Spicy Sushi

Okay, so sushi is one of those "trend foods" that people are loving these days!  It's weird, but most people either love sushi or hate it...there aren't very many people who are indifferent...AND there aren't many people out there who have mastered the technique of the perfect sushi roll!  Now, I'm not calling myself a sushi expert by ANY means...however, I have managed to come up with an AMAZING sushi roll that has converted many sushi haters over to the dark side!!  It's crunchy, creamy, spicy, and so good, you don't even need the wasabi or soy sauce to go along with it (although the three together are like heaven to your taste buds!)  I actually developed this recipe for my husband, who has a strong love for the spicy mayo served at a lot of sushi places...this is one of his favorite vegan dishes that I make!  Master this, and you'll have people BEGGING you to bring it wherever you go...trust me, I know!

You will need:

-Sushi rice...this is a must.  No other rice is sticky enough, so make sure you get sushi rice...it's actually called that.  (Most grocery stores will have this in the Asian section)
-1 bag of organic broccoli slaw
-Match stick carrots
-Avocado
-Vegannaise mayo (probably have to venture to the health food store for this...but it's SO worth it)
-Low sodium soy sauce
-Sriracha (you should be able to find this at most any grocery store...Asian section)
-Nori (this is the "paper" seaweed that you wrap everything in...most regular grocery stores are carrying this product now...in the Asian section)
-Rice wine vinegar (in a pinch, I've used apple cider vinegar or white vinegar...both tasted fine)

-Prepare the sushi rice EXACTLY how the package says to.  (Each brand has different measurements and instructions as to how to prepare.)  I actually cut the rice recipe in half, so that there was only enough to make 2 rolls...which is plenty for 2 people, as a meal accompaniment...however, if you plan on having just the sushi as a meal, make the full amount of rice (I think mine ended up being 4 c. cooked for the full recipe)

-Once the rice is done, add the sushi vinegar, sugar (I use agave instead), and salt...according to the instructions on the rice, set aside to let cool for a minute or two, so you can work with it.

-Combine:
1 1/2 c. broccoli slaw (this is for the 2 roll recipe...if you're going to make more, double it)
1/4 c. matchstick carrots
1/2 c. vegan mayo (make sure you don't use nasoya...yuck!)
1 T. low sodium soy sauce
1 T. sriracha...ok, sriracha is this AMAZING chili-based hot sauce...kinda like an Asian ketchup, because they use it like we do ketchup!  It's up there on the spice scale, so if you're sensitive to spice, start out with 1 t. and try it...but in my opinion, the creaminess of the mayo balances out the heat of the sauce...no one typically complains about this ratio.

-Mix all of this together.

-Slice your avocado in long, even slices (I didn't have any avocado on hand tonight when I made this sushi, so you CAN skip this step if you're in a pinch...just know that the avocado makes this roll about 100 times better!)

-Now you're ready to assemble!  I got really intimidated the first time I thought about making my own sushi...actually my husband kept begging me to learn how to make it for about a year before I was brave enough to try it...and I only tried it because a friend brought it over as something fun for a group of us to do together!  Don't be intimidated...you don't need all the fancy rolling mats and wooden spoons...this is what I do:

-Nori, shiny side down, longest sides at the top and bottom

-Spoon half of your rice mixture into the nori and spread with the spoon, or with wet fingers (this rice sticks to EVERYTHING!)  Keep rice away from about 1/2" across the top, you'll need that nori naked so you can seal up the roll.

-Spoon half of the slaw mixture along the bottom of the rice covered nori...if your mixture got runny, don't worry...but do try to let some of the juices run off before putting it in the nori, or you'll get really sloppy looking sushi...(taste will be killer tho!)

-Line the slaw mixture withe the avocado slices (about 3-6 slices)

-Now it's time to roll...don't be scared!  Nori is surprisingly strong and flexible, so tuck everything in there tightly, gently squeezing things together as you roll.  When you've rolled to where the rice ends, get your fingers wet with water, and lightly wet the nori...this will act like glue.

-Finish rolling...gently squeezing everything together...don't worry...some stuff will come out the ends, that can't be avoided.  Just trim them off before you begin cutting, and enjoy them as a little extra bonus snack for all of your hard work!

-Having a good knife to cut this will make a big difference.  I actually use my bread knife...it's serrated, but not with sharp teeth.  You may have to experiment with your knives, but you shouldn't have to put a lot of pressure to cut through.

-And there you have it!  You can get about 8-10 pieces from each roll!!

-If you're still confused, (because this is actually very hard to explain in words!)...I googled "how to make sushi" and watched a few videos (are you allowed to tell people "just to google" when you blog??)

-Try this, trust me...it's SO worth it!