Rolls V GF
Roasted Poblano and Avocado Rolls V GF
Tofu and Avocado Caterpillar Rolls V
Honeydew Melon and Cucumber Dragon Rolls V GF
Mango, Avocado and Kimchi Rolls V GF
Eggplant, Mushroom and Red Bell Pepper Rolls V GF*
Sesame Strawberry Rhubarb Rolls V
Peanut Carrot Rolls V GF*
Kaleidoscope Rice Paper Rolls V GF
“Dynamite” Tofu Rolls V GF
Hand Rolls
How to Make Sushi Hand Rolls
Daikon and Kimchi Hand Rolls V GF
Pickled Green Tomato Hand Rolls V GF
Pickled Radish Hand Rolls V GF
Vegetarian BLT Rolls V
Soba Hand Rolls V GF*
Japanese Omelette Hand Rolls GF*
Tempura Avocado Hand Rolls V
Natto and Scallion Hand Rolls V GF
Desserts & Drinks
Almond Crème Brownies
Chilled Sake with Vegetable-Flavored Salts V GF
Fruit-Filled Mochi Balls V
Iced Green Tea V GF
Green Tea Ice Cream GF
Fruit Tartlets
Pomegranate Ginger Fizzy V GF
Sake Salty Dog V GF
Panko Fruit Crisp
Index
Acknowledgment
(V = Vegan; GF = Gluten Free; V* denotes recipes that can be made vegan if vegan mayonnaise is substituted for regular mayonnaise; GF* denotes recipes that can be made gluten free if tamari is substituted for soy sauce)
Try This at Home!
Foreword by Justin Fox Burks and Amy Lawrence
So there we were, tucked away in a dark corner of a Japanese restaurant one night in Memphis. We were out of our depth.
First, we stumbled over the pronunciation of “edamame.” Then, we ate the entire bowl of soybeans—pods and all. After searching in vain for discarded pods, our server kindly set us straight. We had much to learn.
Strangely enough for Southern vegetarians, sushi is a significant part of our diet. We grew up around Memphis and stayed in the area for college. Sushi dates were an escape from cafeteria food. It became a tradition for both special occasions and bad-day pick-me-ups.
In time, we moved out of the shadows and sidled up to the sushi bar, where we could watch the chefs assemble their beautiful works of art. We asked questions—lots of them.
Our intense enthusiasm led us to find our favorites and develop preferences. We picked up the terminology, and could soon say the words with confidence (and a big Southern accent). But sushi was still only for special occasions.
One Valentine’s Day about twelve years ago, we worked up the courage to try to make vegetarian sushi at home. Some light research plus the foggy recollections of interrogating long-suffering sushi chefs years ago led us to cautiously believe that we were up to the task. After all, we were no slouches in the kitchen!
We remember the excitement of that trip to the Asian grocery to pick up all the tools and ingredients we needed to make our very first vegetarian sushi rolls. We arrived home with the items, laid everything out on the counter, and got to work.
Trepidation built as we started the sushi rice, sliced vegetables and decided which ingredients we wanted to pair together. But all of the anxiety melted away when our first roll stayed together and looked just about right. It may not have been perfect—or all that pretty—but this first tentative bloom of success was the next thrilling step in our lifelong sushi journey. The first bite tasted like victory.
These days, sushi is missing the rarity and mystery it had when we first tried it. We still enlist sushi to celebrate life’s high points, but now we also have it for lunch on a Saturday or dinner on a Tuesday. And it’s the perfect thing to make when you have guests coming over.
If they don’t know any better, diners may come to the conclusion that sushi consists solely of a piece of raw fish and a little rice, The reality is that sushi is infinitely adaptable to a vegetarian diet. We love to add unexpected seasonal elements like pickled okra, sweet potatoes, and corn, as well as other local ingredients.
Vegetarian Sushi Secrets is truly a gift—it places a lifetime of sushi knowledge into your hands. It’s not about what’s missing; it’s about tapping into a vast array of fruits and vegetables, pairing favorite flavors, and finding new combinations that will delight your senses. It’s also about adding a healthy focus to our diets. It will open your mind and expand your palate. Use it as a road map for your next special meal.
Justin Fox Burks and Amy Lawrence
authors of The Southern Vegetarian and
The Chubby Vegetarian blog
A Passion for Sushi
Foreword by Allison Day
Sushi has been a part of my life as long as I can remember. My family’s New Year’s Day tradition involved driving to the local Japanese restaurant to pick up a big order of sushi. For many years, this was the entire extent of my sushi experience.
Later, I started to slowly branch out with my sushi eating. The man I would go on to marry came up with the idea that I should start a food blog—all about sushi.
Because I was a college student on a budget, a restaurant review blog was out of the question. I decided to first teach my readers how to make sushi, and then come up with all sorts of creative recipes for sushi. It was through this mutual passion for less traditional takes on sushi that Marisa and I found each other several years ago.
With all this sushi making at home, it wasn’t long before I took over my family’s New Year’s sushi duty, making dozens of different rolls every New Year’s morning. Sushi became my go-to contribution to potlucks, which led to experimentation in meat- and fish-free rolls for my vegetarian friends. I’ve added tempura-fried and grilled
