Preparation for Vegetables
Cut vegetables and other fillings into thin strips approximately 1cm wide and up to 20cms long (the length of the Sushi Express frame).
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Preparation for cooked vegetables
Par boil vegetables in salted water. Drain and squeeze out excess water.
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Seasoned Carrots
¾ cup water
1 tsp hondashi *
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
Wash and pare carrot. Cut into 20 cm strips approximately 1 cm wide. Bring water to a boil and add hondashi, soy sauce and sugar. Add carrot sticks and simmer for approximately 5 minutes until cooked, but firm. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Remove carrot sticks from broth immediately and cool on a plate before using as a filling for sushi rolls.
* hondashi – powdered soup stock which is available in asian supermarkets or the asian section of supermarkets. Ideal seasoning for all kinds of Japanese cooking.
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Shiitake (Dried) Mushrooms
Soak mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes. Remove stems and cut into 1 cm strips. Cook in broth referenced under Seasoned Carrots for approximately 10 minutes, remove immediately and set aside to cool.
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Spinach & Pine Nuts
150 g spinach leaves, blanched and well drained
½ tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp pine nuts (toasted)
To toast pine nuts, place in a dry frying pan and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly until golden brown.
Chop blanched spinach, mix with sesame oil and pine nuts, and use as filling for sushi rolls.
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Grilled Vegetables
Simply grill capsicum, field mushrooms, carrots, eggplant or pumpkin and cut into 1 cm strips.