Monday, March 23, 2015

Egg, Carrot & Kohlrabi Sushi

Egg, Carrot & Kohlrabi Sushi

Japanese-style rolled omelet with farm share kohlrabi and carrots make a vegetarian sushi roll.

Recipe for a Japanese-style rolled omelet with farm share kohlrabi and carrots that makes a vegetarian sushi roll.


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This blog is about how I'm feeding my family from our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm share to encourage you to try a farm share in your town. Typically the recipes I share are uncomplicated and use ingredients and tools found in regular stores. The food is generally nutritious, filling, and uses up items from the farm share box--but it's not usually fancy pants type food.


Recipe for a Japanese-style rolled omelet with farm share kohlrabi and carrots that makes a vegetarian sushi roll.


As often as I am embarrassed by the many iterations of brown food or fast & easy food on this blog, every once in a while I'm really proud of taking the time to create something pretty using the produce from our farm share. Today's recipe is more elevated compared to my standard fare. This is a terrific Spring/early summer seasonal sushi roll, and since the tantalizing glimpse of sunshine and warmth has me [and the dogs] wanting to lie on the brown grass in the back yard and dream of summer days, I'm sharing it now.


Recipe for a Japanese-style rolled omelet with farm share kohlrabi and carrots that makes a vegetarian sushi roll.


In addition to being a fan of eating from the farm share, I'm also a pretty frugal cook. Since my spouse and I can eat our ages in sushi--and the kids could probably exceed our consumption--it makes sense to roll our own and have sushi at home.  Just like with pizza, something that we like to eat often but don't like to shell out $$ for, sushi at home can be a wonderfully special meal.

I learned to make my own sushi while in my early 20's, living in Washington, DC. I've got a sushi 101 tutorial from the first month of this blog for reference--you can see it here. If you are a hands on learner, I would recommend taking a class. It's fun to learn along with other folks and you can get immediate answers to your questions. I've seen sushi-making classes offered at community centers, grocery stores and kitchenware stores. If you're interested, find a class and try it--then branch out on your own. There's no rule that says you need raw fish to have sushi, you just need a willingness to experiment and some raw materials!


Recipe for a Japanese-style rolled omelet with farm share kohlrabi and carrots that makes a vegetarian sushi roll.


For other recipes using carrots, please see my Carrot Recipes Collection. For other recipes using Kohlrabi, please see my Kohlrabi Recipes Collection (I'm pretty proud of it). These collections are part of the Visual Recipe Index by Ingredient--a resource for ideas of what to do with farm share produce. For even more ideas, please feel free to follow my Pinterest boards--this is going on Awesome Veggie Apps and Snacks.

Recipe for a Japanese-style rolled omelet with farm share kohlrabi and carrots that makes a vegetarian sushi roll.

Recipe for a Japanese-style rolled omelet with farm share kohlrabi and carrots that makes a vegetarian sushi roll.

Egg, Carrot & Kohlrabi Sushi (makes enough for 4 to 6 people)


Ingredients


  • 3 cups short grain rice which are then cooked according to package directions (I use a rice cooker because I burn it otherwise)
  • ⅓ to ½ cup seasoned sushi rice vinegar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon salt (I use kosher)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 to 3 teaspoons of olive oil
  • nori seaweed sheets for sushi (start with at least 6 sheets)
  • mayonnaise
  • 2 cups shredded carrot (peels to the soup pack!)
  • 2 cups kohlrabi sticks (cut off the top and tip, peel, and slice into thin sticks)
  • to serve, wasabi sauce, panko, and soy sauce or tamari

