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Mushroom Sushi

Yields4 ServingsPrep Time15 minsCook Time20 minsTotal Time35 mins

Mushrooms cooked in this spicy, savory, creamy sauce make an excellent filling for sushi. I'll show you how to rill it and make a cute rice ball.

vegan mushroom sushi finished きのこ寿司

Sushi Rice
 1 cup dry short grain white rice
 4 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
 1 ¾ cups water
Filling
 5 oz shiitake mushrooms
 1 tbsp cornstarch
 12 tbsp chili garlic paste, sambal oelek
 2 tbsp Veganaise or Just Mayo
 2 tbsp sesame oil, or other vegetable oil
wrapping and garnish
 5 nori sheets
 ¼ cup pickled ginger
1

Gather your ingredients!

ingredients for vegan mushroom sushi

2

This step is optional. If you like your rice on the fluffier side, rinse it under cold water in a strainer for a few passes. Stir them with your hand to rinse evenly.

Short grain rice is best for sushi, because its surface area and starch balance make it the stickiest!

rinse rice for mushroom sushi

3

One cup of rice makes about 4 rolls of sushi.

You will need twice as much liquid as dry rice.

To cook 1 cup of dry rice, add 4 tablespoons of unseasoned rice vinegar to 1 and 3/4 cups of water. Pour one cup of uncooked rice into the liquid, cover securely, and raise to a fast boil. Set the heat to low as soon as it reaches a fast boil, and let it simmer until all the moisture is absorbed by the rice grains. Stir a few times during this process, but mostly leave it alone. The rice is done when it is soft and there is no more standing water in the pot.

While this cooks, prepare the other fillings.

boiled sushi rice for vegan mushroom sushi きのこ寿司

4

Transfer the cooked rice to a mixing bowl and stir it roughly with a rice paddle, almost mashing it. Add more rice vinegar to taste--the more you add, the stickier the rice will become, which makes it easier to pack into a roll or rice ball. While some prefer seasoned rice vinegar with sugar, I prefer the clean and healthy taste of the unseasoned variety.

mashed sushi rice for vegan きのこ寿司

5

Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1-2 tablespoons of garlic chili paste and 2 tablespoons Vegenaise or Just Mayo.

sauce for vegan sushi きのこ寿司

6

Heat a few tablespoons of sesame oil (or other vegetable oil) on high with a small piece of mushroom. When bubbles form around the mushroom, the oil is hot enough to cook the rest. Add 5 oz of shiitake mushrooms and cook, covered, until about half their water has been released.

Shiitake mushrooms have a wonderful, savory flavor, even when uncooked. Cooking them in oil will cause them to develop a buttery, meaty flavor.

sauteeing mushrooms for vegan sushi きのこ寿司

7

Stir in the spicy sauce and sauté the mushrooms until they are pliable and tender. Overcooked shiitake mushrooms will be rubbery.

sautéed mushrooms for vegan mushroom sushi きのこ寿司

8

Splash your hands with salt water before handling the sushi rice. This will prevent the rice from sticking to you!

salted hands for vegan きのこ寿司

9

Set up a nori sheet on top of a makisu (巻き簾), a flexible mat made of bamboo and cotton string. The perforations on the nori sheet should be perpendicular to the strips of the makisu.

Spoon a thin layer of sushi rice onto 1/3 of the nori roll, patting with salted fingers to make a small indent along the middle into which you can lay the filling.

Spoon a thinner layer of sautéed mushrooms onto the rice.

unrolled sushi roll for mushroom sushi きのこ寿司

10

Starting on the side with the rice and filling, bend the mat around the sushi, forming it into a tube. Squeeze the mat and sushi with both hands tightly and evenly--otherwise, it will fall apart when you try to cut it.

roll the sushi for vegan mushroom sushi きのこ寿司

11

Dab a line of salt water on the nori-end of the tube to help it adhere

salt water for vegan mushroom sushi きのこ寿司

12

Before cutting the sushi, it is important to coat your knife in salt water. I do this between each cut! This prevents the sticky rice from clinging to the knife, allowing it to pass through cleanly.

salt the knife for vegan mushroom sushi きのこ寿司

13

Cut the roll into discs about one inch long, exposing the beautiful interior.

cutting the sushi roll for vegan mushroom sushi きのこ寿司

14

To make a rice ball (onigiri/
おにぎり) first, lay a portion of rice about the size of your palm into a 4" dish or smaller. Indent the rice to make it the shape of a thick bowl.

first layer of rice ball for きのこ寿司

15

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of mushroom filling into the indent.

second layer of rice ball きのこ寿司おにぎり

16

Add a second, palm-sized layer of sushi rice on top of the filling. With salted fingers, press firmly around the sides to seal the two rice layers together.

third layer of rice ball きのこ寿司おにぎり

17

To free the rice ball from the bowl, dig around the edges with a wide, flat spoon dipped in salt water.

free the vegan rice ball

18

Press the rice ball into a flat, triangular shape with your fingers.

triangle rice ball vegan きのこ寿司

19

Using about 2" of a nori sheet (about 2 of the perforated strips) fold it around one corner of the triangle, like fastening a cloak about one's shoulders.

wrap the vegan onigiri

20

The onigiri is a great hand food that can be eaten on the go.

Serve the sushi pieces with soy sauce and pickled ginger, to be eaten between each bite as a palate cleanser (not on top of the sushi pieces.)

Enjoy!

vegan mushroom sushi finished きのこ寿司

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size roll

Servings 4