Inside Out Asparagus and Shitake Sushi Roll

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup diced cauliflower.
• 1 1/2 cup diced parsnip.
• 1/3 cup macadamia nuts.
• 1/3 cup psyllium husk.
• 1/3 cup water.
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil.
• 3 tablespoons umeboshi vinegar.
• 1/4 teaspoon salt.

• 1 bunch green or white asparagus, washed.
• 1 tablespoon olive oil.
• 6 medium shitake mushrooms, cut into strips.
• 1/2 red chilli, finely chopped.
• 1 teaspoon black or white sesame seeds.
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil.
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced lengthways.
• 1 handful snow pea shoots.
• 1-2 avocados, sliced into 8 wedges per avocado.
• 4 sheets of nori.
• sea salt, to taste.
• tamari or coconut aminos, to serve.

Directions

For the rice:

1. Mix psyllium and water together and let sit for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, pulse the cauliflower, parsnip macadamias and salt in a food processor until the texture of couscous, place the mixture in a nut milk bag and squeeze out some of the moisture. Place in a bowl and fluff with a fork fold through the sesame oil and vinegar.

3. Rub the psyllium and water mixture into rice with your fingers (similar to how you would rub butter into flour for a scone mixture) until the mixture is nice and sticky and holds together well.

To prepare the fillings

4. To prepare the asparagus - hold each stalk about half way down its length and also at the thick end with your other hand - then bend it until it snaps. (The head of asparagus stalk is the tender tasty part - the thicker end the asparagus it can be very fibrous and difficult to eat that’s why we remove it) Coat the asparagus in the olive oil and a pinch of salt, dehydrator for 30-40 mins at 46 degrees C until slightly tender. Alternatively, place in the oven and bake on 180 degrees celcius until cooked through.

5. Put the shitake in a bowl with the chilli and sesame oil and coat well. Place on a dehydrator sheet and dehydrator for 30-40 mins at 46 degrees C or in the oven at 160 degrees celcius until they soften.

Assemble:

6. Take a sushi mat and place it down with the slats running horizontally to you. Place a nori sheet shiny-side down on the mat. Use wet hands to spread one-quarter of rice evenly over nori sheet. Sprinkle sesame seeds evenly over rice. Cover with a large piece of plastic wrap.

7. Gently turn the rice, nori & plastic over so the nori faces up - place the plastic side own on the bamboo mat. Layer ¼ of the spring onion, snowpeas, snowpea shoots, asparagus, marinated shitake and wedges of avocado on the nori – positioning them approx 1/3 of the way in from the end facing you.

8. Now, grabbing the bottom edge of the sushi mat with your thumbs and simultaneously pushing the sushi filling in with your fingers, start rolling it up away from you. (After you’ve enclosed the sushi vegetables and clamp down on the roll slightly to firm it up a bit so the shape holds) Continue rolling, firming up the shape of it as you go until you have completed the rolling and its holding firmly. Remove the nori from the mat and plastic wrap.

9. Cut the roll into 6 pieces – clean the knife in-between with a damp cloth. Repeat with remaining nori sheets and vegetable filling. You can reuse the plastic sheet. Serve with a side of tamari or coconut aminos.

Note