April 7

Food Network Kitchen’s Vegetable Sushi

Sound the trumpets! Everyday Cooking Adventures has finally made its own sushi! This is a very big day as I have been avoiding making my own sushi for years now. For some reason, even though sushi happens to be my favorite food to go out to eat for, I couldn’t wrap my mind around attempting it on my own at home.

©EverydayCookingAdventures 2014

Ever since I saw “Sex & The City: The Movie” with the infamous Samantha sushi scene, I knew I would someday have to try this–the sushi part, not the naked part haha! When my maid of honor, Jessica, bought me a sushi making kit, I was even more excited to try it. But still I put it off, until finally I decided to get some nerve and just go for it.

©EverydayCookingAdventures 2014

I always wondered how even the rice in sushi tastes better than plain ol’ rice, but now I know it is the special vinegar-sugar bath it sits in. I love how this recipe lets you try making your own sushi before buying the more expensive super fresh sushi-grade fish for other rolls. My go-to sushi rolls are actually the more boring veggie rolls like cucumber rolls, kappa maki, and avocado rolls. Maki just means, rolled sushi, or rice and veggie or fish wrapped in nori seaweed. Sashimi by the way is sushi-grade fish by itself, and Nigiri means sushi-grade fish atop rice. So this recipe is for maki sushi.

©EverydayCookingAdventures 2014

You can see in the photo below that my first roll (top plate) was not so great. The mistake I made was to put on almost an inch of rice on the nori seaweed. Take heed everyone: less is more when it comes to rice in sushi. The next ones came out much better and I also made sure to tuck the veggies in tightly as I rolled them up. Make sure to use a very sharp and wet knife (dunk in water every couple slices) to ensure the knife doesn’t tear up the sushi as you cut it. The rolls were DELICIOUS! I was quite proud and completely overcame my fear. Now it’s your turn!

+Food Network Vegetable Sushi ©EverydayCookingAdventures 2014

Vegetable Sushi

Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchen, 2005
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 25 min
Yield: 4 rolls
Ingredients
Sushi:
  • 1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups short-grained sushi rice
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 4 sheets nori seaweed sheets
  • To Serve: Soy Sauce, Wasabi Paste
Fillings:
  • 1/2 regular-size cucumber, seeded and cut into matchsticks
  • 1 medium carrot, cut into matchsticks
  • 4 asparagus, blanched (dropped into boiling water for 2 minutes, strained and let cool)
  • 1/2 firm-ripe Hass avocado, peeled, thinly sliced lengthwise, (sprinkled with lemon juice if not serving immediately)
  • Special Equipment: Bamboo Sushi Mat
Directions
 
TIP: MAKE THE RICE (Steps 1 & 2) AHEAD OF TIME!
1. In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, sugar, and salt. Rinse the rice in a colander and drain. Put the rice and water in medium saucepan and cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to simmer, tightly covered. Cook until all the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat (don’t uncover) and set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Fluff the rice with a fork and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the vinegar mixture and toss using a wooden spoon. Spread it out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Fan the rice continuously with a fan or magazine until cooled, about 15 minutes. Cover the rice with a damp towel.
3. Place the sushi mat with the slats running crosswise directly in front of you on a clean work space. Lay a sheet of nori, shiny-side down, and lined up with the closest edge of the mat. Lightly moisten fingers with water, and evenly press about 1/4 of the rice onto the nori, with 1 1/2″ uncovered at the far edge. Line up the fillings about 1″ from the closest near edge, evenly across the rice. Leave 1-inch of rice uncovered at the far edge.
4. Beginning with the near edge of the mat, tightly roll up the nori, rice, and fillings into a cylinder. Firmly tug on the rounded mat over the roll as you pull on the far edge of the mat to tighten the roll. Tuck the vegetables in with your fingers as your roll it up. Open the mat, dab unsealed edge of nori with a bit of water and roll the sushi forward to seal. Transfer the sushi to a plate and cover with damp paper towels. Repeat with remaining rice and fillings.
5. On a cutting board, slice each sushi roll, crosswise, into 8 pieces with a very sharp, wet knife. Serve with bowl of soy sauce and wasabi paste for dipping.
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4 Responses to Food Network Kitchen’s Vegetable Sushi

  1. AdriBarr

    No kidding! A fanfare is well deserved. What beautiful work, and it looks delicious too! Brava!

    Reply
  2. Emilie@TheCleverCarrot

    Sound the trumpets indeed! I’ve never made sushi in my life! I am way too intimidated. This looks so yummy. You’re husband is one lucky man! 🙂

    Reply
    • Newlywed Cook

      Thanks! I try to tell him this all the time hehe! You are a fantastic chef so you can definitely take on sushi no problem!

      Reply

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