Chirashi Sushi: A vegetarian delight

There is a common stereotype about vegetarians that we are a bunch of preachy, health-food nut ascetics who put nutrition, environmental or ethical concerns above pleasure. Well, I can’t speak for anyone else but that’s not how I roll! To me (assuming survival isn’t an issue), food is primarily about pleasure. I’ve been a vegetarian for 27 years, and food is basically my full time obsession. On any given day, you are likely to find me driving 20 miles out of my way to check out a Korean grocery, eating at the swankiest restaurant in town or the most obscure taco truck, reading Modernist Cuisine cover-to-cover or staying up late at night to test a new way of smoking onions to make great refried beans.

I don’t believe in trying to convince anyone else to go vegetarian; I’m not at all sure it is for everybody anyhow. I just know that it is the right choice for me. And I know that many people would like to eat fewer meat-centered meals. So my goal in life is to make sure that if you choose to eat a vegetarian dinner even one day a week, it is beautiful, delicious and hearty.

My whole family loves sushi, but rolling it at home isn’t particularly practical. It might be fun to do as a project on the weekend, but it isn’t a weeknight supper. When I first learned about chirashi sushi, I knew I had a winner. Chirashi means “scattered”; you make sushi rice, and while it is cooking you prepare a few cooked and raw toppings that are simply placed atop the rice. Not only is chirashi sushi quick to prepare, but it is ideal for families with young children or picky eaters, because each diner can choose just the ingredients that appeal to them.

Don’t be intimidated by the list of toppings below. This is a fairly elaborate version, but you can absolutely simplify it. You could make this with nothing but avocado and fried tofu, and it would still be delicious. Feel free to substitute others that fit into the Japanese palette. Pickled daikon, sweet omelet (tamago), a few tempura green beans, or asparagus would all be very welcome. You can also have a stack of quartered nori sheets on hand for anyone that wants to make a rough-and-ready hand roll – or as my kids call it – a “sushi burrito”.

Chirashi Sushi
Vegan, Gluten-free
Serves 4
45 minutes

My strategy is to get the rice cooking and then simply make as many toppings as I have time for. Feel free to substitute others that fit into the Japanese palette. Pickled daikon, sweet omelet (tamago), a few tempura green beans, or asparagus would all be very welcome. I love to serve this dish when kids will be at the table because they can choose just the toppings that appeal to them.

For the sushi rice

• 2 cups Japanese rice
• 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt

For the cooked toppings

• 1 medium or 2 small Japanese eggplants
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup water
• Kosher salt
• 1 cup beech mushrooms or other small button mushroom
• 8 shiitake mushroom caps
• 1 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into eight 1 1/2 x 3 x 1/2-inch pieces

To serve the sushi

• 1 cucumber
• 1 tablespon rice vinegar
• Kosher salt
• 1 handful kaiware radish sprouts
• 4 shiso leaves
• Half a ripe avocado, thinly sliced
• Pickled ginger
• 2 teaspoons umeboshi plum paste (or 4 pickled umeboshi plums, pitted and mashed)
• Wasabi paste

 Directions

1. For the sushi rice: Cook the rice using a rice cooker or according to package directions. Whisk together the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.
2. When the rice is done, turn it out into a large, shallow wooden bowl (such as a salad bowl) and sprinkle on the vinegar mixture. With one hand, fan the rice with a magazine or something similar; at the same time, with your other hand, gently cut and fold the rice with a paddle. Do not stir the rice or it will become mushy. Keep cutting and fanning until the liquid is absorbed and the rice has nearly cooled down to room temperature, about 5 minutes.
3. For the cooked toppings: Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. If using medium eggplant, cut it again in half lengthwise. Score the skin side of each eggplant in a fine diamond pattern, making cuts about 1/4 inch apart.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the eggplant, flesh side down, and cook until starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook for 2 minutes. Add water; cover the pan and continue cooking until thoroughly tender, about 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove the eggplant and season with salt.
5. Wipe out the skillet, add 1 tablespoon of the oil, and increase the heat to high. Stir-fry the beech mushrooms for 1 minute, then transfer them to a plate with a slotted spoon. Repeat with the shiitake mushrooms caps (adding a bit more oil if needed), cooking for about 2 minutes.
6. Return the skillet to high heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, and cook the tofu in a single layer until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove and season with salt.
7. To serve: Peel the cucumber, then use the peeler to shave it into long, thin sheets, avoiding the seeds. Toss the cucumber with the rice vinegar and a pinch of salt.
8. Divide the sushi rice among four bowls. Carefully arrange portions of the eggplant, beech mushrooms, shiitakes, cucumber, sprouts, shiso, avocado, ginger, and plum paste around the rice. Finish with the wasabi, making sure that it’s visible so that it isn’t eaten accidentally all at once.

Read more from Michael on his blog Herbivoracious, and be sure to connect with him on Twitter and Facebook.  This month KLC is giving away a copy of his book on the KLC Facebook page, don’t forget to enter to win a copy.  And because he is just that fabulous,  you can buy a signed copy here (after all, who wouldn’t love a singed copy for Christmas?).