Vegetarian Sushi Basics

Vegetarian sushi? Many people are perplexed by this idea. After all, most Westerners think that sushi means "raw fish" (confusing it with sashimi), so it's little surprise that vegetarian sushi seems like an anomaly.

But vegetarian sushi is not only possible, it's downright delicious! With a little creativity (and a little help from The Veggie Guy), you can create all sorts of variations of vegetarian sushi that will satisfy your palette and impress your friends.

In this post, though, we'll start with the basics. The idea of rolling your own sushi might seem daunting (ok, downright terrifying), but with the right tools, a little patience, and a generous supply of sake, it's really not that difficult.

This post will cover nori rolled sushi, which most Westerners are familiar with. Down the road, I'll get into some of the other types of sushis. When I think you're ready, that is.

(Okay, when I can do it myself without creating a huge mess. How's that for transparency?)

Now, fair warning: Although making sushi is not terribly labor intensive, it takes a long time. There's a lot of "do this, then set it aside for an hour and go take a jog" steps. So it damned sure doesn't make the coveted "under 30 minutes" category. No way.

But it's worth it.

So lets start with the supplies you'll need, and how to make a basic sushi roll.

What you'll need:

• A bamboo rolling mat, or makisu
• A bowl of water with a bit of rice vinegar
• Roasted nori seaweed (comes in square or rectangular sheets)
• 2 cups sushi rice or other short grain white rice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp sea salt

Preparing the sushi rice:

Rinse the rice in a medium bowl. Drain and set aside for 1 hour. This is very important, because the rice will be downright unruly later if you omit this step. (I'm serious. I tried to skip this step once and ended up inventing a few new expletives before all was said and done. Just don't do it.)

Cook rice in a rice cooker according to package directions. I pour 2 1/2 cups of water into the rice bowl, and 2 cups of water into the steamer.

Stir vinegar, salt, and sugar together in a microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave until the mixture begins to boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

When rice have finished cooking, let sit for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large glass or wooden bowl. Mix gently with a wooden spoon to separate the grains.

Pour vinegar mixture over the rice and stir until all grains are coated. Use a newspaper or fan to cool the rice as you mix it. Let set for at least 1 hour at room temperature (don't refrigerate. Your rice will harden and your sushi will suck.)

What to do:

• Lay the makisu flat on the counter.
• Place a nori sheet shiny side down on the makisu.
• Wet hands in water/vinegar. Spread a thin, even layer of rice over the nori sheet, leaving 1/4 inch along the edges uncovered.
• Arrange vegetables we'll talk about this later) in the center of the rice layer.
• Use the mat as a guide to roll the nori, rice, and vegetables into a tight roll. (Tip from the Idiot Veggie Guy - make sure the edge of the mat doesn't get rolled up in the sushi roll. It doesn't work out so well.)
• I wet the nori on the far side of the roll so it will stick. Other people think this is weird. But it keeps my sushi from falling apart. That's just how I roll. (Get it? Roll... sushi... bwaha..ha ha.. *sigh* Eh.)
• Press lightly onthe roll to compress the ingredients. Remove roll from bamboo mat.
• Cut crosswise into 8 pieces.

Arroz con Vegetales - Mexican Rice with Vegetables

I'm leaving for Las Vegas in a couple of days... as much as I love Vegas, being a vegetarian there is a bit of a challenge. People come to Vegas for (among other things) the plethora of fine steakhouses, so there's really not much left for the vegetarians. Alas.

Anyway, I decided to make one of my favorite Mexican dishes while I'm packing, since I figure it will be a while before I get a really satisfying meal.

This recipe is a little tough to squeeze in under the half hour mark, but it's well worth the effort. You can cut some time by using a packaged Mexican seasoning mix, but to be honest, it's just not quite the same.

Arroz con Vegetales - Mexican Rice with Vegetables

Serves 4

1 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 zucchini squash, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 poblano pepper, cut into 1/2 inch x 1 inch pieces
1 can yellow corn
4 cups cut broccoli florets
1 onion, chopped
8 oz white mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 oz Veggie Shreds cheddar "cheese"
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce
8 flour tortillas, fajita size
1/2 cup water

Cook rice in a rice cooker according to directions (my rice cooker instructions say to add 1 cup of water to the rice, 1 1/2 cups water to reservoir, and cook for 24 minutes).

While rice is cooking:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove tortillas from package, wrap completely with foil. Set aside.

Heat oil in large skillet. Add onions and garlic, saute for one minute.

Add red bell pepper, zucchini squash, yellow squash, poblano pepper. Saute for 3 minutes.

Add remainder of vegetables. Saute for an additional 4-5 minutes.

Add cumin, water, Tabasco, and cayenne pepper. Turn down heat and simmer for 3 minutes.

While vegetables simmer, place tortillas in the oven for 3 minutes.

Mix cilantro into cooked rice.

Place 1/4 of cooked rice on each serving plate, cover with 1/4 of shredded cheese. Spoon vegetables over rice and cheese.