Instructions



  1. Once the rice is cooked, transfer it to a large bowl and use a rice paddle to mix in the seasoned sushi rice vinegar. After pouring the vinegar over the rice, I slice the paddle through then flip and fan the rice to help evaporate the vinegar so it clings to the rice grains, repeating the slicing/flipping/fanning motions until the rice is uniformly coated. Set aside.
  2. In a small bowl beat eggs with salt and sugar. Preheat a skillet over medium to medium low heat, and add a bit of olive oil. Pour in ⅓ of the egg mixture. After a minute when the bottom is set, tip the skillet. I used to have a rectangular one like this which works terrific--but I left it at a beach house we rented (Amazon affiliate link--to the pan, not the beach house)
  3. Roll some the cooked portion of the omelet over the uncooked portion, allowing the liquid egg to flow away from the rolled portion. Keep repeating the rolling until the egg is set, then roll the omelet onto a cutting board. Repeat steps with another ⅓ of the egg mixture, then the final third. Slice into long thin strips and set aside.
  4. When you have all your vegetables chopped, rice cooked and eggs sliced, you're ready to roll ! Have all ingredients accessible along with a damp paper towel and a small dish of water. You can see my set up here
  5. Lay a piece of nori shiny side down on a rolling mat and spread a thin smear of mayonnaise across the edge closest to you. Dipping your hands frequently in the water to keep them from sticking onto the rice, spread an even layer of rice across the nori leaving a half inch border across the opposite side from you. 
  6. Top with a thin layer of egg, carrot, and kohlrabi. 
  7. Begin to roll up using the rolling mat and the edge closest to you, rolling away from you.  Once you've made a complete revolution, peel the mat back and continue rolling away from you. Moisten your finger with water and wipe the far, bare, edge of the nori. Once you've finished rolling up the sheet of nori, give it a squeeze to secure the contents. Set aside. 
  8. When you've run out of nori, egg, rice or vegetables you're done! Use a serrated knife to slice each roll into ¾ inch to 1 inch pieces, wiping the blade with a damp paper towel in between cuts. 
  9. Arrange on a platter, drizzle with wasabi sauce and scatter with panko for a bit of crunch if you like. Serve with soy sauce or tamari for dipping.

18 comments:

  1. How fun!! These are awesome. We had a CSA last year with a local start-up farm and most of our share was kohlrabi. Like you, my husband and I could eat our weight in sushi, much cheaper to make it at home! I'm definitely trying these soon!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lauren,
      Had you ever heard of kohlrabi before you started the CSA? I sure hadn't.
      Thanks!

      Delete
  2. We're pretty frugal, too, and I love making sushi at home, but have fallen short on ideas lately - love this one!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alisa,
      I get so many ideas from the weekly box of vegetables. Can't resist trying new things with them.
      Thanks!

      Delete
  3. I've never heard of kohlrabi, but I've probably eaten it in sushi! Someday I'll have to give sushi making a shot. thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Stephanie,
      I think cucumber, carrot, and avocado are the most common fresh vegetables used in sushi, but I gotta use what I've got on hand. And that's often kohlrabi.
      Thanks!

      Delete
  4. Sushi for breakfast! Looks so good! I've only made sushi a few times but I always mean to add it to the weekly menu.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Elena,
      I'd eat this any time of the day..
      Thanks!

      Delete
  5. What gorgeous colors! I've never made my own sushi before because I'm a little intimidated. This looks pretty do able though!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Des,
      I learned to make sushi in a class in my early 20s. Seeing and doing is really the best way for me, as the tips and techniques have stuck with me. I don't fuss with raw fish in my sushi, nor do I expect the perfection of Jiro, so it's just plain fun.
      Thanks!

      Delete
  6. What an awesome assortment. I love your Sushi 101 tutorial. My son gave me (and him) a sushi making class for Mother's Day last year and I've yet to make sushi. You've inspired me to give it a go.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanie,
      Sushi classes are such a fun way to dip your toe in the waters!
      Have fun with it--and thanks!

      Delete
  7. You already know I find this super impressive! And I love the choice of kohlrabi in it because I always want crunch in my vegetable sushi!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laura,
      I like a nice crunch in my sushi, too. While I could happily eat unagi hand rolls if I had to pick only one sushi for the rest of my life, I'd probably want to add a bit of something for crunch.
      Thanks!

      Delete
  8. I want to lay in the brown grass and soak up the sun too.

    These are beautifu, fancy pants even, and I like how fish doesn't even make an apperance. I'll have to give them a try sometime.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Meghan,
      Me, making something fancy pants? Oy!
      I enjoy living in Ohio but I don't trust the raw fish here, so it's either cooked fish or no fish for me if I'm making sushi at home.
      Thanks!

      Delete
  9. I can not wait to try this! I never know what to do with the kohlrabi we receive!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pam,
      I understand completely. I'm glad to have ideas for you!
      Thanks!

      Delete