23 Mar Vegan Quinoa Sushi

This recipe is bought to you by the talented Gabriella of BakeByGabriella.com and the guys at @InstaEatsCapeTown.

Homemade sushi always seems daunting, but when I made my first trial batch I was pleasantly surprised! Not only is this relatively easy and quick to prepare, the flavour combos you can choose are endless! I decided to make mine fully vegan by filling my sushi with crunchy and steamed veg. Originally I was going to make this with brown rice, but after seeing a recipe using quinoa in Jessica Sepel’s first cookbook, I knew I had to give it a try.

The outcome? Delicious! And so much so, I might never feel the need to eat sushi with rice again. The bonus with this option is the naturally gluten free and protein power that quinoa offers, making this dish a delicious idea for your meat-free days.

Q U I N O A  V E G A N  S U S H I 

Serves 2

SUSHI INGREDIENTS

• 85g uncooked white quinoa
• Nori sheets
• 1 Tbsp good-quality hummus
• 1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 handful kale, steamed and roughly chopped
• 4 stems tenderstem broccoli, steamed

DRESSING

• 2 tsp tahini
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp dark amber maple syrup
•  1 tsp lemon juice

TO SERVE

• Sesame seeds, to serve
• Pickled ginger, rinsed, to serve
• Organic tamari, to serve
• Wasabi, to serve

METHOD

1. Cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions and set aside to cool.]
2. In a small bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients and then stir through the cooled quinoa.
3. Place a sushi mat onto a chopping board, or simply lay out a piece of clingfilm.
4. Add a sheet of nori, shiny side down, and spread over half of the hummus.
5. Dip your hands into some water and spread some quinoa evenly over the nori, leaving a 1cm border along the edge furthest from you.
6. Arrange the vegetables in a row across the nori. Be careful not to overfill!
7. Holding the edge of the mat or clingfilm, lift it along with the filling and roll away from you. Hold the filling as you roll and gently pull the mat as you continue rolling. Once you have a neat roll, fold your hands over the mat to tighten the roll. Moisten the edges of the nori with water to seal.
8. Slide the roll off the mat and use a sharp knife to cut it into individual pieces.
9. Repeat this process until all ingredients are finished and serve immediately with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, pickled ginger, tamari and wasabi.

TIP: Having trouble with forming the sushi? Simply make a hand roll!