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Japanese Hand Rolls with Vegan Fried Chicken
While I would love to learn the art of creating sushi rolls that look like beautiful works of art, perfectly and tightly wrapped and topped with sliced avocado that looks like satin draped over a perfectly made bed. I’m just not there yet in my journey of sushi making (or bed making actually).
There is a type of roll I had eaten in an amazing veggie restaurant in Shanghai. It was not as meticulously created like a sushi roll. It was a bit messy, yet delicious (like me amirite?). It had many textures and flavors, hidden underneath one another. The salty crispness of the seaweed mixed with the comforting rice. I wondered what this was and found out it’s called temaka sushi or hand roll. It’s easy to prep, and if you’re eating at home you can set up all of the ingredients like a taco bar. Everyone fills it just the way their like it and rolls it themselves. My kids absolutely love it and have their own unique style (but both somehow end up getting rice everywhere).
I was feeling a bit burnt out on sandwiches, and decided to have a try at making a beach friendly food that both adults and kids would enjoy. I wanted a sort of mash up of Asian flavors and ingredients to make a new kind of sushi sandwich roll if you will. I was going for a fried chicken sort of deal, but the possibilities are endless. It’s a great way to use up remaining ingredients, and make sure you and the kids are stuffed to boot.
I sauced my fried tofu with a lil’ Louisiana style hot sauce, and it was amazing FYI.
PS-You can just mow down on that golden brown goodness sans any other ingredients and know I won’t judge!
If you like Mexican and Asian food mashups, then this is your jam!
Japanese Hand Rolls with Vegan Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 C uncooked rice (any will do)
- 1/2 C uncooked quinoa
- 2 tsp rice vinegar (sub with vinegar of your choice)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 block of extra firm tofu, pressed
- 3/4 C flour
- 1/4 C cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 10 seaweed wrapping sheets
- 1 avocado
Instructions
- Mix together rice and quinoa in your cooking pot, rice cooker is recommended but stovetop will work too. Rinse 3-4 times to remove starch and bitterness from the quinoa. Add water and cook rice. Once done, fluff with a fork, leave uncovered and remove from heat.
- While the rice is cooking, start to prepare the tofu. Slice the tofu into large chunks, about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. You don’t need to remove the extra moisture that remains as you will use this to help the coating stick. Set aside.
- While the rice is cooking, start to prepare the tofu. Slice the tofu into large chunks, about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. You don’t need to remove the extra moisture that remains as you will use this to help the coating stick. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan, enough to nearly cover the pieces of tofu. I like to use a small pan so I can use less oil for cooking. It will mean smaller batches and more time, so opt for a larger pan if you are strapped for time.
- Working in small batches, coat the pieces of tofu with the mixture, then add them to the hot oil. Once golden brown on one side, flip. It takes about 3 minutes on each side. Note that the coating will be more light and delicate than fried chicken as we will add the heaviness of the rice and quinoa later. We’re going for a light, flavorful crunch here.
- Once tofu chunks are golden brown, add to a wire rack that’s covered with paper towels to soak up extra oil and help them stay crispy.
- Going back to your rice, sprinkle the vinegar and sesame oil onto the rice and mix well.
- Cut your avocado in half, remove the seed and skin, then slice the avocado into thin slices, lengthwise.
- Using clean kitchen scissors, cut the pieces of seaweed sheets in half, width-wise. Then on a clean surface or cutting board, lay one piece of seaweed down, spoon about 3 tbs. of rice onto half of the seaweed. Then add a piece of fried tofu, then avocado. Working from the corner of the side with the rice, tofu, and avocado, begin to roll the sushi into a cone shape. It might take a few tries, but you will get there! No need to make it look perfect, just make it so when you eat it you don’t lose your delicious stuffings out of the bottom.
Notes
You can also skip the assembling step and just place the stuffings on the table along with the seaweed wrappers and let everyone have at it! If I’m staying home, I will do it this way. On beach day, I make them ahead and store them in a plastic container for everyone to grab throughout our stay.
Feel free to get creative with the stuffings and the sauces. The world is your roll!
Looking for some more tasty tofu recipes? Check these recipes out!
Easy and Delicious Shredded Tofu Shawarma
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