Ingredients
For sushi rice
710 gms sushi rice
828 gms bottled water
120 gms rice vinegar
30 gms white sugar
10 tsp fine salt
Marinated Tomato
20 gms sugar
10 gms mirin
40 gms soy sauce
4 Roma tomatoes
Grilled Eggplant
2 medium eggplants
60 gms vegetable oil
Salt
Black pepper
For amazu carrot:
30 gms rice vinegar
30 gms sugar
30 gms water
2 large carrots
Method
1. For the sushi vinegar: In a bowl mix the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Mix until fully dissolved.
2. For the sushi rice: Add it to a fine colander and rinse in a bowl over running water, gently moving it around with your hand. You will know that it is thoroughly rinsed when the water runs clear. Strain and set aside.
3. In a rice cooker add 710 gms sushi rice with 828 gms of bottled water and cook on the normal setting.
4. Once ready dump the cooked rice into a large container, preferably wooden.
5. Slowly and evenly pour the sushi vinegar mixture over the rice and mix it in using a cutting motion. Be careful not to break the grains of rice.
6. Let the rice cool down to around 27 C before you make the sushi rolls.
For the marinated tomatoes
1.In a small bowl combine the sugar, soy sauce, and mirin. Mix until all the sugar is dissolved.
2. Peel and quarter the tomatoes. Cut out the seeds with a knife.
3. Put the cleaned tomatoes in a sandwich bag and add tomato marinade to coat them. Try to remove as much air as possible from the bag and let marinate for 1 hour.
4. After one hour drain the marinade and set tomatoes aside.
To grill the eggplants
Peel the eggplant using a potato peeler. Cut the eggplant in quarters. Using a knife trim out the inner part and seeds of the eggplant only leaving the outer flesh of the eggplant. Brush each piece of eggplant with the vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill or broil each piece until browned on both sides. Once cooked cut each piece into strips 2 cm x 4 cm
To make amazu carrot
1. Peel the carrots and julienne slice with a mandolin.
2. In a small pot bring the rice vinegar, sugar and water to a boil. Once it boils remove the pot from the fire and drop the carrots in.
3. Once the carrots cool to room temperature, drain liquid and set aside.
To assemble the roll
1. 1 piece sushi nori, 80 gms sushi rice, 2 cucumber stick, 2 slices avocado, 30 gms amazu carrot, 2 piece marinated tomato, 2 piece grilled eggplant, 2 slices ripe mango
2. Spread the sushi rice over the nori, being careful not to smash the rice.
3. Flip the rice sheet over and start to layer the cucumber, avocado, and amazu carrot.
4. Now roll the rice mat over all the vegetables to seal everything in.
5. Cover the roll with a bit of cling film and lightly press the roll into a round shape using a bamboo sushi mat.
6. Remove the cling film and set aside.
7. Top the sushi roll with the marinated tomato, grilled eggplant and sliced mango.
8. Top with the cling film and press lightly to secure the toppings to rice.
9. Leaving the cling film on use a sharp knife to cut the roll into 8 equal pieces.
10. Remove the cling film and serve it on your favourite dish.
