The Punk Vegan Bible

Spicy tempeh nori rolls

Monday, January 21, 2008

Vegetarian recipes from recently released cookbooks:

"Veganomicon," by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero (Marlowe & Co., 2007).

The gals from New York City's cable access Post Punk Kitchen offer a new cookbook celebrating veganism. They've been featured for their vegan cupcakes, but this book is all over the map -- literally. The recipes incorporate different world cuisines, with dishes like risotto with a Thai lemongrass twist and Jamaican shepherd's pie.

-- Evelyn Shih

* Spicy tempeh nori rolls

1 cup sushi rice

2 tablespoons rice vinegar, divided

1 teaspoon sugar

1 ounce tempeh, steamed, cooled and cubed

2 tablespoons prepared vegan mayonnaise

1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot chili-sesame oil

4 sheets nori seaweed

1 scallion, white part discarded, sliced lengthwise into narrow strips

1 ripe avocado, peeled, seeded and sliced into 1/4-inch strips

In a 2-quart pot with a cover, combine the rice plus 1 1/4 cups cold water. Turn the heat high, bring the water to a boil, and stir the rice just once. Lower the heat to low, cover the pot and steam the rice for 20 minutes.

Empty the hot rice into a large glass or plastic bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon vinegar and sugar, gently folding in the rice. Cover with plastic wrap, and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Wait until the rice is slightly warmer than room temperature.

Combine tempeh, mayonnaise and chili-sesame oil. Mash until chunky.

Fill a shallow cup with 1/3 cup water and a tablespoon of rice vinegar. Place a nori sheet on the bamboo mat. With wet hands, take a snowball-shaped handful of rice. Gently pat onto the bottom two-thirds of the nori sheet until it is less than 1/3-inch thick.

Place a small amount of the fillings across the center of your rice in a straight line. Aim for 1 1/2 tablespoons of tempeh, three strips of avocado and an even amount of scallion strips.

Using the mat, gently roll up that sushi starting from the rice-topped end. Try to keep your grip tight. When you reach the end, seal with a bit of vinegar water. Slice into 1-inch pieces with a sharp knife. Repeat, making three more rolls.

Yield: 4 rolls.

Per roll: 210 calories, 11 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 2 milligrams cholesterol, 24 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams protein, 63 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.