Cucumber Nigiri - Vegan Sushi

When people think of sushi, they often picture fish, but the world of vegan sushi is vast, and delicious, just let your imagination go wild! Cucumber Nigiri captures the essence of Japanese minimalism. In Japan, the most famous minimalistic cucumber roll is known as Kappa Maki. Translating this to nigiri style offers a refreshing, textural experience. It focuses on the crisp snap of fresh vegetable against the soft, seasoned rice. Because cucumber has a high water content, the trick to professional-grade vegan sushi is slicing the vegetable correctly to ensure it balances with the rice rather than making it soggy. Add a dot of wasabi mayo to make it more exciting!

Image: Vegan Cucumber Nigiri, home made sushi recipe.

Recipe for Cucumber Nigiri

Ready to make a sushi plater that looks expensive, but costs about 50 cents? This recipe is 100% plant-based, 100% delicious, and requires very little skill.

Ingredients to make 1 vegan cucumber nigiri.

Well, usually you make plenty of them. Here are the ingredients to make one. Just multipli it with the amount you want to make. I usually make these from leftover rice ans cumber after preparing all my sushi rolls.

• 15gram (2tsp) Sushi Rice per piece.

• a splash of Sushi Vinegarb, salt and sugar

• 1/20 Fresh Cucumber, or a few leftover pieces of cucumber from your other rolls.

• 1/15th Nori Seaweed

• Wasabi: A tiny amount (Optional, but gives it that extra zing.)

Garnish To Make It Fancy

• Toasted Sesame Seeds: White or black for contrast.

• Vegan Mayo: A tiny dot adds richness.

• Pickled Ginger: For serving.

Instructions for Vegan Cucumber Nigiri

Step 1: The Rice Foundation

1. Rinse the starch off your sushi rice until the water is clear. Cook according to your package/rice cooker instructions.

2. While the rice is hot, move it to a large bowl. Drizzle your vinegar/sugar/salt mix over it.

Step 2: Cutting the Cucumber

1. Wash the cucumber. You can peel it if you want. Although we never do that. Slice in short strips, approximately the length of your rice blocks.

2. Use kitchen scissors or a sharp (dry!) knife to cut the nori sheet into thin strips, about 1/3 inch (~1cm) in width.

Step 3: The Assembly of Vegan Sushi

1. There are multiple ways to make your riceblocks for the nigiri’s. The original method by hand requires very wet hands before shaping the sushi rice. Dip your hands in your water as this stops you from becoming a human rice ball.

2. Grab about 1.5 tablespoon of rice. Press it gently into a firm, oblong football shape. As alternative method, place your leftover rice into some cling foil and shape. Then cut them with a wet knife in blocks. Although this is much less authentic, this is my way to go to easily make 20 different Nigiri's for a sushi dinner party!

3. Place the cucumber slice on top of the rice.

4. This is crucial for cucumber nigiri. Because the cucumber is rigid, it won't hug the rice like fish does. Wrap a nori strip around the center, moistening the end with a drop of water to seal it tight.

Image: Preparation of home made vegan Cucumber Nigiri. Easy sushi recipes for home-cooks.

Step 4: Plating

1. Line them up and garnish.

2. The flavour of cucumber and seasined rice might need a bit of extra zing with vegan wasabi mayo.

3. Sprinkle with sesame seeds for that restaurant look.

4. Serve with soy sauce

Enjoy your home-made vegan cucumber nigiri!

Nutritional Information: 1 Vegan Cucumber Nigiri

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	24 kcal
Total Fat	0.1g
Saturated Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	45mg
Salt	0.11g
Total Carbohydrates	5.4g
Dietary Fiber	0.2g
Sugars	0.6g
Protein	0.5g