Vegan Sushi
Growing up in the South meant that fish was battered and deep fried. And the only raw fish I came in contact with was at the end of a hook used to catch larger fish. And rice, well, any rice we ate was covered in gravy or cooked as perlow. So when I saw the movie The Breakfast Club for the first time, I had a similar reaction to Claire’s lunch of sushi: “What’s that? Sushi… Sushi? Rice, uh, raw fish and seaweed… you’re gonna eat that? Can I eat? I don’t know…give it a try…” – Judd Nelson and Molly Ringwald.
I mean who would eat raw fish? Isn’t that bait? Wasn’t fire invented to cook things? Isn’t it dangerous to eat raw things? And don’t even get me started on seaweed. Only fish and other marine animals eat seaweed, right? You certainly don’t put it on rice? Do you? Well, fast forward some 20 odd years, and an amazing and intelligent woman answered all those questions for me. Come to find out you can eat raw fish and seaweed. Together they are quite delicious. And from that point on, I was hooked (like the fishing reference?). Although, I would argue some of the combinations are better left in the ocean.
But sushi for a vegan presents quite a dilemma. I could pontificate about high mercury levels, over fishing, and deplorable aquatic farming practices. But I don’t preach. No, the biggest problem is that vegan sushi is missing the fish. It is sort of like trying to make a ham and cheese sandwich without the ham and cheese. Sure, you can roll up some sliced veggies in rice and seaweed, but something is lost in the translation. So, in an effort to veganize sushi, I tried to develop a dish with similar flavors and textures without harming any marine life in the process. With that, I present my version of the SPICY TUNA ROLL and THE CALIFORNIA ROLL.
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Brown Rice (cooked)
- 1 Tbs Brown Rice Vinegar
- 2 Sheets of Nori Seaweed
- 2 Hearts of Palm
- ¼ Tsp Kelp Granules
- ¼ Tsp Garlic Powder
- ¼ Tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Tbs Vegan Mayonnaise
- 2-3 Tsp Siracha Hot Sauce
- 1 Med Red Bell Pepper
- 2 Tbs Scallions
- ½ Cup Bok Choy
- 2 Cups Brown Rice (cooked)
- 1 Tbs Brown Rice Vinegar
- 2 Sheets of Nori Seaweed
- 2 Hearts of Palm
- ¼ Tsp Kelp Granules
- ¼ Tsp Old Bay Seasoning
- ¼ Tsp Garlic Powder
- ¼ Tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 Tbs. Vegan Mayonnaise
- 1 Small Cucumber
- 1 Small Carrot
- ½ Med Avocado
Instructions
First, make your tuna and crab mixture. Dice or finely chop your hearts of palm (the replacements for tuna and crab) for each recipe and place them in two small bowls. In the first bowl, add the kelp, garlic, pepper, mayonnaise, and hot sauce. In the second bowl, add the kelp, old bay, garlic, pepper, and mayonnaise. Feel free to adjust the amount of hot sauce in the spicy tuna roll depending on your heat tolerance. Mix the ingredients in each bowl well to combine and place in the frig for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the flavors to come together.
While the mixes are chilling, start working on your vegetables. Slice all the vegetables very thin. I actually used a new tool I found called a julienne peeler. It is basically a Y shaped peeler with added teeth on it. You just have to run it down your veggies and you get nice, thin, even strips…perfect for sushi. Once the veggies are cut up, it is time to prepare your rice. Short grain brown rice works best. Cook the rice per the directions on the package along with a touch more water as the rice works needs to be a bit sticky. I cheated and used Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice, but it worked like a charm.
When the rice is still warm, but cool enough to handle, mix in two tablespoons of rice vinegar. The vinegar will aid in helping the rice stick together. Next we need to toast the seaweed sheets. You can skip this step, but I think it adds a depth of flavor to the sushi. Just waive the seaweed sheets over a gas burner on medium heat until they turn bright green. I toasted each sheet as I went, so I am not sure if you can do all four at once. But it only takes a few seconds so you don’t save much time.
With everything in place, use a bamboo placemat (found in Target or other home store) wrapped in plastic wrap. Arrange it like you are sitting in the end zone of a football field. Place one sheet of seaweed lengthwise and top with one cup of rice. Place half your tuna mix and veggies about a quarter of the way up the field. Begin wrapping away from you starting at the bottom. Continue to roll until you reach the end firming the roll as you go. Slice the roll into 8 even pieces. Do the same process for the crab roll, but I put the rice down first then top with the seaweed. Either way works, but the rice first adds a bit of fancy to the whole thing. Garnish with wasabi, pickled ginger, and soy sauce.
https://www.grassfedcarnivore.com/sushi/Dinner is ready, and you can now enjoy sushi in your own home: great ocean flavors, rice without gravy and seaweed envied by many a marine animal. Yes, you can leave the raw fish behind for the next time you go fishing with the kids… catch and release of course. Longer Letter Later.
Love, Bob aka The Grassfed Carnivore
In the year that I have known Chef Bob, I have had the pleasure of tasting some of his fantastic dishes, many of which have been featured on this blog. As an avid reader of Grassfed Carnivore, fan of 80’s music and all things California, I am delighted to share my thoughts on his latest dish: the vegan California Roll.
I grew up in Southern California, home to my beloved Los Angeles Lakers, beautiful beaches, great weather and countless celebrities (and TMZ photographers). My home state has some great eats. From In-N-Out burger (with apologies to my Vegan friends, a fun fact: In-N-Out burger started the drive-thru concept) to the delicious, authentic Mexican food, Southern California’s food scene can satisfy virtually any culinary preference.
A favorite of mine is sushi. I was fortunate to be introduced good sushi at a young age and one of my staple rolls that I always come back to is the California Roll. When I was presented with Bob’s latest creation, a vegan version of this timeless classic, I was intrigued and had a number of questions run through my head. Things like:
• What is being used in place of the crab?
• Is it made with real seaweed?
• Is seaweed vegan?
• Should I try it with wasabi or au natural?
• Where’s the sake?
My curiosity finally gave way to me digging into the roll and I was instantly thankful to have been able to try this recipe out. I tried the roll both without any additives and then with soy sauce and a fair amount of wasabi. In both cases, I really felt like I was eating the real thing! The roll looks and tastes virtually indistinguishable from its non-vegan cousin. Just the right mix of rice, seaweed, avocado and whatever other magic Bob put in there to make it taste as authentic as the real thing.
I think that a place like L.A., a city full of people that make a living impersonating others, would warmly embrace this vegan tribute to the real deal. Keep up the good work, Bob!
Thanks for the awesome feedback. Glad you enjoyed the sushi.