Cooked sushi rice (I use brown rice)
Sushi vinegar (seasoned rice vinegar)
Raw or roasted nori sheets
Toasted sesame seeds
Pickled ginger
Wasabi
Soy sauce
Sriracha hot sauce
Fillings:
Sunflower seed sprouts
Cucumber, seeded
Avocado, sliced thin
Tempeh (baked and seasoned or "bacon" is really good)
Arugula leaves
Marinated shiitake mushrooms
Pickled green beans
Sweet potato cubes (cooked)
Since sushi is sushi because of the rice, I guess this isn't actually sushi, but I make handrolls with sheets of nori using bulgar wheat instead of the rice, rice wine vinegar and various sprouts and matchstick veggies.
Annie Chun has a sushi wrap kit that does not require a bamboo mat. The nori is already cut into little strips and you just put a little rice (provided) and some vegetables in there and roll it up with your fingers. It is not going to look like you got it at a sushi bar, but it is quick and easy and tastes good.
My parents bought a sushi kit at some county fair a few years back. They never used it, so they gave it to me. It is some 'Miracle sushi maker' and uhh it sucks That is what I used to make the sushi but I want a bamboo mat instead or maybe improvise...
The handroll doesn't require a mat. You basically shape the nori into an ice cream cone shape and fill the inside with vinegar seasoned rice (or in my case) bulgar and any other toppings.
I also have made sushi without the mat. I dampened the nori with a squeezed out damp paper towel and wait a few seconds (so the nori becomes flexible, rather than brittle) then I put my fillings in towards one edge, but leave at least a half inch of clean nori on three edges, and at least an inch of nori on the edge farthest from you, and then fold the nori like you would a burrito or eggroll (fold in the top and bottoms and roll away from you until you have a fully-inclosed log).
I do have a mat, and I'm getting better at using it. The mat is washable, but when I was first learning, I used some plastic wrap on the mat. Oh, and buy the mat in a oriental grocery if you can, unless your community has a large asian community, or you could pay a ridiculous price for the mat. If it's not under a couple of bucks (in my opinion) you're getting ripped off. I paid less than $3 (and I think quite a bit less) for mine in an asian grocery/deli.
Another sushi option is to put the vinegared rice in a bowl and put the toppings on top, the japanese call this chirashi sushi. If you want the nori, you can shred it and use it as a topping. I don't know how it's "supposed" to be eaten, but I just mix all of the ingredients and eat it. I think it's probably not proper to mix it in, but since I don't have japanese houseguests I don't have to worry about that.
Thanks for the great tips and ingredient suggestions. I've always been hesitant to try sushi, but it'll be on my menu next week (right after our trip to the grocery store and the Asian market down the street!)
If you can find it ready made, or know how to make it, that seaweed salad (the same weird bright green color of sweet pickle relish) is really good in or with sushi.
Our "Downtown Grocery" (the one with the wonderful vegan lunch menu) has it on their salad bar, and my husband said he saw it in the freezer section. I think we're going tomorrow to check it out. I don't know if you just thaw the seaweed and add the salad dressing (I think rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and sesame seeds and maybe some type of sweetener), but I love the stuff so I'm going to see whether it's worth buying a brick of, or just getting it prepared off the salad bar when I want it (and talking about sushi - I want it now).
Their's is better than I've even had it in a restaurant, because it has two kinds of seaweed. Not only the smooth crunchy/chewy type, but one that almost looks like frilly green cellophane, and has a strange crisp/crunchy/chewy/squeaky texture. Very yummy though.
Vegan Sushi!
