Ani's Raw Food Essentials - Ani Phyo [76]
MAKI WITH MARINATED SPINACH AND “PEANUT” SAUCE
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Spinach is marinated and softened, then rolled up inside maki with a peanuty sauce inspired by Thai spices.
4 cups spinach, well washed
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 nori sheets
1 recipe Sushi “Rice” (page 242)
1 recipe “Peanut” Sauce (page 259)
1 cup seeded red bell pepper, sliced into long, thin strips
(about ½ whole pepper)
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
Toss the spinach with the olive oil, and set aside for 5 minutes to soften.
Lay a sheet of nori 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. Spread one-quarter of the “Peanut” Sauce evenly over the rice; it will help hold the rice bits together once rolled. Layer on one-quarter of the marinated spinach, then one-quarter of the red bell pepper strips and cilantro along the bottom edge. Roll up tightly. Repeat with the remaining nori sheets and fillings. (See Rolling the Perfect Maki, page 254.)
Enjoy whole or slice into four to six pieces with a dry, sharp knife.
Imaginative Nori Maki Making
THE PRECEDING recipes are just a few of my favorites. You’ll want to experiment with your own combinations to re-create some classic rolls or to invent your own. Here’s a basic maki cheat sheet:
For four rolls:
4 nori sheets
1 recipe Sushi “Rice” (page 242), or sprouted quinoa
2 cups of your favorite fillings
I like a combination of crunchy-crisp with soft and savory, for complex textures and flavors inside each roll. Sushi “rice” is softer and quinoa is crunchier. I like to use them both, depending on the texture I’m craving.
Try using some of the recipes from the wraps and burger chapters as fillings; the mock tuna salad/salmon burger pâté (page 195), undehydrated, can be the base for a spicy tunalike roll; or try marinated mushrooms and barbecue sauce to invent a new breed of unagi. Add spicy Jalapeño-Lime Kream (page 134). The options are unlimited!
Here are some additional tips for tasty maki:
■ Use a thick sauce, cheeze, or avocado with the Sushi “Rice,” to help keep the rice bits bound together.
■ Create a moisture barrier by first placing a dry leaf (such as a whole romaine leaf, half a stemmed collard leaf, or ½ cup shredded romaine lettuce) along the bottom edge of the nori sheet. Then put the rice and toppings on top of the leaf. This will keep the nori from getting moist too quickly.
■ Choose a combination of both soft and crunchy fillings, such as mango and macadamia nuts, or avocado and cucumber, to create a complex range of textures and colors inside your roll.
■ Cut the fillings into skinny strips, rather than thick pieces. It’s easier to roll up when using thinner pieces.
“PEANUT” SAUCE
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
A rich sauce inspired by Thai peanut sauce but made with almond butter (since raw peanuts don’t taste very good) and whisked with lime juice, garlic, and Nama Shoyu. Use in your maki, wraps, on noodles, and as a dressing.
½ cup almond butter
¼ cup lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Nama Shoyu or Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ to 2/3 cup filtered water, as needed
Whisk all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl, slowly adding only enough water to create a thick sauce.
MARINATED SHIITAKE MUSHROOM ROLL
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Shiitake mushrooms have a rich, earthy flavor that lends itself well to Asian cuisine. They are softened and marinated in Nama Shoyu and sesame oil for a sautéed consistency. I like to use toasted sesame oil for the rich flavor.
2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon Nama Shoyu or Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 tablespoon toasted or raw sesame oil
2 cups spinach, well washed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 nori sheets
1 recipe Sushi “Rice” (page 242)
1 ripe avocado, pitted, halved, and sliced thinly
1 carrot, peeled and sliced into long, thin strips
Place the mushrooms in a bowl with the Nama Shoyu and sesame oil, and set aside for at least 20 minutes to marinate.