Whole Food, Plant-Based Recipe Onigirazu (Sushi Sandwich)

Recipe courtesy of Chef Carole Levy, PPMNY Culinary Educator

Ingredients

  • 4-5 nori sheets

  • 7 oz uncooked sushi rice, or 14 oz cooked rice
  • 2 tsp brown rice vinegar
  • ½ cucumber, thinly sliced into ribbons
  • 1 avocado, thinly sliced
  • 2 T black sesame seeds
  • Carrot “lox” or marinated tofu (see recipes below)
  • Lettuce or spinach (optional)
  • Other fillings, like cooked sweet potato, pickled onions, pickled ginger, sliced red cabbage

Instructions

1. To properly cook sushi rice, make sure to rinse the rice thoroughly. Rinse under running water several times until no more starch comes out in the water. Then, let the rice soak for at least 30 minutes or longer before cooking. This allows the grain to yield a better texture.
2. Put rice into a pot with 1¾ cup water. Put the lid on the pot and cook on medium-low heat until all the water has been absorbed. Once finished, take the pot off the heat, but keep the lid on and let it rest, covered, for another 10 minutes. (The texture should be fluffy with a firm bite. Each rice grain should be sticky yet retain its shape. Mushy rice means it has too much water or it’s overcooked).
3. Remove the rice from the heat and add brown rice vinegar. Leave to cool until lukewarm.
4. Lay a large piece of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Place a nori sheet on top in a diamond shape, so the tip is facing you, with the smooth side facing down. With slightly damp hands place a layer of rice ½-inch thick in the center of nori and form a square about 2½ inches wide.
5. Begin layering on top of the rice square. Start with cucumber, tofu or carrot lox, sprinkle sesame seeds, add avocado slices, and finish with another layer of rice.
6. Now close the sandwich by folding the corners of the nori sheet over the filling. Start with the top and the bottom ones, using the plastic wrap to help you. Stick the two corners together with a little water. Fold over the outer corners in the same way.
7. Keep the sushi sandwich in the plastic wrap, gently press down so all your ingredients stick together.
8. To serve, cut in half and remove the plastic wrap.