Makes 6-8 rolls
Ingredients:
Sushi Quinoa:
1 ½ cups quinoa (white, black, red, or a combo)
3 cups water
Spring Vegetables – use anything you like and that is in season.
Sesame seeds – roast them in a dry pan until they smell fragrant.
Directions:
1. If time allows, soak your quinoa for up to 8 hours. Drain and rinse well.
2. Put quinoa in a pot with water. Bring to the boil, reduce to simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 15-20 minutes until the water has been absorbed (do NOT stir!).
3. When the quinoa has cooked, transfer it to a large bowl to halt the cooking process and cool it down. When it is no longer piping hot, you may add just under half (only half!) of your tezu, the vinegar preparation. Fold to incorporate and taste for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary. The quinoa should have a distinct sweet acidity, but not be overpowering. Now cover loosely with a towel and let the quinoa cool completely.
4. While the quinoa is cooking, prepare all the filling ingredients. Blanch the vegetables you want cooked and cut everything into long strips for ease of rolling.
Tips & Tricks for Making Successful Sushi
1. Cut all the vegetables into a consistent width, so that you don’t create a “bulge” in the roll – this can encourage the nori to split.
2. Be careful not to overstuff the roll. This is not a burrito.
3. Select a maximum of three or four fillings per roll. You want to allow each ingredient to shine – with too many elements, the flavours of the individual fillings become muddled.
4. Moisten your hands as you assemble the rolls, especially when spreading quinoa over the nori. Keep a small bowl of lukewarm water next to where you are working so that you can continually dip your hands as needed. You can also use this water to moisten the bare end of the nori sheet to create a seal so the roll stays closed.
5. Use a very sharp knife. This is where ceramic knives really come in handy! Of course a sharp metal knife is totally fine, just make sure it has a razor edge, otherwise you’ll end up with a big, smashed-up mess.
6. It is important to wipe the blade of the knife clean with a damp cloth after every single slice of the roll.