Vegan Crispy Spicy Sushi Bowls are packed with everything we love in sushi—crispy asparagus, spicy sriracha mayo, lightly pickled veggies and creamy avocado.
Cook rice according to directions. When it's cooked (about 30 minutes), set aside to cool.
In a small bowl, mix the ground flax seed and 6 tablespoons of water, and allow to set for at least 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
For the pickled veggies: In a medium bowl or plastic container, whisk together 1 cup of water, the rice vinegar, sea salt and brown rice syrup. Add the carrot peels, daikon radish peels and jalapeno, pushing them down into the liquid. Allow them to rest for at least 15 minutes. (See notes) When ready, drain the veggies BUT RESERVE THE LIQUID.
For the panko crusted asparagus: Set up a breading station for the asparagus, with the flax mixture in one dish and the panko bread crumbs in another. (Flat plastic storage containers or pie dishes work well.) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Bread the asparagus spears one at a time, and place them on the baking sheet, spreading them out. Bake at 425 degrees for 15-17 minutes, or until tender and golden brown.
For the siracha mayo: In a small bowl, combine the vegan mayonnaise, siracha and rice vinegar and whisk together. Adjust for desired spiciness/thickness.
For sushi flavored rice: Stir ½ cup to 1 cup of reserved pickling solution into the cooled brown rice.
Peel, pit and thinly slice the avocados.
To assemble the sushi bowls, evenly divide the ingredients into bowls, with rice on the bottom, and pickled veggies and avocado slices on top. Drizzle with siracha mayo.
Optional: Garnish with sesame seeds, nori sheets (on the side, or crumbled on top). Serve with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger if desired.
Notes
As the carrots get skinny from peeling and hard to hold, its easiest to lay them down on the cutting board and peel.
To create the jalapeno rings, I cut the top and bottom off the peppers, then used a small paring knife to cut around the core to sever it. You can poke your pinky finger into the pepper to get core out once you've separated it with the knife. Then, I sliced the peppers into rings.
The veggies become more pickled AND spicier the longer they sit. If you don't like heat, pickle the jalapenos separately or skip them altogether. For more heat/pickled flavor, let the veggies marinate up to an hour. Make sure all of the veggies get mixed/pushed down into the liquid-stir from time to time if needed.
I suggest slicing the avocado at the end to prevent it from turning brown.
Nori snacks are cheap and easy to find-1 individual snack package can garnish the entire recipe! Make sure to check labels and find some that aren't too salty.