Sushi is one of those things that seemed impossible to make before I ever tried. But, once I tried it, I found it wasn’t as complicated or hard as I had worked it up to be.
My rice recipe required some practice and play to become what I wanted it to be: sticky enough to hold together when rolled, but not too sweet or tangy. I prefer sushi rice to be a subtle addition of flavor to the roll, not an overwhelming presence. Check out my sushi rice recipe.
I came to find out that nori (seaweed wrap) is pretty easy to find. We have an awesome international market here in Evansville that has everything I need for sushi. I can also find nori at my local Fresh Market and Schnucks.
One thing that makes sushi so fun is the endless combinations you can create. We love to raid the fridge and toss in random ingredients. Truly, anything goes. In my meat consuming days, we once made a bratwurst and sauerkraut roll. Which reminds me, kimchi is amazing in sushi.
Veggies are my current sushi focus, and my favorite (so far) is a shiitake mushroom, carrot, and avocado roll.
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Shiitake Mushroom & Carrot Sushi
(3 votes, average: 3.33 out of 5)
Loading...Ingredients
- 2 cups sushi rice, prepared
- 6 ounces shiitake mushrooms
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 whole carrot
- 1 whole avocado
- 4-5 sheets of nori (seaweed wraps)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (for sauteing veggies)
- 1 tablespoon tamari, for dipping
Instructions
Cut mushrooms into small pieces.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in medium frying pan. Saute mushrooms for approximately 5 minutes or until mostly cooked. Add minced clove of garlic and continue cooking for a couple more minutes. Set mushrooms aside.
Cut carrots into long, thin strips, approximately 1/4 inch in diameter.
Heat the other tablespoon of olive oil in the empty pan. Saute the carrots for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. I prefer my carrots to be slightly softened while retaining a little bit of crunch. Set aside.
Tear off an 18" piece of plastic wrap. Lay 1 piece of nori smooth side up with the lines running in a horizontal direction in the center of the plastic wrap.
Scatter some sushi rice on top of the nori leaving the bottom inch of nori exposed. Press the rice gently so there is a firm, solid layer. The goal is for it to be as thin as possible.
Once covered, flip the nori over so that the rice is now facing the plastic wrap. (See notes for an alternative method.) The uncovered portion of the nori should still be at the bottom.
Arrange the mushrooms, carrots, and avocado about 1 inch from the bottom of the sheet of nori. Roll slowly and carefully. Make sure you are rolling it tight enough that it will stay together once cut, but not too tight that the filling is squeezing out the sides. It is a perfect balance that sometimes requires practice.
Transfer to a cutting board. Have a clean, wet rag on hand to wipe the knife after each cut. Start by cutting the roll in half, then quarters, and finally eighths.
Notes
- You can eliminate the flipping step by spreading the rice directly onto the plastic wrap in the shape of the nori. Then, you can lay the nori wrap on top, aligning it with the rice at the top and letting the nori hang over the side closest to you.
- If you want to get fancy, play with adding ingredients on top of the sushi roll. Avocado will require you to press it gently on top with plastic wrap to get it to stay on top.
- Ideas for garnishing: sesame seeds, sriracha, spicy mayo
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