Foxtail Millet Veg. Sushi Rolls - Fusion style

 

          Japanese Cuisine is full of surprises and are basically simple and healthy. So, give a twist to the original Maki Sushi Rolls by substituting rice with millet. So these healthy and guilt free sushi rolls are diabetic friendly. 

          These Maki Sushi Rolls are prepared with Foxtail millet. However, you can go in for any other variety of your choice. Very few ingredients goes into making this comfort meal. They can also be relished for breakfast, as appetizers, snacks or main course with tomato sauce. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of these yummy Foxtail Millet Veggie Sushi Rolls. 

          In this recipe, Cooked and mashed millet sushi rice, nori sheets and few julienne veggies are the main ingredients. Apart, from the veggies I have used, you can also add any other variety too, like, capsicum, bell peppers, sautéed paneer, spring onion, coriander & mint leaves, etc. 

          Seaweed is widely used by the Japanese and the Chinese as well. It contains a lot of minerals, nutrients, iodine, calcium, is low in calories and helps in purifying the blood. So it is highly recommended for a well balanced diet. You can make various dishes with it. 

          

• 1/2 cup Foxtail millet, soaked for 3-4 hours
• 3 nori sheets
• 1 cup mixed veggies or as required, cut into long strips (cucumber, carrot, beetroot, lettuce leaves)
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
• pinch of pepper powder
• pinch of red chili flakes
• 2 tbsp. tomato sauce or as required

          Cook the millet as you normally do. Keep it aside to cool down slightly. Then  mash well and keep aside. 

          In a small bowl, mix together the mashed millet, lime juice, salt, pepper powder and red chili flakes. 

          Take a sushi (bamboo) mat and place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands and spread a handful of the cooked & mashed millet over the nori sheet. 

          Then add some tomato sauce, followed by few of the sliced veggies. 

          Now with the help of the sushi mat, roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

          Once done, transfer to a chopping board and cut them into equal size portions with a sharp knife. Keep cleaning the knife with a damp cloth each time you slice the rolled sushi. 

          Serve immediately with tomato sauce as an appetizer or main course. 

In a small bowl, mix together the mashed millet, lime juice, salt, pepper powder & red chili flakes. 

Take a sushi mat & place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands & spread a handful of the cooked & mashed millet over the nori sheet. Then add some tomato sauce, 

                   followed by few of the sliced veggies. 

Now with the help of the sushi mat, roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

Transfer to a chopping board & cut them into equal size portions with a sharp knife. Keep cleaning the knife with a damp cloth each time you slice the rolled sushi. 

Serve immediately with tomato sauce as an appetizer or main course. 

Veg. Maki Sushi Rolls - Japanese style

 

          Japanese Cuisine is full of surprises and are basically simple and healthy. So check out these yummy and visually appealing Japanese Maki Sushi Rolls. Kids will enjoy if they are involved in making them. In fact, it is a best way to serve fussy kids with their favorite dips. They can be packed in their lunch box with their favorite stuffing. They will be a sure hit with them.

          These Maki Sushi Rolls are made with Sushi rice. Very few ingredients goes into making them. They can also be relished as appetizers, snacks or main course with soya sauce. For a change, I sprinkled some red chili flakes and pepper powder over the boiled rice. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of these yummy Veggie Maki Sushi Rolls. 

            

          Cooked sushi rice which is sticky and seaweeds are the two main ingredients in this recipe. However, in the absence of the former, I used Egyptian rice. They came out perfect. 

          Seaweed is widely used by the Japanese and the Chinese as well. It contains a lot of minerals, nutrients, iodine, calcium, is low in calories and helps in purifying the blood. So it is highly recommended for a well balanced diet. You can make various dishes with it. 

          

• 1 cup Sushi / Egyptian rice
• 1 & 1/4 cup water
• 3 nori sheets
• mixed veggies (capsicum, spring onion, cucumber, carrot, red & yellow bell pepper), juliennes
• 2 tbsp. vinegar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• mayonnaise as required
• tomato sauce as required
• pinch of pepper powder
• pinch of red chili flakes
• soya sauce to serve

          Wash the soaked rice 3-4 times or until the water comes out clean. Then soak in fresh water for 30 minutes. Drain well and keep aside.

          In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the drained rice and simmer, covered on a low flame for 12-15 minutes. Set aside and let it sit covered for 10 minutes. 

          In a small bowl, mix together the vinegar, sugar and salt. Add this mixture to the cooked rice and combine well. Keep it covered. 

          Take a sushi (bamboo) mat and place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands and spread a handful of the cooked rice over the nori sheet. 

          Sprinkle some red chili flakes / pepper powder over it. Then add some mayonnaise / tomato sauce place, followed by some of the stuffing.

          Now with the help of the sushi mat roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

          Once done, transfer to a chopping board and cut them into equal size portions by cleaning the knife with a damp cloth each time you slice the rolled sushi. 

          Serve immediately with soya sauce and tomato sauce as an appetizer or main course. 

Mixed veggies (capsicum, spring onion, cucumber, carrot, red & yellow bell pepper), juliennes.

Wash the soaked rice 3-4 times or until the water comes out clean. Then soak in fresh water for 30 minutes. Drain well & keep aside. In a small bowl, mix together vinegar, sugar & salt. Add this mixture to the cooked rice & combine well. Keep it covered. 

Take a sushi (bamboo) mat & place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands & spread a handful of the cooked rice over the nori sheet. Sprinkle some red chili flakes over it. Then add some mayonnaise,

                     followed by some of the stuffing.

