Sweet Potato Nori Rolls
These nori rolls are surprisingly not that difficult make and they’re a fun meal to make with kids. Allowing them to create their own fillings is also a great way of getting them interested in different vegetables. If feeding a baby, you can simply set aside some of the rice and veggies, then mash or puree. Toddlers can enjoy as is. For adults, the avocado wasabi mayo is optional but highly recommended!
INGREDIENTS:
Sushi Rice:
300g (1 1/2 cups) brown rice
560ml (2 1/4 cups)) water
3 Tbs rice wine vinegar
6 nori sheets
soy sauce, to serve
pickled ginger, to serve
Fillings:
1 large sweet potato, cut lengthways into 5mm thick matchsticks
2 Tbs sesame oil
2 Tbs sesame seeds
100g haloumi, cut into 3mm thick slices
2 cucumbers cut lengthways into 5mm thick matchsticks
1 carrot, cut lengthways into 5mm thick matchsticks
3 spring onions
Avocado Wasabi Mayo
1 avocado, peeled and deseeded
2 Tbs yoghurt
juice of 1 lime
1 spring onion
2 Tbs fresh coriander leaves
1-2 tsp wasabi paste (or to taste)
sea salt to taste
Pickled ginger and soy sauce to serve
METHOD:
Place the brown rice in a bowl, cover with cold water and swirl it around with your hands until the water is cloudy, then drain. Repeat this process until the water is clean and be sure to save the water and use it for your plants! Then place the rice and 560ml water in a saucepan and let it soak for a couple of hours.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius and line a baking tray with baking paper.
When you’re ready to cook the rice, cover the saucepan and bring it to the boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the rice for 15 to 20 minutes. When all the liquid is absorbed, take the rice off the heat and leave it to steam, lid on, for another 10 minutes or so. While the rice is still warm, gently fold in the rice wine vinegar and stir it occasionally while it cools. It will be a little sticky.
While the rice is cooking, place the sweet potato on the prepared tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of oil, sprinkle with sesame seeds and roast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Then remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, heat the other tablespoon of oil in a medium sized pan and fry the haloumi on each side for about 3 minutes until golden brown and then set aside.
For the mayo, combine all of the ingredients (except the wasabi) in a food processor and blitz until smooth, or into a bowl and whisk with a stick blender for about a minute or so. Now add the wasabi half a teaspoon at a time until you get the heat you like and season with salt.
Now the fun part- lets get rolling! Place a little bowl of water nearby as you’ll need it to both seal the rolls and wet your fingers since the rice is sticky. Place a nori sheet on a sushi rolling mat and pat an even layer of rice over the nori, leaving about 5cm uncovered along the top edge. Arrange a line of your your sweet potato, haloumi and cucumber about 2cm away from the bottom edge of the nori and drizzle with wasabi mayo. Do the same for your other fillings. I like to have my veggies sticking out over the nori as it looks gorgeous when arranged on a platter.
Now pick up the edge of the rolling mat that’s closest to you, fold it over the vegetables and roll to make a cylinder. With wet fingertips, brush the bare edge of the nori and seal. Gently squeeze the roll to the mat to compact it tightly. Repeat with the remaining nori sheets and fillings. Let rolls rest for a few minutes and then cut each roll in half or into 4 to 6 pieces.
Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger and smugness!