vegan sushi / congrats / movie humor

[Guest guest]

You just hit on one of my all-time favorite preparations. Would be

interested in hearing others' inspirations, but I'm a big vegan sushi

buff, and yes, best done with friends.

 

Maki rolls: I do the California roll variations (include avocado

strips) and have yet to do a Philly roll (include small strip of

Tofutti's Better Than Cream Cheese). Other ingredients: shiitake

mushroom strips, cucumber strips, asparagus, cooked red bell pepper,

lightly cooked spinach, julienned carrot strips steamed in the

microwave, and more. I've sometimes hidden small shavings of lemon

peel or raisin paste in there for a sneaky flavor ambush.

 

For nigiri (strips over the rice pieces), cut an assortment of all of

the items above (asparagus in two pieces side by side), pack to the

formed rice base with touch of wasabi underneath. I often tie them

with a 1/4 " wide band of nori (seaweed), which gives it a great visual

effect and seals with a dab of water same as on rolls, and/or add a

garnish.

 

For those who don't know already, nigiri is rice packed into small

cylinder-like pieces a little larger than a finger and maybe half as

long, with the main attraction laid over it and eaten in one take with

chopsticks. Wasabi is a green hot-mustard-like preparation added

lightly across the rice as well as in small dose to the soy sauce dip.

The shaved pickled ginger I sometimes add straight in instead of

placing it to the side. Sometimes a sheet of plastic wrap over the

bamboo roll helps keep things neat.

 

Homer Simpson voice: Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, vegan sushi... ;-)

 

On an unrelated note, Jenni, congrats to you on the vegan step. I

found PETA website material very helpful in keeping perspective on why

I did it, but it was really no harder an adjustment for me than going

veg, I was most of the way there already, there's substitute material

for what you were used to, and it's still a rich and full world of

variety like the sushi above suggests.

 

On another, did anyone enjoy the shark scene in the movie Finding Nemo

as much as I did? If you haven't seen it yet, rent it before any of

the rest of us spoil it for you :-D

 

 

, " Denise "

<pamperedveggie> wrote:

> Well, my b-day sushi party was a hit. James (my beloved) really

> outdid himself. He made pickled daikon, carrots and cucumber. Made

> two types of dipping sauces and whipped up some wasabi. We also made

> some tempura with broccoli, cauliflower, sweet potatoe, button

> mushrooms and carrots.

> He bought me a rice cooker (a large one) and we made a ton of rice,

> almost 20 cups cooked. Followed a recipe to give it the right flavor

> it needs for sushi and set it out along with all the other

> ingredients so all of us could make sushi.

>

> We had a sushi mold and two bamboo mats, so about four of us could

> make rolls at once. When I looked around the table, I realized that

> the women there sharing with me was what I had really desired for my

> birthday. No big party, no presents; just the women in my life who

> mean the most to me. And all of them are either vegetarian, or very

> accepting of our choices.

>

> The amount of food was almost overwhelming and there was so much

> variety. And shopping at an Asian market was incredibly inexpensive.

> I also asked people to bring ingredients which helped with our budget.

>

> So if you're looking for a different kind of dinner party, invite

> everyone over to make sushi. It's great fun, interactive, very

> healthy and did I mention that it's a lot of fun!

>

> cheers,

> Denise