Sushi – Jackfruit Roll

“This recipe came about one weekend when I was making California Rolls. I had extra sushi rice, so I went to my fridge hoping to do something creative. Luckily, when I went to the Asian market that week, they had slices of fresh jackfruit. Jackfruit is often used as a meat substitute in vegan recipes, so I thought it might go well in sushi. If you can’t find fresh jackfruit, mango would also do well in this recipe. I used Thai cuisine as my inspiration, trying to put together elements of sweet (jackfruit), spicy (spicy mayonnaise), salty (tobiko) and sour (finger lime caviar.) Some caveats here, if you want to make this truly vegetarian, you’ll want to leave off the tobiko. You are unlikely to find Australian finger limes outside someone’s backyard, but if you are lucky enough to have a tree or know someone that does, this is a very fun addition both in terms of color and giving the sushi a little splash of zing.” – April Ferre

Sushi – Jackfruit Roll

Course: Main Courses – Vegetarian
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

  • 1 Recipe Sushi Rice
  • 2 Tablespoons Water
  • 1 Teaspoon Rice Vinegar
  • 4 Sheets Nori (Seaweed)
  • Toasted Black & White Sesame Seeds
  • Fresh Jackfruit (Or Substitute Mango)
  • Red Bell Pepper
  • Avocado
  • Cucumber
  • 1 Recipe Spicy Mayonnaise
  • Australian Finger Lime “Caviar” Optional
  • Tobiko (Flying Fish Roe) Optional

Instructions

Ingredient Preparation:

  • Prepare Tezu by combing water and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Use this to dip your fingers to prevent rice from sticking to them.
  • Slice fresh jackfruit meat into 1/4-inch thick slices. If you can’t find fresh jackfruit, you can substitute mango.
  • Very thinly julienne the red bell pepper.
  • Peel and slice avocado into 1/4-inch thick slices. Squeeze lemon juice over avocado to prevent browning.
  • Peel and remove seeds from cucumber. Cut into 1/4-inch slices the length of your nori sheets.
  • Cut off top 1/3 of nori sheet and set aside for another use. Use the 2/3 sheet nori for the Jackfruit Roll.

Rolling the sushi:

  • Cover bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap. Lay a 2/3 nori sheet, shiny side down on the sushi mat.
  • Wet your fingers with Tezu and spread 3/4 cup sushi rice evenly onto nori sheet. Sprinkle rice with toasted sesame seeds.
  • Turn the nori sheet over so that the rice is facing down. Line the edge of the nori sheet at the bottom of the bamboo mat.
  • Jackfruit has a subtle, mild flavor, so place a generous amount of jackfruit along the bottom edge of the nori sheet. If using mango, you don't need to add quite as much.
  • Then add a comparatively small amount of red bell pepper. The bell pepper is a stronger flavor, so be careful not to add so much that it overwhelms the jackfruit.
  • Add avocado and cucumber.
  • Grab the bottom edge of the mat while keeping the filling in place with your fingers and roll it into a tight cylinder, tucking the fillings in firmly. Lift the edge of the mat slightly and roll forward will keeping gentle pressure on the mat.
  • Wrap the rolls in plastic wrap to keep them from drying out while you make the other rolls.
  • With a sharp knife, cut each roll into 8 pieces. Keep a single layer of plastic wrap over the rolls while you cut to get a cleaner slice. Also clean your knife after every couple of cuts.
  • Serve topped with spicy mayonnaise, finger lime caviar and tobiko.

Notes

Sushi is best eaten the same day as the rice gets hard in the refrigerator. If they must be kept in the refrigerator, keep covered in plastic wrap and then wrap in a kitchen towel.

2022 Recipe – April Ferre

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