Vegan Hanami Sushi

Recipe: 

SERVES: 5 (as an appetiser or side dish) 

INGREDIENTS: 

For the sushi rice: 

• 360g sushi rice 
• 480ml water 
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar 
• 1.5 tbsp mirin 
• 1 tbsp sugar
•  1 tsp salt 
• A little beetroot juice (optional- for pink rice) 

For the carrot “salmon”:

• 3 large carrots 
• 60 ml beetroot juice (juice from cooked packaged beetroot) 
• 250 ml water 
• ¼ tsp salt 
• ½ tsp garlic powder 
• 1 tbsp tamari 
• ½ tbsp maple syrup 
• ½ tsp apple cider vinegar 

For the sriracha dip: 

• 50g cashews 
• ½ tsp lemon juice 
• ¼ tsp apple cider vinegar 
• ¼ tsp dijon mustard 
• 2 tbsp sriracha 
• ¼ tsp garlic powder 
• Pinch salt 
• 2-3 tbsp water 

Filling and garnishes: 

• 1 large avocado 
• 3 spring onions 
• ½ a cucumber 
• 5-6 sheets nori 
• Sesame seeds 
• Radishes 
• Handful of herbs or microgreens 
• Tamari (for dipping) 

EQUIPMENT: Scales; Large bowl; Fine mesh sieve; Medium saucepan with lid; Wooden spoon; Large plate/ baking tray; Parchment paper; Vegetable peeler; Chopping board; Chef knife; Mandolin (with thick and thin settings); Small saucepan; Measuring spoons; Small jug; Blender; Sushi mat; Serrated knife 

METHOD: 

1. First, add the cashews to a small jug and pour in boiling water. Leave to soak. 
2. Cook the sushi rice: Thoroughly wash the sushi rice by swirling it in cold water in a large bowl and rinsing it in a fine mesh sieve. Add to a medium saucepan with 480ml water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and cover the saucepan with a lid. Lightly simmer for 10 minutes, before turning off the heat and leaving to continue cooking, covered, for 10 more minutes. Don’t take off the lid or stir the sushi during this time.
3.  Meanwhile, make the carrot “salmon”: Peel the carrots and chop off the ends. Using a mandolin (on a thick setting), slice the carrots into strips. Add the carrots to a small saucepan with all of the rest of the carrot ingredients. Simmer for 10 minutes or so, until the carrots are cooked but still slightly firm. Turn off the heat and leave to soak and cool.
4.  Season and cool the sushi rice: Once the rice is cooked, add the sushi rice seasoning (rice vinegar, mirin, sugar and salt) to the sushi rice. Stir in gently using a wooden spoon. Taste and adjust seasoning.
5.  To help the sushi rice cool faster, spread it out onto a lined baking tray or plate and place in a cool place. 
6. Meanwhile, make the sriracha dip: Drain the soaked cashews, and add them to a blender with the rest of the sriracha ingredients except for the water. Blend on high, adding the water a little at a time until it forms a smooth and creamy dip. Set aside. 
7. Prepare the filling and garnishes: Peel and thinly slice the avocado. Thinly slice the spring onions, lengthways. Slice the cucumber into small strips. Using a mandolin on a thin setting, slice the radishes. 
8. Assemble the sushi: Lay a sheet of nori onto a sushi mat. Evenly spread a layer of sushi rice onto the nori, leaving a cm of nori clear on the left and right side (dipping your hands in a little cold water helps to stop the rice from sticking). Add the fillings (carrots, cucumber, avocado, spring onion) a couple centimetres from the left of the sushi. Use the sushi mat to roll the sushi up. Cut the sushi into segments using a serrated knife. Repeat until all filling and rice has been used up. 
9. To make the flower pattern, stir a little beetroot juice into some leftover rice. Cut a 1 sheet of nori into quarters, and cut another quarter off of a second sheet of nori. Lay an even line of pink rice onto each strip of nori, and roll them into cylinders. Spread a little leftover white rice onto the remaining ¾ sheet of nori. Spread a little smashed avocado over the rice. Lay the rolled pink rice and nori next to one another on top of the smashed avocado. Place a little carrot salmon (cut into thin strips) over the centre pink rice roll. Carefully use a sushi mat to roll the larger nori sheet around the mini pink rice rolls. Use a serrated knife to cut into segments and reveal the flower pattern. 
10. Plate the sushi with the garnishes and sriracha dip.

Enjoy! :)