Ingredients
- Cooked rice or quinoa (2 cups)
- Sliced red pepper (1 cup)
- Sliced or shredded cucumber or zucchini (1 cup)
- Sliced or shredded carrots (3/4 cup)
- Avocado, sliced or mashed (1)
- Firm tofu (7 oz)
- Nori seaweed (12 sheets)
- Sesame seeds (to taste)
- Hoisin sauce (to taste)
- Rice vinegar (2-4 tbsp.)
- Agave nectar (a few drops)
- ¼ tsp salt, optional
Instructions
1. Rinse the sushi rice in a fine mesh colander under cold water.
2. Cook the rice on the stove top.
3. Combine the rice vinegar, agave and salt in a small bowl. Add the cooked rice to a large bowl and stir in the vinegar mixture until well combined. Let it cool down. Cover the bowl of rice with a damp napkin or kitchen cloth until it's ready to use.
4. In the meanwhile, cut the cucumber, the carrots, the avocado, and the tofu in thin strips. Heat some vegetable broth in a flat pan and cook the tofu strips for about 4 minutes on high heat until crispy or brown. Add a little soy sauce while cooking. 5. Place a nori sheet lengthwise on a bamboo rolling mat with the shiny side down. Fill a shallow bowl with cool water and wet your hands. Take a handful of rice and place it in the center of the nori sheet. Spread evenly, leaving a 3/4 - inch strip of the nori sheet uncovered on the top.
6. Place some thin strips of cucumber, carrot, tofu and avocado in a line on the near edge of the nori sheet. Make sure not to overfill the nori.
7. Tuck your thumbs underneath the bamboo mat and hold the ingredients with your fingers. Then roll the bamboo mat and the nori sheet towards your fingers with slight pressure. Make sure that the ingredients are fully covered with the rice and the nori sheet. Roll slowly to ensure that the sushi is rolled evenly.
8. Wet your fingers again in the shallow bowl of cool water and moisturize the uncovered strip of the nori sheet. Then completely roll up the nori sheet with the bamboo mat.
9. Place the sushi roll on a cutting board and carefully cut it in half with a sharp knife. Put the knife under cold water before and after cutting. Put the sushi halves beside each other and carefully cut them into small slices. 10. Sprinkle the vegan sushi rolls with sesame seeds and serve with soy sauce. If you want you could also add wasabi and pickled ginger.