Sushi Bowl Recipe
June 5, 2008 | by Heidi | Filed under Heidi's Favorites, Main Course Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes
Super Natural Cooking, Page 156
I'm packing my bags and hopping a plane to New York City for what should be a jam-packed, exciting weekend. Super Natural Cooking is nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award(!) - a great excuse for me to trade coasts and cram as much food, friends, frolicking, and photography as humanly possibly into seventy-two fleeting Big Apple hours. It's a big weekend for my little book, so I thought I'd post one last recipe from SNC for you to enjoy - the Sushi Bowl. Looking back at the recipes I included in SNC, this is one that has remained a personal favorite of mine (top five for sure), and from what many of you have told me - it's now a favorite for many of you as well. Simply stated, we are talking about a de-constructed sushi roll - brown rice, tofu, avocado, toasted nori and green onions served with a tangy, sweet citrus-soy dressing.
NYC notes: I'm not going to organize any sort of book-signing this time around, but I think I'm going to try to visit the Union Square Farmers' Market on Saturday morning (6/7) - around 9ish? If you happen to see me please say hi. Or if you have a book you'd like me to sign, I'd be happy to. I'll bring a pen :)
Sushi Bowl Recipe
I've included the instructions for cooking brown rice here, but when I'm pinched for time I just grab for frozen, pre-cooked brown rice (freeze it yourself, or look for it in the freezer section at Whole Foods).
2 cups short-grain brown rice
3 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
2 (4-inch) square sheets nori seaweed
6 ounces extra-firm tofugrated zest and juice of one orange
grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons (raw) brown sugar (reg. sugar is ok too)
2 tablespoons shoyu sauce (or soy sauce)
2 tablespoons (brown) rice vinegar4 green onions, chopped
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
Rinse and drain the rice two or three times. Combine the rice, water, and salt in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, cover, and simmer gently until the water is absorbed, about 45 minutes.
Toast the nori in a preheated 300F degree oven or a medium-hot skillet for a few minutes. Crumble or chop coarsely.
Drain the tofu and pat it dry. Cut the block of tofu lengthwise through the middle to make four 1/4-to 1/2-inch thick sheets of tofu. Two at a time, cook in a dry skillet or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high for a few minutes until browned on one side. Flip gently, then continue cooking for another minute or so, until the tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy. Let cool, enough to handle, then cute crosswise into matchsticks (see photo). Repeat with the remaining sheets.
To make the dressing, set the sheets aside. Combine the orange juice lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 1 or 2 minute, the add the shoyu and vinegar. Return to a gentle boil and cook another 1 or 2 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the zests.
When the rice is done, stir in 1/3 cup of the dressing and add more to taste. Scoop the rice into individual bowls and top with the toasted nori, green onions, tofu, avocado slices, and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
Makes 4-6 servings.
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Your Comments
Looks delicious. This is definitely one to try. Best of luck with the Beard nomination!
Congratulations Heidi! How exciting :)
i've enjoyed this one from your cookbook! also love the general idea for an easy meal with whatever I've got in the fridge. summertime is NOT my favorite time for cooking up a big storm in the kitchen :-)
http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com/2008/06/lazy-summer-full-fridge.html
Congratulations—so happy to hear such good news...even better when you're announced a winner (though you're already a winner in our eyes).
Safe trip...have fun!
Ooh, Union Square Farmer's Market. Be sure to stop by and see Tim Stark of Eckerton Farm and his tomato people. And of course congratulations on the nomination -- very cool, and very much deserved!
I am so excited to try this. Thanks for the new and different recipe.
Oh yum! This looks delicious. Can't wait to try it.
Congrats, Heidi!
I have a Trader Joe's brown rice and seaweed precooked rice bowl sitting in my cabinet waiting to be jazzed up into a meal; this sounds perfect, and I've already got the first couple steps done. Thank you! Can't wait to try it.
Glad to hear about the nomination! Good luck!!
We've made the sushi bowl several times and every time it is outstanding. You would think the avocado would steal the show, but everything rounds out well. I love the flavor of toasting the nori.
Heidi, such great news, that is so exciting! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and I hope you win!! I love all your recipes!!
Congratulations! it's a great book.
We've been making this recipe regularly ever since SNC came out -- everyone in my family loves it!
