Best Brown Rice Quinoa Sushi Rolls Recipes

BROWN RICE AND QUINOA SUSHI ROLLS

Steps:

• Rinse and drain brown rice and bring to a boil in a saucepan with water and a pinch of sea salt. Reduce heat to low, cover pan, and simmer rice for 30 minutes. Rice will not be dry.
• Meanwhile, stir rice vinegar, cider vinegar, mirin, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt in a bowl until sugar and salt have dissolved. Set the vinegar mixture aside.
• Stir quinoa into rice and cooking liquid, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low again; simmer until rice and quinoa are both tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15 more minutes. Transfer rice and quinoa into a large bowl and gently mix the vinegar mixture into the rice, spreading the grains out a little as you mix to help dry and cool the rice and quinoa. Let rice mixture cool until warm, about 10 minutes of stirring and fanning.
• Place a nori sheet onto a sushi mat. With wet fingers, lightly press about 1/4 the rice mixture onto the nori sheet in an even layer, leaving about 1/2-inch uncovered at the top of the sheet. Place about 1/4 the shredded carrot, cucumber strips, and avocado slices in a line across the bottom of the rice.
• Pick up the edge of the bamboo rolling sheet, fold the bottom edge of the sheet up, enclosing the filling, and tightly roll the sushi into a thick cylinder. Once the sushi is rolled, wrap it in the mat and gently squeeze to compact it tightly. Unwrap the roll and cut into 6 pieces to serve; repeat with remaining ingredients to make 4 rolls.

BROWN RICE & QUINOA SUSHI ROLLS

Steps:

• Rinse and drain your short grain brown rice. Add the rice to a medium size saucepan along with the dash of salt and 2 1/3 cups water. (Yes, that too much water for the rice, but you'll add the quinoa to it as well later on). Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover the pan. Set your timer for 30 minutes.
• While the rice cooks you can mix up the vinegar(s), mirin, sugar and salt. I like to heat this up so that the sugar and salt fully dissolve. Set aside.
• Also while the rice cooks you can cut up your filling (grate the carrot, slice up the cucumber and avacado). Set aside.
• At the 30 minute mark, add in the quinoa and give it a quick stir. You may have to bring it back up to a boil to maintain the heat, then reduce back down to low and cover again. Set your timer for 15 more minutes. At the end of the 15 minutes both the rice and the quinoa should be tender and nicely cooked.
• Remove your rice mixture from the pan. You can turn it into a large mixing bowl, or even onto a cookie sheet. Spread it out so that it cools more quickly. Mix in the vinegar mixture, carefully folding it into the rice. I like to use a rice paddle (flat sort of spoon), fanning it out as you go to help the rice cool off. Adjust the seasoning if need be, adding more vinegar if you like. (I wouldn't add more salt because you generally serve with soy sauce).
• After about 10 minutes the rice should have cooled off quite a bit and be ready to work with. (You could prepare this far in advance, remembering it's best to work with the rice at room temperature).
• Cover up your sushi mat with plastic wrap or a clear plastic bag (I put it inside a large ziploc). Place a sheet of nori on your mat (shiny side down).
• Eyeball your rice mixture into 4 equal portions and place one portion on your sheet of nori. Pat it down with damp hands to cover the lower half of the nori sheet with rice. There is usually a picture on the back of the nori packaging to show you how to spread the rice and roll it up. I like to keep a mug of water nearby to dip my fingers into.
• If you wish, spread a thin layer of mayo across the rice, with the option of adding a little wasabi to the mayo. Another option is to sprinkle the rice with sesame seeds or Gomasio at this point. Place your fillings in a straight line across the middle of your rice. Lift the sushi mat and fold over and roll, to form a log. This might take practice if it's your first time, but basically connect the bottom of the sheet closest to you, to the top of the rice mixture, which should result in your filling being perfectly in the middle (or not! -- still tastes good!). Use the mat to help you tighten up the sushi log then release it.
• Repeat to use up all the rice and you should have 4 sushi logs. With a very sharp knife (I like a bread knife myself), cut each log into 6 or 8 equal pieces.
• Serve with wasabi, picked ginger and light soy sauce. Enjoy!