Serve with warm tortillas and chips and guacamole or salsa. Upon serving, spoon vegetable, rice, and cheese mixture into tortillas.

Recipe: Raw Hummus

If you're new to raw foods, all of the sprouting and dehydrating can be a little overwhelming. Here's a good recipe that will help you get into the swing of creating raw foods without running out and buying a $200 dehydrator. It'll also help you develop a little patience, because this recipe takes about 3 days from start to finish (although you'll only put in about 15 minutes of actual work).

Sprouted chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are packed with protein and vitamins to support a healthy immune system - very important during these icky winter months.

1 cup dried chickpeas
1 1/2 cup water
4 tbsp tahini
1 tsp cumin
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 cloves garlic, whole

Soak dried chickpeas in water for 1 day. Drain. Let sit for 2 days, rinsing and draining once or twice per day. Chickpeas are ready when the sprouts are about 1/2 inch long.

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Remove water from heat and let sit for 1 minute. Place sprouted chickpeas in the hot water for one minute; drain. (This step is very important. If you skip this, the hummus will be completely awful. Believe me - I've tried it.)

Place chickpeas, garlic, cumin, 1 1/2 cups water, tahini, lemon juice in a blender. Blend on high for at least one minute. If hummus is still not smooth, add a bit more water and blend again until smooth.

Serve with cut fresh vegetables like carrot sticks, celery stalks and sliced cucumbers.

Recipe: Vegan Hot and Sour Soup

Now, here's one of my favorites before I became a vegetarian - there's something about Chinese hot and sour soup that is just plain comforting, especially when it's downright freezing outside (like today - it's about 2 degrees Farenheit right now).

Unfortunately, most hot and sour soups you find in Chinese restaurants are made with chicken stock, and many contain either pork or chicken. You can find vegetarian hot and sour soup in some health food stores (and occasionally in supermarkets), but to be honest, it's pretty awful stuff.

So I did some experimenting to come up with a vegan hot and sour soup that had the same wonderful smell and taste as the commercially available version, without all of the animal products. It took a few tries, but I finally tweaked a couple of meat-centered recipes, and came up with a hot and sour soup that hits the spot!

If you can find mixed mushrooms at your supermarket, this hot and sour soup is pretty easy to make. If you can't find packaged mixed mushrooms, any of the types I've listed below will work fine.

Here's what you'll need:

8 oz. sliced mushrooms (white button mushrooms, cremini, portobella, straw mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms)
1 package (16 oz) extra firm tofu, drained and sliced into 1/4 " x 1/2" strips
1 bunch scallions
4 oz chopped kale
1 carrot, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 oz. ginger, grated
4 cans vegetable broth
2 cups water
2 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp chili sauce

Pour water, vegetable broth, rice vinegar, white vinegar in a stock pot or large soup pot on medium high heat. Stir frequently until liquid starts to boil.

Chop scallions, add to liquid, saving some of the green part for garnish. Add remainder of ingredients and cover.

Heat for 15 minutes or until kale is tender. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with remaining scallions.


Variations:

• For those of you that want a more meatlike texture, you can either freeze and thaw the tofu before preparing the soup, or substitute seitan. You might even be able to use those Morningstar Farms Chik'n strips, but I haven't tried it.
• You can also add egg whites for a non-vegan version. Slowly stir 6 egg whites into the liquid when if comes to a boil, and before you add the other ingredients.

Prep time: 10 min.
Cooking time: 15 min.
Total time: 25 min.


Note: This hot and sour soup can be easily frozen and saved for later. I typically make a double batch and freeze half of it.

The Veggie Guy is Back!

After a (very) long absence, I'm back!

I've spent the year lerning new things about vegetarian and vegan cooking. I've even bought a dehydrator, and started experimenting with raw food recipes.

If anyone tells you that eating raw is easy, please just look at them weird. It's not easy... it takes a lot of patience (which is not one of my most prevalent traits), and it takes the ability to completely mess up a meal here and there.

Anyway, I won't claim to be a raw food expert, but I will share the insights I have gained over the last year.

I have, however, become something of an expert on creating low calorie and vegetarian recipes, especially those that even dedicated carnivors find appealing. I'll be sharing many of these new recipes over the coming weeks.

So look forward to more recipes, tips, techniques, and resources in 2008!

Recipe: Vegetarian Sausages

So how exactly did I get from steamy, great cold-weather soup to veggie sausages? Well, I'm a guy. And guys, by design, have to get out and use the grill even in the dead of winter. Nobody really understands why - we just do.

Anyway, don't let the "sausages" title stop you. They don't taste like meat, and even better, they don't try to! Really, the biggest similarity they share with the real thing is that they're cylindrical and fit nicely in a bun.

Here's the stats:

Calories: 213
Fat: 12g
WeightWatchers Points: 5

So you'll need:

1 small white/yellow onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
3/4 cup finely chopped white mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
1 14 oz can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp sage
1 egg yolk
1 cup grated pepperjack cheese
all-purpose flour

Stir-fry onions, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms in oil for 4-5 min. Add remainder of ingredients, except flour, and mix well. Use hands (probably your own) to form 8 sausages.
Roll in flour and set in refrigerator to chill for 30 min.

