[I MADE] VEGETARIAN SUSHI + DUMPLINGS

Country of origin: China + Japan (sort of)

Specifically speaking to Asian dumplings—as some variation of dumpling can be found in almost any culture, from Polish pierogis to Italian ravioli—Asian dumplings are known to have originated in China during the Han Dynasty by a man named Zhang Zhongjian. As legend has it:

"The [invention of Chinese dumplings] occurred when Zhang returned to his ancestral village during the winter, after a long absence. He noticed that many of his fellow citizens were suffering from frostbite, particularly around their ears. As a way to solve this problem, Zhang cooked up a batch of mutton, chili and healing herbs and wrapped them in scraps of dough. He folded the dumplings to look like little ears, boiled them and handed them out to his afflicted neighbors. Who knows if they cured frostbite, but the villagers loved the taste of Zhang’s creation so much that they kept making the dumplings long after spring began."

Sushi, while often credited as a staple of Japan, actually originated in southeast Asia. The earliest form of sushi is a dish today known as narezushi. In early variations of what has now become sushi, the fish was fermented to preserve it then wrapped in rice, and only the fermented fish was eaten with the rice being thrown out.

The Japanese preferred to eat the fish with their rice, and after many iterations of sticky rice recipes and the deliberate choice to eat the fish raw and fresh, eventually the modern day sushi roll was born in Japan. 

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Recipes sourced from Taste Buds Kitchen with modifications by Lauren Nolan.

VEGETARIAN SUSHI ROLLS

Servings: 4 sushi rolls, 6-8 pieces per roll

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups sushi rice
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup rice vinegar 
  • 2 tsp. vegetable oil
  • 2 Tbsp. white sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. salt
  • 2 Cucumbers, peeled and sliced into thin strips
  • 2 Carrots, peeled and sliced into thin strips
  • 2 Avocados, peeled and sliced into strips
  • 12 Nori sheets
  • 1 1/2 cups soy sauce
  • 1 cup pickled ginger
  • 4 tsp. wasabi
  • Sesame seeds, for optional garnish
  • Option to include imitation crab for vegetarians or real crab sticks or sushi grade fish for non-vegetarians  

Directions:

  1. Rinse rice with tap water in a strainer. Combine with water in a medium sauce pan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
  2. To make su to mix with rice: Combine rice vinegar, oil, sugar and salt. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Cut the su in to the cooked rice. Keep cutting and the rice will absorb it. 
  3. Wrap bamboo mat with saran wrap and lay a piece of nori across the mat, rough side of nori facing up. Pick up approximately a golf ball size ball of rice and flatten the rice across the nori leaving 1 inch at the top of seal.
  4. Make a small trough with your index finger in the middle of the rectangle of rice. Lay desired sushi fillings into the trough (carrots, cucumbers, crab or fish, etc;). 
  5. Roll up the sushi very slowly and tightly (see below for what happens when you speed through rolling your sushi vs. when you take your time). 
  6. Cut the roll into 6-8 pieces with a very sharp knife. Garnish with wasabi, pickled ginger and soy sauce. 
  7. Serve and savor! 

PRO TIPS:

  • Don't overstuff the sushi roll, it will make it more difficult to roll
  • If you prefer rice on the outside of your roll (like me) you can lay down the rice on the saran wrapped bamboo mat first, then lay the nori over top of the rice. To prevent sticking, sprinkle sesame seeds on the wrap before laying down the rice.
  • Adding spicy mayo is great for livening up the flavor, check out this recipe from Serious Eats if you want to create this tasty topper. 

VEGETARIAN DUMPLINGS

Servings: Yields approximately 30 dumplings

Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 4-5 ounces medium or hard tofu, crumbled
  • 3 ounces purple cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 carrot, peeled and grated
  • 1/4 cup pod-less edamame
  • 2 stalks scallion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
  • 30 3" wonton wrappers
  • 1 tsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

  1. Heat olive oil in pan on medium-low heat
  2. Add garlic and ginger to pan, heat for 30-45 seconds, then add tofu crumbles; let cook without stirring for two minutes to brown tofu on one side.
  3. Once browned, add cabbage and carrot and cook until tender, 2 minutes. Then add edamame, scallions, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar
  4. Cook until liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Pour eggs into hot pan, whisking until scrambled
  5. Place ½ tablespoon of filling onto a wonton wrapper. Then moisten half of the wrapper with water. Fold dumpling wrapper in half, folding over the filling ingredients. Seal the dry half onto the wet half, crimp to make dumpling pleats or seal flat.
  6. Cook according to preference: can be baked, steamed or fried.
    • To Steam: Line bamboo steamer with parchment. Place finished dumplings in bamboo steamers and set on top of a wide pan filled with about 2” of water; be sure the sides of the pan are not touching the bamboo. Steam 10 minutes, then brush dumplings with vegetable oil. Rotate steamers as top steamer cooks slower than bottom. Steam another 5-8 minutes to finish, until dumpling wrappers are translucent.
    • To Fry: Heat up a non-stick pan and drizzle 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil into the bottom. Place dumplings into hot pan and cook on all sides for 1-2 minutes each until golden brown.
    • To Bake (not recommended): Place finished dumplings on a parchment lined tray, brush with vegetable oil and cook in 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.
  7. Enjoy!

Not into the idea of cooking these at home? If you're in the NYC area head to Taste Buds Kitchen for their BYOB Sushi & Dumplings cooking class—a great date night with your significant other or a group of friends! 

Lauren NolanSushi Recipe, Vegetarian, Dumplings, Lauren Nolan, Food Blog, Recipe, Asian CuisineComment