Tuesday, Feb.23.2010

Supreme Vegetable Roll

The Vegetable Roll is the healthiest dish you can order off a sushi menu.  The vegetable roll is underrated amongst the sushi community due to its perception of blandness or because most sushi bar vegetable rolls are actually bland.  I work at a sushi bar and even I think our original vegetable roll is bland and lacks a contrast in texture.

As you can see above this is no ordinary vegetable roll.  Inside is a blend of cucumber, avocado, steamed asparagus, lettuce, and shredded carrots.  This combination usually comprises of your average vegetable roll.  Not only does it taste boring, just looking at it will bore you enough not to order or attempt to make this roll.

To make a vegetable roll more appealing, now lets try to add a layer of avocado on top to add a cool and smooth texture to contrast the rough textures of raw vegetables on the inside.  Cilantro leaves will give the blandness a mild kick of minty freshness to the roll.  A bit of tempura flakes on top will be another contrast to the  soothing layer of avocados.   A small piece of shredded carrots on top will give some color contrast.

Lastly, all cooks know that a great dish has a well balance of sweet, sour, salty, and bitterness.  With the sweet and sour vinegar used in the rice and the salty soy sauce, this dish is missing the bitter agent.  The bitter taste is what  tones your taste buds down so the sweet, sour, or salty taste wont linger on, and is what will make you want to take that next bite to enjoy the balance of flavors again.  Purple cabbage is what I used to complete this roll.

By now, hopefully you’d want to give this roll a try but that’s not the best part.  The best part is that ITS HEALTHY.  Yea, it tastes good and its good for you, what else do you want.  Maybe a delicious fried roll on the side to contrast the healthiness I guess.



How to make a Vegetable Roll:

Sushi Tools:

  • Cutting board
  • Knife (sushi)
  • Wrapped Bamboo Mat
  • Unwrapped Bamboo Mat
  • Plastic Wrap

Sushi Ingredients:

  • 1/2 sheet of Nori
  • Sushi Rice
  • Toasted Sesame Seeds
  • Shredded Carrots
  • Lettuce
  • Avocado
  • Cucumber
  • Stemmed Asparagus
  • Cilantro
  • Purple Cabbage
  • Tempura

There’s quite a few ingredients, don’t necessarily have to stick to the exact ingredients.  Just a rough guideline.

Making the Vegetable Roll.

The Inside
First, spread your sushi rice onto the Nori.  Sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds over the rice.  Flip it over and place some lettuce, avocado, asparagus, shredded carrots, and cucumbers.  Remember not to over pack the roll or it won’t close.  Just add a bit of each ingredients and enough to spread across the entire roll.  Roll it.

The Top Layer
Now take half of a peeled avocado and place it onto the cutting board with the green side up so it will be sturdy before u cut it.  Make the thinnest slices that you can possible do.  I know its hard if you never done it before.  Dipping the knife in some water will help prevent avocado from sticking to the knife.  Using only the tip of your knife will also help prevent sticking.  Fold your fingers in to show your knuckles and use that as a guide, pulling back slightly after each slice.  Try to make at least 14 slices.  Thinner slices will be easier to spread across the roll and it will be a lot sturdier.  Bigger slices tend to fall off easily so the thinner the better.

The Transfer
The avocado should still be in one piece.  Now, slide the knife under the avocado.  Tip the slices over to one side (doesn’t matter which way) and push down diagonally to spread the slices across your knife.  Spread it to the length of your vegetable roll.  Pick up your knife with the spread avocados and place the knife on top of the vegetable roll.  Hold the avocado down and slide the knife away so the avocado will transfer onto the top of the vegetable roll.

The Meshing
Place plastic wrap over the vegetable roll and mesh the avocado to the roll by placing the unwrapped bamboo mat on top and use your palm and fingers to mesh the sides.  Do this a few times firmly without using too much force or the avocado will slide off the ends.  Pat the sides in.  Use your knife to cut the vegetable roll into 8 pieces.  Now place your “wrapped” bamboo mat over the roll to mesh once more and when u lift up, the plastic wrap should come off with the bamboo mat.

The “Decor”
Now, place a cilantro leaf on to each piece, then a small piece of shredded carrot, then a small piece of purple cabbage and lastly a pinch of tempura flakes.  Garnish ginger and wasabi and a bowl of kikkoman soy sauce.

There you have it. The Supreme Vegetable Roll. Spread the word to others that the vegetable roll can be embraced again for what it truly has to offer.
Peace, Stay Green.