Simple, vegetarian, low FODMAP sushi rolls for one. The kind of food that makes you smile and leaves you with a very happy belly.
Nourishing and filling, I find that sushi is great to make when you’re after something wholesome and easy on the stomach, but that you know is going to fill you up and keep you energised for longer.
I think a lot of people thinking making your own sushi is time consuming – I too had drifted back into this way of thinking – until my sister came back from university for Easter and started whipping it up left, right and centre. It turns out that it’s not hard to make at all, it’s actually foolproof. All you need is some gorgeous sticky rice, a sheet or two of nori, some thinly sliced raw veggies and a little white wine vinegar, sugar and salt. If you’ve never made your own sushi before I promise it’s easier that it looks – I lost my bamboo rolling mat at university and haven’t used one since. If you want you can use cling film to help you keep everything together when making the roll – but if you haven’t got any of that lying around either don’t panic, just keep your hands dampened with some water and give it a go solo. And anyway if it does all go downhill you can just say you were making one of those ‘deconstructed sushi bowls’… and nobody will be any the wiser.
Sushi might be my all-time favourite food. And I’m aware I probably say that about a lot of foods. But this time I really mean it. When I lived in Toronto I had three sushi places located within five minutes walk of my flat. And you could get so much fresh sushi beautifully made in front you of at an inexpensive price. It was heaven. Fresh sushi isn’t as readily available in the UK however – most big supermarkets have been selling it for a while, but I’m gradually finding more and more are putting wheat in their recipes to bulk the fillings out, make it cheaper to produce and including high fructose ingredients, garlic and onion in the recipe.
To serve, I used Tamari as a dipping source to keep it gluten-free, chopped up some fresh coriander and included a side of pickled ginger. Ok that’s a lie, I ate the ginger in one go before anything else because it’s so good, but the thought was there. Next time round, I’m going to try Emma’s incredible homemade pickled ginger recipe over at My Darling Lemon Thyme – it looks too good.
- 90g white or brown rice, or sushi rice if you can
- 240ml water
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 or 2 organic sheets nori
- Chopped veggies (carrot, pepper, cucumber)
- 2 tsp soy sauce or gluten-free Tamari
- 3/4 stalks fresh coriander
- 2 tbsp pickled ginger
- Rinse rice in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear, then add to a medium saucepan with 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Once it begins to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until water is completely absorbed – about 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, add vinegar, sugar and salt to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar and salt are dissolved. Place in a jar or dish and cool in the fridge until the rice is ready.
- Once the rice is done, grab your cooled vinegar mixture and stir in with a rubber spatula or fork (careful to not overmix). It should be sticky but completely dry once it’s ready.
- Lay your nori sheet on a flat surface before cutting your raw veggies into thin slices.
- Spread a thin layer of rice over the nori, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the top.
- Lay the sliced veggies over the top in layers covering about 1/4 of the rice, parallel to the edge of the nori sheet (horizontally).
- Dampen your fingers with water and with a steady hand, take the edge with the veggies and roll over onto the nori sheet, continuing this rolling action until you reach the other end.
- Wet your index finger with water and touch along the far edge of the nori sheet until damp, then press the wet edge onto the rest of the roll to complete.
- Lightly dampen your hands with water again and run alongside the whole nori roll (this makes it easier to cut).
- Slice with a sharp knife and set aside before serving immediately with Tamari and ginger.
Are you a fan of making your own sushi? Or know of any other good low FODMAP fillings? Let me know in the comments below!
