Raw Parsnip Sushi Rolls, Two Ways

You saw the writing on the wall. With my love of wraps, it was only a matter of time before I made sushi rolls.

It took me a few tries, but I finally found not one, but two recipes that I really like.

Am I the only one who scopes out a bunch of recipes for a particular dish and then can’t decide what to make? Should I go with option A or option B? Sometimes, I decide to hedge my bets and make multiple options. That’s how I ended up with 2 versions of my chocolate black bean cookies and oodles of combinations for my savoury flax-hemp crackers. Half a recipe for you and half a recipe for you… which means the bonus of 2 recipes for me!

This explains why my recipe says it serves 1. I boiled down each sushi roll to fit one parsnip with its seasonings.  The fillings could easily be doubled, tripled or quadrupled, but please, please, please don’t assemble these babies too far in advance. The nori sheet will become limp and soggy…and no fun.

To be fair, my first venture at a nori wrap was from Color Me Vegan with an orange-cashew cream sauce. I have become spoiled because that cashew sauce was nothing compared to my previous Zesty Cashew Orange Spread. The rolls seemed a tad lacking, especially since there wasn’t anything that reminded me of a standard sushi roll.

Having really enjoyed the parsnip in Raw Thai Pineapple Parsnip Rice, I knew that this was the way to approach raw sushi. Then I had to decide- nut butter-version from Gena or miso-version from Lauren? I have had some really heavy sushi rolls at raw restos because they make the rice from nuts, so I was excited to try the lighter miso version. I was torn, though, because I was still drawn to Gena’s recipe since the butter seemed to accentuate the parsnip rice. So, I made both and glad I did because they were both different yet equally delightful.

The miso version was light and flavorful and worked well with the multitude of veggies. It reminded me of my citrus-spiked sushi rice bowl with the miso twist. I am not sure the oil was completely necessary so I may remove it next time. The tahini version was heavier but incredibly flavourful from the tahini and the touch of toasted sesame oil. They were both filling as a light lunch.

If you haven’t yet made raw sushi, don’t be shy. You certainly don’t need a special sushi rolling mat. Just a great filling. It is what is inside that counts, and I’ve got you covered. Twice. Two hugs, as Rob would put it.

This is my submission to this month’s Pantry Party for quick foods.

Raw Parsnip Sushi Rolls, Two Ways

Tahini-Version

1 parsnip, peeled and roughly chopped
1.5 tsp tahini (or your favourite nut butter)
3/4 tsp Bragg’s, tamari or nama shoyu
1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp rice vinegar
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Miso-Version

1 parsnip, peeled and roughly chopped
3/4 tsp Bragg’s, tamari or nama shoyu
3/4 tsp neutral oil (optional)
1.5 tsp rice vinegar
3/4 tsp miso

1/4 red pepper, sliced longitudinally
1/8 cucumber, sliced longitudinally
1/4 avocado, sliced – best with miso-version
1/2 cup sprouts (I used arugula sprouts)

1 nori sheet

1. Pick one version- place parsnip in a food processor and process until it’s quite broken down, but not quite “rice” sized in texture yet.

2. Add remaining ingredients for that version, and then pulse until the mixture is chopped smaller and resembles rice.

3. Place a sheet of nori on a flat surface like a cutting board. If your nori sheet is too dry, wet it a bit. Cover the bottom 2/3rds with parsnip rice.

4. Line your filler veggies towards the closest 1/3 of the roll. Make sure they reach both ends. Add tahini or miso in a thin strip at the edge of the roll furthest away from you (this is to help it stick).

5. Roll the wrap fairly tightly, sealing the ends together.

6. Use a sharp serrated  knife to slice the rolls into even pieces.

7. To serve, consider serving with wasabi, pickled ginger and more soy sauce.

Serves 1 as a snack. (Can easily be increased)