Grill on oiled foil for 15-20 min, serve on whole wheat buns with condiments (and, if you're like me, grilled onions and jalapenos).

Note: I've tried to make this vegan several times and failed miserably. I've substituted the cheese for soy cheese, and that seems to work reasonably well (meaning not much cursing going on in the kitchen), but every time I omitted the egg yolk, the danged things fell apart on the grill. If and when I find a solution, I will post, well, post haste.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Winter Soup

Since we're heading into January, which in Ohio means some pretty bitter weather (yes, I hear you New Englanders, we don't have anything to complain about), I thought maybe a soup recipe would be good. Ok, another soup recipe. It's winter - you can't have too many soups!

So, if you liked my Dal Soup recipe, get your stock pot back out - here's a happily satisfying Winter Soup! This is a vegetarian recipe, but you can omit the cheese to make it vegan.

You'll need:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 zucchini, chopped (I use 1 yellow and one green)
4 cups vegetable broth (if you buy canned, make sure it says vegetarian vegetable broth on the label. For some reason, regular vegetable broth often has chicken stock. Go figure.)
4 chopped roma tomatoes or 2 14 oz cans chopped tomatoes
1 14 oz can chickpeas
8 oz frozen spinach, thawed
1 oz parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp sage

Stir-fry leeks, zucchini, garlic in oil for 2 min. Add these plus remainder of ingredients to stockpot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 15-30 min.

Serve with french bread or pita slices.

Enjoy, and stay warm!

Lee aka The Veggie Guy

Recipe: Mini Samosa Wraps

While we're on Indian inspired dishes, I thought I'd post a recipe for these wonderful little appetizers. I often use them as a side dish with curries, tikka masala, or tandoori.

Traditional Indian samosas are deep-fried pastries, commonly filled with diced vegetables and spices. To make my version low-fat, I have skipped the deep fried pastries and opted instead for flour tortillas.

1 package taco-sized flour tortillas

3 medium potatoes, boiled
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups peas, canned

1 tsbsp olive oil
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
1 1/2 tbsp hot curry powder
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper



Stir fry onions, garlic, and ginger in olive oil for 1 minute. Heat peas in a small saucepan, drain.

Mash the boiled potatoes with a fork in a large bowl.

Mix all ingredients (except the tortillas, of course) in a large bowl.

Warm tortillas in microwave or oven, spoon filling into each tortilla, wrap burrito style.

Serve with mango chutney for dipping. I usually buy this in jars at the local supermarket (the brand is Patak's), but one day I will tackle making my own. When I do, I'll post the recipe.

Enjoy!

Recipe - Dal Soup

With the weather getting rather brisk, at least in the northern half of the U.S., I thought I'd share this wonderful soup recipe. This is a variant on dal, a thick, spicy Indian stew made from lentils or other pulses.

2 tbsp butter
2 garlic cloved, minced
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala

1 fresh tomato, diced or, 4 oz canned chopped tomatoes
1 cup red lentils
2 tsp lemon juice
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/4 cups coconut milk

salt and pepper
cilantro, chopped

Add butter, garlic, onion, turmeric, garam masala, cumin, and chili powder to large saucepan, cook for 30 seconds.

Add tomatoes, lentils, lemon juice, vegetable broth, coconut milk. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into bowls and top with chopped cilantro.

Recipe: Herbed Pasta Primavera

6 oz fresh asparagus
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, julienned or thinly sliced
6 oz fresh snow peas
1 small red onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped or thinly sliced
6 oz white button mushrooms, sliced

1 tbsp dried parsley
2 tbsp fresh or 1 1/2 tbsp dried basil
1 tbsp fresh 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp fresh or 1/2 tbsp dried sage
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tbsp ground cayenne pepper, or 1/4 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup water

6 oz pasta (traditionally, spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine, although any pasta will work)

1/3 cup shredded or grated parmesan cheese

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Tip from The Veggie Guy: I tend to like veggies a bit more tender when serving them over pasta, so I generally steam the asparagus, snow peas, carrots, and mushrooms in a vegetable steamer/rice cooker for 10 minutes while cooking the pasta. But if you like your veggies crisp, I'd advise against doing that.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Mix water and cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside.

Pour olive oil into wok or large skillet. Stir-fry garlic and onion for 15 seconds. Add asparagus, carrots, snow peas, red bell pepper and mushrooms. Add parsley, basil, oregano, sage, and whichever pepper you chose. Stir-fry for 3 minutes.

Stir and add water/cornstarch mixture to vegetables. Cook another 1-2 minutes. Serve over hot pasta, with parmesan sprinkled on top.

Vegan version: Substitute soy parmesan cheese, and check the pasta package for egg/milk ingredients. Most supermarket dried pastas are fine, but you never know, so always check. If you're really motivated, you can make your own pasta from scratch. I may try that myself right after I retire.

Enjoy!