Congrats on the nomination and happy NYC eating!
this is like chirasizushi. I've made a similar version of this and it's an excellent thing to know of. Thanks for the reminder.
It makes me think of 'summer risotto.'
This is my personal fave from the book. Well, this and the mesquite flour cookies...yum!
Congrats on the nomination and enjoy the time in NYC!
Lovely Sushi Bowl recipe!!
Have a FABULOUS trip to NYC, my favorite city in the world :0)
Congratulations on the nomination - how amazing!! The recipe looks delicious - as usual. Plus I'm a sucker with anything featuring a gorgeous avocado like that. If only they were in beautiful abundance in Chicago... :)
I make your sushi bowl all the time, its lovely!
Congrats and ... Have fun in NYC.
Congrats & enjoy NY! One question - did you really mean "when the ICE is done"? ;>)
Heidi, I love your site and even though I don't often cook I look forward to your entries. And I have all the respect in the world for vegetarians. But sushi has fish in it. Californians seem to be trying to hijack the word. But fish is one of 2 essential ingredients of sushi. I'm taking a stand!
Hi Heidi!
I've been busy and haven't stopped by in a while, but I've loved a lot of your most recent recipes and am looking for a chance to try them. This one looks especially great...we are going through a sushi phase right now, so I may have to try this, although I think my carnivorous boyfriend will demand the addition of fish. I do like th idea of tofu since I'm not a tofu lover but think I would enjoy it in this dish. Have a great NY trip!
Is it possible to post the nutritional content here? Fat, calories, carbs, etc..?
Sounds yummy!
Good luck in New York City Heidi ! I just moved away and miss it and the food options.
Congratulations and best of luck with the Beard award- that's huge! I just love, love your book and your e-mail updates. And, well, I can't begin to explain this, but I can't count how many times I've fixed lunch or dinner, and... the very next e-mail update I get from you is eerily similar...
SNC has been nominated for a James Beard Foundation Award?! OMG - This is SOOO exciting! Of course we've all known you're the cream of the crop, but it's wonderful you're getting the prestigious attention you so deserve. Bravo!
Congratulations Heidi!!! We just love your book(s), and they have helped to convert a serious meatloving husband into a more than occasional vegetarian!!! Good Luck in the Big Apple!
Heidi, I've tried cooking tofu in a dry skillet before and it just sticks to the pan and gets burnt. Do you have a trick (i.e. a certain temp in the pan before adding the tofu) or do I lack the touch? I usually pan fry mine in my wok with some sesame oil.
Btw, thank you for all the wonderful vegan recipes. I've made a whole vegan dinner party for friends using your posts.
Congratulations and Goodluck Heidi!
Yours was one of the first food blogs I discovered when I first tackled this foreign art called "cooking."
Thanks so much for showing how easy it is to put together good, healthy meals.
I'm glad I discovered your blog.
Heidi:
Yay! Great news! I love your book--and the sushi bowl is one of my favorites. Yum. Have a great time in NYC. Rock the town!
Lisa
congrats on the nomination - that's amazing! have a great time in NYC!
Love, love, love this recipe. Mmm.
Have a ball in NYC!
Welcome to NYC! make sure to grab a meal at Caravan of Dreams in the east village while you're here. AMAZING vegetarian restaurant. Usually with some live jazz too... East 5th street between 1st Avenue and Avenue A (closer to 1st). Enjoy your visit and be prepared, it's supposed to be a HOT weekend here and rain on Sunday!
Congrats on the nomination! That is such exciting news.
This sushi bowl sounds incredible, I can't wait to try it. Thanks for helping me venture out to incorporate more tofu into my meals!
congrats! this recipe is so up my alley, it looks delicious and I've never been known be be able to resist avocado mmm mmm mmm
one question, is short grain brown rice the regular brown rice you see everywhere or do I have to look for it specifically?
Auguri!
I haven't gotten to the sushi bowl yet, but I'm happy as can be working my way through SNC--so far everything I've made from it has become a new favorite.
Congratulations Heidi! Wishing you best of luck.
Congratulations and welcome to NYC!
Regarding the Union Square market, you’ll notice that it moved to the south/west side of the square, it’s a little less convenient but still fun.
