Ani's Raw Food Essentials - Ani Phyo [75]
Place a sheet of nori on a dry surface, such as a cutting board. Along the bottom third of the nori sheet, spread about 1/3 cup of Sushi “Rice” evenly. Press the rice down gently. Arrange one-quarter of the avocado slices evenly on top of the rice; it will help hold the rice bits together once rolled. Across the entire bottom edge of nori, place one-quarter of the cucumber, then the kale chips.
To make your maki, start with the edge closest to you. Lift the nori edge up and around the fillings, and roll tightly away from you. Repeat with the remaining nori sheets and fillings. See Rolling the Perfect Maki, page 254.
Enjoy whole, or slice each roll into four to six pieces with a dry, sharp knife. Eat immediately before the nori sheets get dampened by the ingredients.
SERVING SUGGESTION: Enjoy with Soy-Vinegar Dipping Sauce (page 239), or with Nama Shoyu and wasabi.
Rolling the Perfect Maki
NORI IS THE dried dark seaweed laver that’s pressed into a flat sheet and used to roll rice and fillings into Japanese maki, or rolls. It contains almost 50 percent balanced protein; that’s more than sunflower seeds or lentils. It’s rich in iodine, iron, zinc, and calcium. Nori has high levels of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, A, C, and E, the “beauty vitamins,” for building collagen and skin cells and is a low-fat food. Nori sheets are typically toasted, so you want to look for nori labeled “raw,” which can be found at most natural food stores and online. Stored in a cool, dry place, dried seaweed will keep for several years in an airtight container.
Many people use a rolling mat made from strips of bamboo, to help make tight rolls; however, a rolling mat isn’t necessary. I prefer just using my hands.
Start by placing nori sheet, shiny side down, on your rolling mat or on a dry surface, such as a cutting board or countertop. Some nori is thinner than others. Sometimes I double up thinner sheets for rolling.
Next, place your fillings all the way across the bottom edge of the nori. That’s the edge that’s closest to you. Typically, you want to put down the driest fillings first, to create a moisture barrier so your nori won’t get soggy too quickly.
Starting at the edge closest to you, use your hands or the sushi mat to roll the nori to enclose the fillings as you roll upward toward the top edge of the sheet. Roll as tightly as you can, without squeezing the fillings out the sides.
Once your maki is completely rolled up, dab a little water along the top edge of the nori sheet, using your finger, and seal the roll closed.
You can enjoy as a handheld whole maki, or use a dry, very sharp knife to slice into four to six pieces.
Love Seaweed
SEA VEGETABLES provide a high level (38 to 50 percent) of complete protein and vitamin B12. The chemical makeup of sea vegetables is similar to human blood, so they have a balancing, alkalizing effect on our blood. Seaweeds are known to reduce cholesterol, remove metallic and radioactive elements from the body, and prevent goiter. Seaweed also has antibiotic properties, which is why I like to use strips of nori instead of a Band-Aid on cuts.
MANGO-MACADAMIA NUT MAKI
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
The mango in this roll creates the fleshy texture, and the rich macadamia nuts add a soft crunch.
4 nori sheets
1 recipe Sushi “Rice” (page 242)
1 ripe mango, seeded, peeled, and sliced into thin strips
1 ripe avocado, pitted and sliced into thin strips
½ cup halved macadamia nuts
Lay a nori sheet on a dry surface, such as a cutting board. Along the entire bottom edge (the edge closest to you) spread about 1/3 cup of Sushi “Rice” evenly. Press down gently. Arrange one-quarter of the avocado evenly on top of the rice; it will help hold the rice bits together once rolled.
Across the entire bottom edge of the nori, place one-quarter of the mango and macadamia nuts, and roll up. Repeat with the remaining nori sheets and fillings. (See Rolling the Perfect Maki, page 254.)
SERVING SUGGESTION: Enjoy with Soy-Vinegar Dipping Sauce (page 239), or with Nama Shoyu and wasabi.