I'm On A (sushi) Roll : Your DIY Raw Vegan Sushi Tutorial

From Miss Sushi at the San Diego's Public Market

San Diegan's if you haven't heard about our new Public Market yet in Barrio Logan, then listen up.  With plans to be San Diego's equivalent to Seattle's Pike Place and San Fran's Embarcadero, the San Diego Public Market is promising to make a less than thriving area off the Gaslamp come into full bloom.

San Diego's Public Market in Barrio Logan

Located in an old boiler building just past Petco Stadium you'll find some of your favorite farmers and vendors you'd normally seek out at the little italy and hillcrest market's plus a few newbies.  By april the market will be expanding full block with artisans, market places, air-streams, a cider mill, cheese and sausage makers, and many local chef's offerings.

lots of vendors

i heart stone fruit

the cinnamon sugared almonds are stupidly addicting, you're best not even going there.

music

Andy chose fish for breakfast.  He sampled oysters, then hit the Miss Sushi truck.  The most awesome thing i noticed about this truck is they have REAL CRAB!!!  And for those that need something sweet and decadent i saw a banana tempura which i think might have nutella and whip cream.  Last i checked that wasn't japanese food, but i know us Americans love to take cultural foods and have our way with them (as you'll see me do below :)

miss sushi has real crab!

So here's my personal story of sushi.  

I love sushi.  I love everything about going to a sushi bar:  sitting at the bar and watching the sushi chefs and their presentations, drinking sake out of mini cups that reminds me of tea parties i had in my youth, eating with two straight wooden sticks, enjoying Hamachi that melts in my mouth, getting zapped with a hit too much wasabi, and having a chunk of avocado creaminess dance across my palette.  I might say sushi is a little addiction...and i may have went through a period where i ate barely anything other than sushi.  That said, there are a few things that disappoint me about sushi.

1. Tempura - why does every good sounding roll on the menu need to be fried?

2. Fake Krab - you know this sh*t has MSG in it and a bunch of other crap that is no bueno - it's a far cry from healthy fish food.

3. White Rice.  UGH.  I don't want to fill up on rice, especially the white stuff, and especially at night.  There are a few restaurants that do rolls without, and i know sashimi is always an options, but let's be real: Rolls are fun!

4.  There are not ever enough veggie roll variations on the menu.  And surely NEVER an all raw sushi using cauliflower, jicama, or parsnip rice.  note:  this is where i come in and adjust cultural foods to suit my palette. 

So here's your DIY Raw Vegan Sushi tutorial

Step 1.  Start by making your raw rice.  You can use cauliflower, jicama, or parnsip.  I used half a head of cauliflower here and it made enough for 2 rolls.

chop the cauliflower and put into a food processor with and S blade.
Grind down until it looks like rice.  I added a tiny bit agave and a little rice vinegar

Step 2.  Place a bamboo mat on a flat surface.  Put a piece of nori on the mat lining up the end of the nori with the mat end closest to you.  Put your raw rice on about 2/3 the roll starting from the end closest to you leaving plain nori on the back end.

Step 3.  Get your fillings in there.  You don't want to over fill...you need room to roll and you don't want it so big that you can fit it in your pie hole!  I used 1 baby carrot cut long 8 times for both rolls, 2 spring onion cut in half, real kraut from the farmers market (pink because it's made with beets), a few avocado slices, and lots of sprouts...but you can get creative here and toss in anything your sweet heart desires.  If getting fish make sure it's sushi grade from a good source.

Step 4.  Get Rolling.  Fold the end closest to you over to wrap all the belongings in.  It most likley will fold to the end of your rice.  Use both hands on the mat to squeeze gently and tighten your roll.  Pull back the top enge of the mat so you can continue to roll to the end.

It should be wet enough for the end to stick it together, but if the end isn't sealing you can use a tiny dab of water on the end to seal it up.

Step 5.  Let it sit a moment.  Using a sharp clean knife.  Cut your sushi.

The wasabi powder i get you simply just mix with warm water.  You can pick up pickled ginger too if you're a pickled ginger freak, but i like to use my kraut...it's healthier :)

Step 6.  Plate and enjoy.  

Kampai!