Spicy Tempeh Sushi Roll

Makes 4 rolls

This spicy tempeh sushi roll is the vegan answer to a spicy tuna roll. Creamy, spicy, crunchy, and satisfying in all the ways a great sushi roll should be. It starred on the very first episode of The Post Punk Kitchen back in 2003 and has been showing up at parties, potlucks, lunch boxes, and weeknight dinners ever since.

The filling is simple. Tempeh simmered until tender, mashed with vegan mayo and hot chile sesame oil. But once you make it you’ll find yourself using this method for other things. Tempeh salads, tempeh sausage crumbles, any situation where you want something creamy and a little spicy and very satisfying. It’s a good technique to have.

There are a few steps to making nori rolls and the rolling itself has a little bit of a learning curve. Your first roll might not be perfect. It will still taste great. By roll number four you’ll feel like a pro, and by the second time you make these you’ll wonder why you ever stressed about it.

Making a sushi spread? These rolls are great alongside the Sweet Potato Shiitake Sushi Rolls and the Avocado Peanut Sushi Rolls , all three use the same rice recipe.

_{Photo by Kate Lewis}

What You Need to Roll Vegan Sushi

A bamboo sushi rolling mat is the one non-negotiable. You can find one at Asian grocery stores, kitchen stores, or online for just a few dollars. Everything else you probably already have:

A large glass or ceramic bowl for the rice. Metal can react with the vinegar.

A wooden spoon or rice paddle for folding the rice.

A very sharp serrated knife for slicing. A dull knife will smash the rolls instead of cutting them cleanly.

A small shallow cup for the vinegar water you’ll keep at your workstation.

Plastic wrap if you want to make inside-out rolls.

That’s it. Now let’s make rice.

Perfect Sushi Rice And You

The rice is the foundation of everything, so let’s get this right. Use sushi rice, not regular white rice. It has the right starch content to hold together when rolled. The vinegar seasoning is what gives sushi rice its characteristic flavor. Use brown rice vinegar for the perfect flavor, and season the rice while it’s still hot so it absorbs properly.

The rice should be slightly warm when you work with it, never cold. Cold rice is stiff and hard to spread and will crack when you roll. Make the rice right before you roll. Sushi rice waits for no one.

This is How We Roll Vegan Sushi

Moisten your hands with the vinegar water before handling the rice so it doesn’t stick. Scoop a scant 1 cup of rice, pat it gently together, and spread it onto the bottom two thirds of the nori sheet in a layer less than a third of an inch thick, all the way to the edges. Less filling is easier to roll than more. You’ll figure out your sweet spot.

Roll from the rice end, keeping your grip firm. When you reach the bare nori at the top, pat it with a little vinegar water to seal. Press the roll gently to seal it all up, then slice with a very sharp serrated knife into 1-inch pieces. You’ve got this.

If you want to roast the nori first for extra flavor, hold each sheet with tongs over a gas flame for 2 to 3 seconds. Not essential but very good.

How to Make Inside-Out Sushi Rolls (And Brag About It)

Impress your friends with rice on the outside! Spread the rice as usual on the nori. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on top. Now we are going to flip it. Slide your hand underneath the bamboo mat, rest your other hand on top of the plastic wrap, and in one quick motion flip everything upside down. Remove the mat from underneath and place it on your counter. Put the nori and rice plastic wrap side down on the mat. Add your fillings on the nori side, roll using the mat to press firmly, peeling away the plastic wrap as you go. Once rolled, coat the outside of the inside-out roll by rolling it in sesame seeds for the full effect.

Where to Find Sushi Ingredients

Brown rice vinegar, hot chile sesame oil, nori, and black sesame seeds are available at Japanese or Asian grocery stores or in the ethnic foods aisle of most larger grocery stores. If you can’t find hot chile sesame oil, combine regular toasted sesame oil with a pinch of cayenne. It gets you there.

This recipe originally appeared in Veganomicon.

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Spicy Tempeh Sushi Rolls

Spicy tempeh sushi rolls with avocado, scallion, and black sesame seeds. Creamy, spicy, and satisfying. The vegan answer to a spicy tuna roll. From Veganomicon.

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Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 4 Sushi Rolls

Ingredients

  

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For the sushi rice:

• 1 cup sushi rice
• 2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar plus 1 tablespoon for rolling
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Generous pinch of salt

For the spicy tempeh filling:

• 4- ounces tempeh
• 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon hot chile sesame oil or to taste

For assembly:

• 4 sheets nori
• 1 scallion white part discarded, sliced lengthwise into narrow strips
• 1 ripe avocado peeled, seeded, and sliced into 1/4-inch strips
• 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds if used inside the roll or 1/4 cup if used as a coating for inside-out rolls

For serving

• Soy sauce
• Wasabi
• Pickled ginger

Instructions

 

• Combine the rice with 1 1/4 cups cold water in a heavy-bottomed pot with a lid. Bring to a boil over high heat, stir once, then lower heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 to 22 minutes until the rice is completely tender and all the liquid is absorbed.
• Empty the hot rice into a large glass or ceramic bowl. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, the sugar, and salt. Fold gently with a wooden spoon or rice paddle until the vinegar is absorbed. Taste. It should have a mild, seasoned vinegar flavor with a hint of sweetness. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside. Rice should still be slightly warm when you use it.
• Break the tempeh into 1-inch pieces. Place in a small saucepan, cover with 2 inches of water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3 minutes then drain. Transfer to a bowl and crush with a fork a few times. Add the mayonnaise and chile sesame oil and mash into a chunky salad. Taste and adjust heat as desired.
• In a small shallow cup, combine 1/3 cup water and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar. Keep near your workstation.
• Place a nori sheet on the bamboo mat. Moisten your hands with the vinegar water, scoop a scant 1 cup of rice, pat it gently together, and spread it onto the bottom two thirds of the nori sheet in a layer less than a third of an inch thick, all the way to the edges. Layer about 1 1/2 tablespoons of spicy tempeh, 3 strips of avocado, and some scallion strips horizontally across the center of the rice.
• Roll from the rice end, keeping a firm grip. When you reach the bare nori, pat with a little vinegar water to seal. Press gently to seal the whole roll. Slice into 1-inch pieces with a very sharp serrated knife.
• Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger.

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