Be sure to visit Keith’s Farm stand, it’s suppose to be now on the south side of the market (across Whole Foods). They have great organic produce and Keith is a very interesting person, he usually has his book for sale at the stand:
“It’s a LONG ROAD to a TOMATO
Tales of an Organic Farmer
Who Quit the Big City
for the (Not So) Simple Life”
Highly recommended!
I would love you to sign my copy of your book but I don’t think I’ll make it on Sat 9am…
Hi Heidi - the sushi bowl is one of our *favorite* recipes from SNC -- it's so delicious!! We've been having it as a cool supper dish lately, as the weather is warming up. Congrats on the award nomination -- it's certainly well-deserved! I just ADORE your book. --Amy
Congratulations and good luck! And thank you for another great recipe!
Kate
This looks delicious, I'll just replace the shoyu with some gluten-free tamari and I'm certain I will have a delicious GF meal!
Thanks for sharing and congrats on your nomination.
amber :)
Congrats on your nomination!
If you get a chance, definitely hit "Prune" in the east village. GREAT GREAT brunch place after the farmer's market. Get there by 10 to get a seat and, not sure if you're into them, but their homemade bloody mary's are amazing, and beautiful. Will post a photo shortly on eatboutique.com.
Also - when are you coming to Boston? :)
This is one of my favorite dishes from your book. Thanks for reminding me about it, I'll be making it again soon.
Good luck with the book. I just made the Soba noodles last night and they were fabu. If you need any ideas for places to eat PLEASE give me shout. I have a list of places I would love to share.
This is just great, Heidi! The minute I got your book I knew it was worthy of this kind of award. Congrats on the nomination!
Heidi
Congratulations are definitely in order. While not practicing a vegetarian lifestyle, I do enjoy many of your superb recipes. I always feel SO healthy after visiting your page...LOL
Best of luck........Mark
Congratulations! Have fun.
Wow!!! How exciting!!!!
I feel blessed to have found your blog and that I am "in the know" about you and your awesome food.
Have a blast.
this is a good idea...too lazy for sushi, but not for this tasty dish. I have some brown rice waiting for me, now I know what to do about it. Thanks!
Congratulations! I'm fairly new to reading your blog, and I don't have your book, but based on this recipe, I can see why the nomination!
Congratulations! I am so looking forward to making this recipe! I've been enjoying your blog for a few weeks now, and I truly love making your recipes.
Thanks so much!
Congratulations! Your book and your blog are extra-ordinary and inspiring. Blessings.
you deserve the award! congratulations. have a fun trip!
Dear Heidi,
That is fantastic! Congratulation on your book nomination. I am an admirer of this blog and all your work. Wishing you the best of luck and enjoy your time in New York this weekend.
Congratulations and yay for you. Have fun in NYC!
I just made this recipe out of your book last week. Though I've made similar bowls in the past, the dressing really cranked this dish over the top-- really great! Thanks for posting all of these great recipes and ideas. Have fun on your trip!
Congratulations , Heidi! And thanks so much for showing me a whole new world of cooking!! All the best
You should so win...
I just made this, and it was absolutely delicious! Just like sushi but much easier to make. thanks heidi, and congrats on the nomination!
We'll have to rename this recipe
California Roll Bowl
Doesn't have the same ring as Sushi Bowl
congratulations!!!! you really deserve it....
This looks wonderful, as usual!
Best of luck with the James Beard Award, Heide - what an amazing honor!
This looks wonderful, as usual!
Best of luck with the James Beard Award, Heidi - what an amazing honor!
Congratulations, I hope you win and I can't wait to make this. It sounds like the perfect summer dish to take to work!
Fabulous!
I know your book is a winner, I'd be lost without it! Thank you for publishing it.
I just turned 50 and have only recently adopted the all-natural lifestyle.
Better late than never, I suppose.
Your book put me on the path.
When I was younger, I couldn't comprehend people who ate this way. "Why don't you eat junk food like NORMAL people?" lol
But as knowledge increases, wisdom kicks in.
All the best!
Saw something like this at http://recipes.epicureforum.com/recipes/sushi-bowl/7788.html and it looks amazing.
This one looks especially great...
How coincidental -- Heidi comes to NYC and goes to the Farmer's Market this weekend, and next weekend, I go to Cali to hit the San Francisco market.
Hope I run into you at Union Square, Heidi! Maybe I'll bring the chocolate-curry pudding recipe for signing if you're willing.. my friends looove it.