A lesson in making veg sushi

This content was originally posted in 7DAYS UAE website at: A lesson in making veg sushi We might associate sushi with seafood, it is in fact a good option for vegetarians. That’s why I signed up for a masterclass in the Japanese food, which translates as ‘vinegared rice’, with Yo!Sushi. Under the expert guidance of chef Bernardo, I got to grips with the props and tried my hand at making a simple cucumber maki roll. To kick start the process, plastic gloves were worn and some melted butter was greased on my gloved palms. First I had to roll out a bamboo mat, and place half a sheet of nori – the black, roasted seaweed – on it. The sticky rice was then spread on the nori in a downward fashion, until I reached the end of the sheet. Some black and white sesame seeds were then sprinkled in the middle of the sticky rice, before thin long slices of cucumber were placed on top of the sesame seeds. Then came the most difficult part of making sushi… rolling! Here’s a video of Chef Bernardo making cucumber maki roll: You must make sure the nori is placed right at the end of the bamboo mat. Pick up the mat with the nori and start to roll. The trick is to roll it just once with rice at the bottom of the mat to be met with the rice at the top of the nori. To get the square sushi shape, press with both index fingers on top and the side. I had to try the rolling two or three times to get it right, but my maki rolls did look in shape. Maki rolls can be filled with not just cucumbers but avocado, carrots, asparagus and mango for the vegetarians. Crabsticks, prawns, tuna, salmon and fish are also very popular in sushi rolls for those who love seafood. And if you are worried about carb overload, Yo!Sushi’s chef Bernardo has many healthy alternatives to white rice. “Instead of using white rice, you can go for brown rice or even quinoa. Though getting the right sticky consistency might need a few trials,” he says. “A cauliflower, parsnips or chickpea mash is also a healthy sushi base if you want to avoid grains completely.” Iceberg lettuce can also be rolled in the sushi to make it greener and chef Bernardo adds: “Making and eating healthy sushi is great but bear in mind you will not get the same taste.” veathika@7days.ae Read the original story at: A lesson in making veg sushi