces.
8. Repeat steps 3 and 7 with each of your nori sheets. This recipe makes 24 Cole Rolls.