Homemade Hand Rolls for the Sushi Impaired
 
 
Author:
Ingredients
  • Rice - brown or white
  • Shrimp (can sub crab or krab - but check ingredients on imitation crab)
  • Sriracha hot chili sauce (yes, they have it at regular grocery stores! I have read that the standard "rooster" brand is gluten-free as confirmed by the company)
  • Mayo, regular or vegan (I use Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise)
  • Green onions, diced (optional)
  • Nori sheets (these are your seaweed wraps - most grocery stores have these too, but they are really cheap online)
  • Avocado slices
  • Wheat-free tamari (for gluten-free) or soy sauce
Instructions
Rice:
  1. I love brown rice, but the husband loves white, so I compromise sometimes. To make the best sushi rice, make the rice fresh, and while it is still hot, add in rice vinegar (I use a couple teaspoons per cup of rice) and gently stir the rice for about a minute, it will start to get sticky. See here for an official sushi rice recipe (they often add sugar and salt, but I'm too lazy and also think, why add more salt and sugar? Okay, it is a little bit better done that way, but back to the lazy excuse). Do not try to just reheat leftover rice for this, it will not work. But, you have two options if you want to use leftover rice (which is what I used in these hand rolls). First, add just a wee bit of water to the rice (to dampen), cover, and microwave it for about a minute, just to re-steam it a bit. You can use it as is at this point (it won't be sticky, but it will be rejuvinated), or do like I do and add a little of the mayo to it to help it stay together.
Shrimp:
  1. I heated it in a pan over medium heat (non-stick pan, so just a wee bit of coconut oil to cook) and cook it for just a few minutes per side (you want it just cooked through and still crisp-tender). Allow the shrimp to cool for a few minutes, dice it, and toss it in a bowl. Add the sriracha and mayo to taste. I literally squirt in the hot sauce, add just enough mayo for the sauciness I want, and taste test, adding more hot sauce if desired. If you have green onions, stir those in now.
Hand Rolls:
  1. Now, you can make long rolls, but hand rolls are a good quick cheat, especially if your rice isn't as sticky as you would like it. Cut some nori sheets in half, and lay each one out on the clean counter or cutting board. With wet fingers (I keep a little bowl of water right by), press the rice out onto the left side of the nori sheets (covering only about ⅓ of the sheet - you will only use a couple tablespoons or so of rice per hand roll). Top with 1 avocado slice in a diagonal manner (top of the slice pointing to the top left of the nori sheet). Top with some of the shrimp mixture (if you get overzealous, you may overstuff, so go light at first).
  2. Now starting with the lower left corner, roll the handroll, pressing firmly to make sure it is all in there. Getting the nori to stick to itself at the end of the roll doesn't always happen for me. I wet the seaweed a bit to help the cohesiveness, but I'm eating it, not trying to win styling awards, so I'm never a perfectionist.
  3. Serve with tamari or soy sauce.
Notes
Vegan Options: Sub the shrimp with veggies (cucumber, carrots, etc.) or tempeh for a little meatiness.
Recipe by Go Dairy Free at https://www.godairyfree.org/news/nutrition-headlines/homemade-hand-rolls-for-the-sushi-impaired