Now with the help of the sushi mat, roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

Take a sushi (bamboo) mat & place a nori sheet on it with the glossy side down. Now wet your hands & spread a handful of the cooked rice over the nori sheet. Sprinkle some pepper powder over it. Then add some tomato sauce,

                    followed by some of the stuffing.

With the help of the sushi mat, roll the nori sheet by gently pressing it as you go. 

Transfer to a chopping board & cut them into equal size portions by cleaning the knife with a damp cloth each time you slice the rolled sushi. 

Serve immediately with soya sauce & tomato sauce as an appetizer or main course. 

Spinach Egg Sushi

          All Egg lovers, treat yourself to some easy-to-make exotic omelette sushi made with some spinach puree. Add any stuffing of your choice and enjoy these delightful small bites as breakfast or snacks. Choice is yours. Healthy and nutritious, they are a wholesome treat. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2 eggs
• 1-2 tbsp. spinach puree
• 1-2 potatoes, boiled & mashed
• 1 tsp. oil
• salt to taste
• pinch of pepper powder
• 1/4 tsp. chaat masala 
• oil to grease the pan
• handful of thinly sliced veggies (carrots, spring onion, red & yellow bell pepper, lettuce)
• few cloves
• 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds 

          Whisk the eggs, spinach puree with a pinch of salt and pepper powder. Keep aside. Heat 1 tsp. oil and sauté the potatoes, salt and pepper to taste till dry. keep aside to cool.

          Brush a nonstick pan and pour the egg-spinach mix to make an omelette. When done, transfer to a serving plate and allow it to cool down a little.

          Now spread a thin layer of the potato. Then arrange all the sliced veggies lengthwise. Gently roll it over tightly and fasten with some cloves.

          Alternately you can wrap around a cling film and refrigerate for a couple of minutes. 

          Then slice them in 1" pieces and garnish with sesame seeds. Serve them as snacks along with sauce.

                  Handful of thinly sliced veggies (carrots, spring onion, red & yellow bell 
                  pepper, lettuce).

                     Brush a nonstick pan & pour egg-spinach mix to make an omelette. 
                     Transfer to a serving plate and allow it to cool down a little.

                                 Now spread a thin layer of the potato. 

                                 Arrange all the sliced veggies lengthwise. 

                    Gently roll it over tightly & fasten with some cloves. Refrigerate for a 
                    couple of minutes. Then slice them in 1" pieces. 

                         Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve them as snacks along with sauce.

Japanese Nigiri Sushi with Indian Flavours (Indo - Japanese Fusion Style)

          Here are some Japanese Nigiri Sushi with Indian flavours. You can mix and match and make these amazing small bites. Kids will enjoy if they are involved in making them. They can be relished as appetizers, main course or as a lunch box meal too with some green chutney as an accompaniment a la Indian style. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

          I came across few cute sushi moulds and thought to give it a try. I must confess that I truly enjoyed making them and they turned out quite delicious. 

          In this version of mine, I made use of fried chicken, prawns, eggplants, sausages, boiled egg, coloured bell peppers, tomato and coriander leaves. 

          In case of non-availability of such moulds, it can also be done with your hands, just like koftas and then follow the same method. 

• 3/4 cup raw rice, soaked for an hour (I used Basmati Rice)
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup each of coloured bell peppers, sliced
• 1/2 cup prawns
• 1/2 cup chicken slices
• 1-2 sausages, sliced
• 1 boiled egg. sliced
• 1 long eggplant, sliced
• few coriander leaves
• spring onion (green part) as required
• 1/2 tomato, sliced
• 1/4 cup green chutney
• 1/4 cup sweet tomato chutney
• 1/2 tsp. chaat masala
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 2 tbsp. oil

          Pressure cook the rice in 2 cups water for 10 minutes on a low flame after the first whistle. Open the lid only after 1/2 an hour. Mash well. Add sesame oil and salt. Mix and keep aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and sauté the eggplants, prawns, chicken and sausages separately. (Add more oil at this stage if required). Drain and keep aside.

          To assemble - In a greased sushi mould first line up with some rice. Then add the chutneys. Top it up with any of the sushi fillings according to your preference. Sprinkle some chaat masala and red chili powder.

          Cover it with more of rice. All the time keep dipping your fingers in the water while working with the rice. Place any topping of your choice - either prawns, sausage, chicken, eggs, etc. as the last layer.

          Close the lid of the mould and press tightly. Gently demould it and transfer to a serving dish. Serve as appetizers or main course with either green chutney or sweet chutney.

          Alternately in the absence of the Sushi moulds, it can be done with your hands. Take a small ball of rice and shape like a rectangular or oblong shaped koftas. 

          Press it tightly with your fingers, apply some chutney over it and place any topping over it. Securely tie it with a spring onion and serve with green chutney / sweet chutney a la Indian style.

                                  To the mashed rice, add salt & sesame oil & mix well.

                                  All the required ingredients.

                                  Chop / slice the veggies.

                                  Heat oil & sauté prawns, chicken, sausages & eggplants.

                                  The Nigiri Sushi mould.

                                  Layer the rice first.

                                  Spread some green and sweet chutney.

                                  Place veggies as shown or any topping of your choice.

                                  Add another layer of rice.

                   Top it up with sausages, prawns, chicken, eggs, eggplants or any topping of 
                   your choice.

                                  Put the lid on & press tightly.

                         Demould them & arrange on a serving plate. This is my first batch.

                                  For the second batch - follow the same method.

                                  My second batch of Nigiri Sushi.

                                  Sushi made with the fore fingers.

                                  Relish them with some green chutney a la Indian style.