Asparagus Sushi Roll (AAC Sushi Roll + Step-by-step PHOTOS!)
Flavorful asparagus sushi roll with avocado and cucumber, resulting in the yummiest AAC roll! It tastes better than restaurant ones, and it's healthy too!
Ingredients
For the Sushi Rice
- ½ cup brown rice (see notes below)
- ½ cup sushi rice (see notes below)
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1.5 Tablespoons sesame seeds
And the Fillings!
- 8-12 stalks asparagus
- salt and pepper to season the asparagus
- 1 small avocado
- ¼ English cucumber seeds removed
- 4 nori sheets
- soy sauce for serving (see notes below)
Instructions
Prepare the Sushi Rice + Veggies:
- Cook the rice in a rice cooker or on the stovetop according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Mix well until the sugar and salt are dissolved. If they are not fully dissolved, microwave in 15-second increments.
- As you wait for the rice to cook, prepare the asparagus by removing the woody stems. You can simply bend the asparagus until it snaps to determine how much to cut off (see pictures above). Also cut the vegetables into strips now.
- Transfer the cooked rice to a baking dish, a large bowl, or a wooden hangiri (if available). Gradually add the vinegar seasoning mixture to the rice while gently folding and mixing with a rice paddle or silicone spatula. Be careful not to mash the rice. Continue folding until the rice is well-coated.
- Allow the seasoned rice to cool to room temperature. You can also use a fan to make this step faster.
Grill your Asparagus:
- As you wait for the rice to cool, grill your asparagus. Start by adding the vegetable oil to a frying pan of a grill pan. Then add the asparagus, seasoning them with salt and pepper. Let them char on medium heat until you get those nice brown spots, for about 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Note: If you don't want to grill, you can also bake them in the oven at 425°F (220°C) for 12 minutes.
Time to Roll!
- First up, add the sesame seeds to the rice and fold the rice again to mix them.
- Lay one sheet of nori (shiny side down) on the bamboo mat. Then use the rice paddle/spatula to spread the rice evenly over the nori. You want it to cover a little less than half of the sheet (please see picture above), leaving a bit of space at the bottom of the nori.
- Make sure to also fill in the left and right sides of the nori so that both ends of your sushi will hold up. I just use my other hand to help the rice to stay on top of the nori, preventing it from going off the nori sheet.
- Arrange avocado slices, cucumber strips, and asparagus stalks horizontally across the center of the rice-covered nori sheet.Feel free to let the asparagus stick out on the left and right sides. They will give that restaurant-vibes to your asparagus!
- Using the bamboo mat, lift the edge closest to you with your thumbs while holding the fillings in place with your fingers. Roll the bamboo mat away from you, tightly wrapping the fillings in the nori and rice. Imagine you're giving your sushi a gentle massage to pack the ingredients in!
- Once the roll is complete, dampen the top edge of the nori sheet with a bit of water to seal the roll. I just wet my fingers with some water and brush them across.
- Then use the bamboo mat again to roll the sushi so it seals nicely.
Serve the Sushi
- Using a sharp, damp knife, slice the sushi roll in the middle into two. Then repeat with each halves until you get 8 pieces per roll. Wipe the knife clean with a damp cloth between cuts to ensure clean slices.
- Arrange your sliced Asparagus Sushi Rolls on a plate and serve with soy sauce!
Notes
Ingredients Notes
- Feel free to sub the brown rice + sushi rice with just brown sushi rice. You can also use just regular white sushi rice. I just prefer brown rice since it's more nutritious.
- Do NOT sub the rice with just regular brown rice. They won't stick together.
- Serve with the good old soy sauce, or this Easy Dynamite Sauce for the most flavor!
- Tips and substitutions are fully explained in the blog post itself so do have a look! There are also step-by-step pictures above to help you make sushi successfully for the first time!