Spicy Tofu Futomaki

Article Written By: Marisa Baggett

Cool, creamy tofu takes on a spicy tone in this delicious roll. For a bit of surprise, freshly squeezed orange juice as well as a bit of the zest blend in with the spice marinade.  Tempura avocado gives the roll a slight but necessary crunch. Try dipping this roll in tangy ponzu sauce.

Spicy Tofu Futomaki

For each roll

1 4in x 7in piece of nori

about 3/4 cup prepared basic sushi rice, or brown sushi rice

2 wedges of avocado, about 1/4 in thick

tempura batter

oil for frying

2 1/2 TBSP spicy tofu

orange wedges, optional

pickled ginger, optional

ponzu for dipping, optional

Tempura Batter

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup ice water

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Spicy Tofu

4 oz firm tofu, roughly diced

2 TBSP finely chopped scallions

1 TBSP freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 tsp orange zest, finely grated

1 TBSP garlic chili paste

salt to taste

To prepare tofu, place all ingredients in a non metal bowl and toss well.  Set mix aside.

In a thick bottomed frying pan, heat about 1/4 inch of oil to 350 degrees F.  While oil heats, dredge avocado slices in plain flour, tapping to remove excess flour. When oil is ready, dip avocado slices into tempura batter before carefully sliding into the hot oil. Fry slices until golden brown on both sides, flipping if necessary. Drain on paper towels or a clean lint free kitchen towel. Set aside.

To assemble roll, place nori vertically, rough side up on a bamboo rolling mat. Cover nori with an even layer of rice, leaving approximately the top 2/3 of the nori uncovered. Place 2 wedges of tempura avocado in the center of the rice, making sure that the pieces extend from edge to edge of the nori. Top with about 2 1/2 TBSP of the tofu mixture. Roll according to the futomaki rolling technique.

Cut into 5 pieces. Serve with orange wedges, pickled ginger and ponzu if desired. 

Crunchy Shrimp Roll

To master the art of inside out rolls, practice making crunchy shrimp rolls. Experiment with various fillings for a truly customized roll.

about 1⁄4 cup of tempura crispies.
3 cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp, tails entact
cucumber sticks
avocado
spicy mayo
finely chopped green onions

prepared sushi rice

4in x 7 in piece of nori

Begin with an inside out roll set up. Before flipping nori over, evenly spread tempura crispies over the surface of the rice. Flip nori over. Pipe a thin line of spicy mayo horizontally across the surface of the nori, then add other fillings. Make sure that the tails of the shrimp extend from the sides of the roll. Discard tail from shrimp in the middle of the roll. Roll the nori according to the inside out method.

Spicy Mayo
2 cups heavy mayo
1⁄4 cup Sriracha Chili sauce
2 tablespoon masago roe or red sushi caviar
Stir together Sriracha Chili sauce, mayo and roe.
.
Tempura Crispies
1 egg
1 cup ice water + ice
1 cup all purpose flour
Beat egg in a bowl. Add ice water (including ice) in the bowl. Add flour in the bowl and mix lightly. Do not overmix the batter.In a frying pan, heat a few tablespoons of oil to about 325 degrees F. Dip a fork or whisk into the tempura batter and drizzle batter over the oil being careful not to drop ice into the hot oil. Allow to fry until golden brown. Remove with a fry strainer and drain on paper towels. Cool completely before use.