I have a huge love of sushi (especially when someone else prepares it and not me! ) but there aren’t any close sushi places at my current location so from time to time the urge overcomes me and I spend a bit of extra time on dinner to make some sushi. I don’t usually use rice in my sushi, as I like to keep it light, but I hadn’t had sticky rice for quite a long time so I thought I’d treat myself with a few pieces. I love having wasabi and pickled ginger with my sushi. You should be able to find everything you need at the grocery store, but I’ve also listed where I order my ingredients in the ingredients list below. I also have a riceless sushi recipe, “sushi” made using rice paper, sushi wrapped in spring roll wrappers, and a simple riceless cabbage sushi roll.

Ingredients

• Firm Tofu, squeezed of excess water and cut into long strips or slabs
• Avocado, sliced
• Pineapple, cut into small pieces (If using canned pineapple, make sure it is is pineapple juice without added sugar)
• Carrot, julienned
• Cucumber, peeled, seeds removed (optional) and cut into thin strips
• Tomato, cut into small pieces
• Mushrooms, sliced
• Sticky Rice (also called Sushi Rice)
• Sesame Seeds (for coating the rice)
• Nori Sheets
• Rice Vinegar (For the sticky rice)

You can remove the cucumber seeds if you choose

Useful equipment:

• Bamboo  Sushi Mat
• Plastic Wrap
• Sharp Knife (for cutting sushi)

For Serving:

• Pickled Ginger
• Wasabi
• Low Sodium Soy Sauce / Nama Shoyu / Coconut Aminos / Tamari

Tofu Coating

• ½ cup Arrow Root Starch / Corn Starch
• ¼ cup Corn Meal
• 1 tsp Lemon Pepper (or black pepper)

After you’ve squeezed out the excess moisture of the tofu and cut it into thick strips, coat all sides of the tofu in the Tofu Coating mixture.






Directions for Tofu
1. Heat a bit more sesame oil (1-2 tbs) in the wok to medium-low heat and add in the coated tofu on a single layer. You may have to cook in batches. Rotate the tofu after ever 45 seconds to 1 minute until all the sides are crispy. Remove from heat and place on a paper towel to remove excess oil.


Finished Tofu

Other filling ideas:

• Yam tempura
• Radish
• Tempeh
• Bean Curd
• Bell Pepper
• Baby Spinach


Fold nori sheet in half, carefully pull apart or cut nori, spread rice evenly on smooth side, flip over, add filling and roll with a bamboo mat.

Directions

1. Prepare the tofu using the tofu instructions above. Cook the sticky rice according to the instructions on the package. I add a tbs or two of rice vinegar to the sticky rice. Some recipes call for adding sugar, but I omit it. While the rice is cooking, prepare the avocado, pineapple, carrot, cucumber, tomato and mushrooms.
2. Once the tofu and rice are made and the veggies are prepared, you are ready to start rolling!: You may want to wrap your sushi bamboo mat in plastic wrap to keep the rice from sticking to it.
3. Take a nori sheet and fold or cut in half. (Look above at the 6 photos). Evenly spread the rice on top of the smoother side of the nori. Wetting your hands before doing this step will prevent the rice from sticking all over your hands. Flip the nori sheet over and start laying the filling along the bottom quarter of the sheet. Now carefully roll your sushi. Here is a diagram if you need any help.
4. Wet a sharp knife and cut the roll into pieces. It may help to clean and rewet your knife each time you cut so it is easier to get a clean cut.
5. Serve with some pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce (or one of the soy sauce alternatives I mentioned in the ingredients). I like to dissolve the wasabi in the soy sauce… mmm .:)

Sushi doesn’t keep very long, so enjoy it while it is fresh and delicious! I made 1 cup of cooked rice and that made about 20 pieces of sushi, I believe. I made a couple of riceless sushi rolls with the leftover filling, but I had a lot of the tofu left so you can either use only a 1/4 or 1/2 of a block of tofu or make the whole thing and eat it the next day for another meal.