Quinoa sushi is a product of the recent Latin-Asia fusion craze among chefs. Quinoa is a high protein Andean grain with a delicious nutty flavor. Quinoa works well for sushi rolls - it holds together nicely and has a great texture and flavor. This sushi roll is mostly vegetables - sweet potatoes, caramelized onions, and green beans - with some creamy aji amarillo sauce for a little kick.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: Sushi for 4, about 24 pieces
Ingredients:
- 2 cups quinoa
- 4 cups water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 sweet potato
- 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1 white or yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup green beans
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 cup aji amarillo sauce (see recipe here)
- 4-6 sheets of nori (dried seaweed)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Preparation:
- Mix 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons salt until sugar and salt dissolve.
- Place the quinoa in a pot and add about 4 cups of salted water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer until quinoa is transluscent and you can see little "tails" on the grains. Drain quinoa, then stir vinegar mixture into hot quinoa, tossing to mix. Set aside.
- Peel sweet potato and cut into rectangles about 2 1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch thick. Bring 1 1/2 cups water, soy sauce, and remaining rice vinegar to boil. Cook sweet potatoes until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove sweet potatoes, and add green beans to boiling water. Cook until crisp tender, then drain.
- Slice onion into thin pieces. In a small skillet heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook slowly until brown, fragrant and caramelized. Set aside.
- Place nori on top of a bamboo sushi rolling mat. Spread a tablespoon of aji sauce over the nori. Spread a rectangle layer of cooked quinoa over sauce, pressing down with fingers for even thickness, and leaving a 1/2 margin all around. (see How to Roll Sushi).
- Line up a few pieces of sweet potato lengthwise in the middle of the rectangle of quinoa. Add several green beans, and some of the caramelized onion. Cut cream cheese into thin rectangles and add cream cheese to vegetables. Roll sushi tightly, then cut crosswise into bite size pieces, using a very sharp knife. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Note: Quinoa, sweet potatoes, green beans, and onions can all be cooked ahead of time and refrigerated for 1-2 days until ready to prepare sushi.
