Test Kitchen: Brown Rice Sushi Bowls

This week in the Sargent Choice Test Kitchen we prepared vegetarian brown rice sushi bowls that almost looked too beautiful to eat! Rich in fresh vegetables, these veggie sushi bowls are perfect as is or even topped with salmon, tuna, or tofu.

What we loved:

  • Karen purchased a brown rice medley including brown rice, barley, and radish seeds. This substitute for brown rice turned out to be delicious and was highly recommended by the crowd
  • The fresh, colorful vegetables!
  • The green peas we added to the recipe

Other recommendations:

  • If using regular soy sauce, omit the added salt
  • Add or omit the siracha based on your preference for spice
  • Omit the mayonnaise or use a substitute if vegan
  • The recipe contains edamame which contains protein but feel free to add tofu, tempeh, salmon, or tuna for additional protein.

The nutrition:

  • Phytochemicals and fiber from the fresh vegetables: edamame, carrots, cucumber
  • Protein from the edamame
  • Whole grains and fiber from the rice
  • Iodine from the dried nori
  • Vitamin A from carrots
  • Healthy fats and potassium from the avocado

The Recipe:

Brown Rice Sushi Bowls
Recipe modified from Cookie and Kate   Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Rice and Seasonings:
2 cups brown short-grain rice
1 8×8 inch sheet dried nori
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt

Spicy Mayo sauce:
⅓ cup mayonnaise
1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha or chili-garlic sauce, to taste

Everything else:
2 cups frozen edamame
2 large carrots, sliced into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
1 avocado, sliced into long strips
1 small cucumber
* optional garnishes: black sesame seeds, pickled ginger

Directions:

  1. Cook the rice according to package directions.
  2. To prepare the rice seasoning: Ina a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and slat. Warm the mixture, stirring often, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and toss with rice once it’s done steaming.
  3. To toast the nori: In a large skillet over medium-low heat, warm the sheet of nori until it becomes crisp enough to crumble easily, flipping halfway, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and tear it into quarters. Crumble each piece into very small pieces in yur hands over the rice and drop it into the pot. Stir the nori into the rice and set the rice aside to cool.
  4. To cook the edamame: bring a pot of water to boil, then add the frozen edamame and simmer just until the beans are warmed through, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  5. To prepare the spicy mayo sauce, whisk together the mayonnaise and sriracha in a small bowl until well blended. Add more sriracha if you’d like a spicier sauce.
  6. To prepare the cucumber, slice it in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and discard them. Then slice the halves into 2-inch long pieces and slice them into matchsticks.
  7. Divide the rice between four bowls. Top with edamame, carrots, avocado and cucumber. Drizzle chili-mayo sauce on top, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with pickled ginger on the side. Drizzle chili-mayo sauce on top, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with pickled ginger on the side.