The ultimate vegan sushi bowl

Love sushi but don't have a whole lot of time to make it? Then sushi bows are the answer! These little bowls of rice and veggies are packed with flavour, take hardly any time to make and are super nutritious. We absolutely love making these and they have become a staple in our home.

You can pretty much top them with anything you like, both cooked and raw toppings work well. Baked sweet potato cubes are heavenly as a topping with avocado and spring onion, and the more colours you can add in there, the better. This recipe packs in lots of crispy and fresh raw veggies and some smoked tofu for a different texture, but you could substitute the tofu for cooked beans or chickpeas, or skip it all together and just load up the veg. Go and have fun with it!

Vegan sushi bowl
Serves 2

Ingredients:
150g sushi rice (or use brown if you prefer)
1 tbsp brown rice vinegar
1/4 cucumber
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 small beetroot, peeled
1 spring onion
1/2 avocado
1/2 pack of smoked tofu, cubed*
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp tamari soy sauce
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 sheet of toasted nori

Method:
Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet. When the rice is cooked, tip it out into a bowl, and add the brown rice vinegar, mixing well with a fork. Leave the rice to cool slightly while you prepare the veggies.

First, cut the cucumber, bell pepper, beetroot and spring onion into small dices or fine matchsticks. I like to use a mixture of both to create a fun variation in texture and look, but it's completely up to you, go with whatever your heart desires!

Next, scoop out the avocado flesh with a spoon and cut it into slices. Set this aside with the rest of the chopped veggies.

Cube your smoked tofu, and lightly sauté in a pan with a little olive oil if you like, to make it crispy. I often skip this step if I'm in a rush, it tastes great cold too and makes for a speedy lunch this way!

To make the sushi bowls, split the rice between two small bowls and divide the veggies and tofu equally over the rice. Finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds (I like to use both black and white sesame seeds as they look pretty, but use whichever kind you have to hand) and the tamari and sesame oil. Lastly, take the sheet of toasted nori, and cut it into thin strips with a pair of scissors. Sprinkle this over the top, it looks pretty and it gives it that authentic sushi taste.

*We like Taifun smoked tofu with almond as its delicious straight from the pack, no need to cook!

Photographs copyright of Chris Mullineux 2015.