If you’re a sushi lover, these rolls will blow your mind. I recently came across a couple interesting recipes (California and dragon rolls) that I tweaked and combined to create these delicious masterpieces. I used to have a hard time satisfying my sushi cravings with vegan alternatives, but that’s now a story of the past!
First, let’s talk about the California roll. To “veganize” this dish, I replace the imitation crab meat with crumbled tofu, and the regular mayo with a vegan one. Tofu has a similar texture to “krab” and has a pretty bland taste, perfect for this sushi filling. Anyway, the spicy mayo is mainly what gives California rolls their taste. I personally use Vegenaise to make it, but other brands of vegan mayonnaise (or even a homemade one) will work.
For the dragon rolls, Chinese eggplant is what replaces the eel. Once again, what gives eel its nice taste is the unagi sauce in which it marinates. Eggplant also does a fantastic job absorbing flavors, and once roasted, it becomes tender and ressembles the texture of fish.
In order to serve my sushi in a more aesthetic way, I like to create different rolls by simply interchanging the ingredients disposition. I fill a couple rolls with fresh veggies (cucumber, carrots and avocado) and the tofu mixture and garnish them with the eggplant, unagi sauce and crispy panko crumbs. I also fill a couple with tofu and veggies and top with a thin layer of avocado. Lastly, I fill others with eggplant slices and vegetables and simply garnish with a drizzle of spicy mayo.
Sushi may seem intimidating to make, but it’s actually easy once you get the hang of it. You just need the right equipment (a bamboo rolling mat and sharp knife will be your best friends) and the right technique. I recommend watching a few Youtube videos to familiarize yourself with the rolling method, especially if it’s your first time making sushi (see recipe notes for a great link).
I really hope you enjoy these rolls as much as I do! If you give this recipe a try, don’t forget to leave a comment down below. You can also share a photo of your creations on Instagram by tagging #thegreengalley. Have fun!
California & dragon sushi rolls
Equipment
- Bamboo sushi rolling mat
- Sharp knife
Ingredients
Sushi rice
- 2 cups uncooked sushi rice
- 3 cups water
- 5 tbsp sushi seasoning*
Spicy mayo & tofu filling
- 1/2 pack firm/extra-firm tofu
- 1/3 cup Vegenaise (or other vegan mayo)
- 2 tbsp sriracha (or more, to taste)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp lime juice (optional)
- A pinch of salt
Unagi sauce & roasted eggplant
- 1 Asian eggplant**
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp corn starch
- 1 tsp grated ginger or garlic (optional)
California-Dragon rolls
- 3 nori sheets, cut in half
- Cooked sushi rice (recipe above)
- Tofu filling (recipe above)
- Roasted eggplant slices (recipe above)
- 1-2 avocados
- 1 cucumber
- 1 carrot
- Spicy mayo & unagi sauce (recipe above)
- Sesame seeds optional
- Soy sauce, wasabi & pickled ginger, to serve optional
Instructions
Cooking the sushi rice
- Cook your sushi rice according to the instructions on the package. Once cooked, poor in the sushi seasoning. Using a wooden spoon, fold thoroughly to combine and coat each grain of rice with the mixture. Allow rice to cool to room temperature before using to make sushi.
Spicy mayo & tofu filling
- Drain water from tofu and press as much water out as possible. You can do so by wrapping paper towel around the tofu and placing a heavy skillet on top for about 20 minutes.
- Using your fingers, crumble the tofu into small pieces into a bowl.
- In a small separate bowl, combine the Vegenaise, sriracha, soy sauce, garlic powder, lime juice and salt. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Add about 3/4 of the mayo mixture to the crumbled tofu and mix until well combined. Keep the leftover sauce for later, to drizzle on top of the sushi rolls.
Unagi sauce & roasted eggplant
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sugar and corn starch to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Allow the sauce to lightly cook for about 4-5 minutes and remove from heat.
- Slice the eggplant on its length into ¼ inch thick slices, without using the ends. Arrange the slices on the baking sheet and lightly brush them with the unagi sauce.
- Bake the eggplant for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, flip the slices over, apply unagi sauce on the other side and return to the oven for about 10 minutes. The sauce should caramelize, but don't let it burn. When ready, take off from the oven.
Assembling the rolls
- Prepare the rolling station : Peel and seed your cucumber and slice it into long, thin strips. Do the same with the carrot. Cut your avocado in half and skin both halves. Slice one of them into very thin slices. These slices will be used for the top of the rolls. Skin and slice the other half in bigger slices to put in the center of the rolls.Wrap your bamboo rolling mat with plastic wrap and place on a clean surface. Fill a small bowl with water to wet your hands as you work with the sticky rice. Have all ingredients ready to start rolling.
- Spread the rice : Lay half a nori sheet on the mat, shiny side down. Dip your hands in the water, grab a small handful of sushi rice (about a baseball-size), and place it on the nori. Spread the rice across the nori using gentle pressure, making sure not to smash the rice grains. Once the nori is completely covered with rice, flip it over so the nori is now side up.Add the fillings : Place a line of tofu filling in the middle of the nori, followed by strips of cucumber, carrots and avocado (like mentioned in the post, you can play with the ingredients disposition to create different rolls.) Roll : Tuck your thumbs underneath the mat (the edge closest to you), and place your fingers on the opposite side of the ingredients. Begin to roll the mat towards your fingers while applying pressure. Make sure the rice rolls completely over the ingredients, tucking it under the filling. Continue to roll while pressing down with the mat. Tuck in each end of the roll to make sure that no ingredients are sticking out. Optional : While the roll is still on the mat, sprinkle sesame seeds around it. Roll the mat around the sushi roll to help the seeds stick. Put the roll aside and repeat this step until there's no more rice. Should make 5-6 rolls.
- Garnish : On some of the rolls, add a thin layer of avocado slices and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Drape the bamboo mat (uncovered from its plastic wrap) over the covered roll and gently press down to secure the avocado on top. On other rolls, use the slices of roasted eggplant as a garnish, and follow the same steps to secure it. You can leave some of the rolls naked, without any avocado or eggplant.
- Cut every roll into 8 pieces, wiping your knife with a damp towel in between cuts. Finish off with a drizzle of unagi sauce on top of the eggplant rolls and a sprinkling of crispy panko crumbs. On the avocado and/or naked rolls, drizzle some spicy mayo.Serve with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.
