MYOGA/MYOGA GINGER

I already have introduced Vegan and Vegetarian Sushi, but following further requests and questions by my vegan (I’m not!) friends, I decided to contribute a small series of postings to give them more detailed suggestions and ideas!

Now, please check sushi rice recipe HERE to make things more practical!

The first vegetable amenable to sushi I would like to introduce is Myoga, or Myoga Ginger.

Please check Myoga HERE on Wikipedia!

Myoga is a very interesting vegetable as not only the shoots but also the flowers are edible!

The flower in its natural state!

As bought at the market.

Interestingly enough, as Japan makes an enormous consumption of them it has to import a lot from New Zealand and Australia. I’m sure you can buy it at local Asian markets. It could prove an interesting cultivation for some, too!

Myoga sushi roll.

Now there are two basic ways of presenting myoga as sushi.
First, as shown on above picture, as a roll.
It doesn’t have to be complicated. Just chop the myoga in strips and fill the roll with it accompanied by some wasabi.

Myoga Sushi nigiri.

The other basic way is present it as sushi nigiri on top of a small ball of sushi rice previously smeared with a little wasabi.

You can prepare the myoga in two basic ways,too:
The first one would would be just to wash it and use it raw.
The second would be to pickle it in rice vinegar and sugar for a while, press it and serve it in both sushi styles as explained above.

There are other interesting possibilities when you let your imagination go free as in above picture where the rice is replaced with a small cube of tofu and the topping is made with chopped myoga, tofu and wasabi all mixed together!

To further convince you, look at the picture above:
All vegan sushi:
from top down: Cucumber, egg plant/aubergine and myoga. The last are pickled daikon!
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2) DAIKON

Daikon Nigiri as served at Sushi KO, Shizuoka City, Japan!

SYNOPSIS:

I already have introduced Vegan and Vegetarian Sushi, but following further requests and questions by my vegan (I’m not!) friends, I decided to contribute a small series of postings to give them more detailed suggestions and ideas!

Now, please check sushi rice recipe HERE to make things more practical!

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The second vegetable amenable to sushi I would like to introduce is Daikon, or Japanese Radish/Daikon Radish.

Please check DAIKON HERE on Wikipedia!

Daikon seems to be known only in its big white shape with a green top.
Actually, not only it is a versatile vegetables, but it does come into many shapes and colors as shown in picture above.

Once cut, look at these beautiful colors.

Daikon sushi, especially served as nigiri can be made very simple as in above picture where the daikon was sliced very thin and marinated for a while in lemon added water.

For more sophisticated preparations and presentations browse below!

The same as the top picture. The daikon was marinated for a while in yuzu juice and rice vinegar then derved with grated yuzu zest/skin.

Simple but so sophisticated. The other one is rape blossom.

Daikon can be pickled Japanese-style into “takuan/沢庵”, making for great colors and combination!

Takuan & Beni Shoga/takuan and red ginger temari sushi!

Great color afain with Koushin Daikon/紅芯大根!

The possibilities are infinite. Can you imagine the takuan above on a rice ball. The whole daikon was first pickled then peeled/cut into a sheet, rolled with lettuce and cut across!

And how about a daikon millefeuille sushi for dessert!
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3) Veggie Sushi Tray, Box & Plate Presentations

Veggie Sushi Box for bento/Lunch box!

SYNOPSIS:

I already have introduced Vegan and Vegetarian Sushi, but following further requests and questions by my vegan (I’m not!) friends, I decided to contribute a small series of postings to give them more detailed suggestions and ideas!

Now, please check sushi rice recipe HERE to make things more practical!

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This particular posting is designed to help you with designing Veggetables sushi tray, box or plate presentations!

Asparaguses, Kabocha and Okra Sushi Nigiri.

Mushroom, maountai Vegetable, Myoga Ginger, Bamboo Shoots, and Leek sprouts Sushi nigiri.

White leek, Sprouts and yam,fresh or seared (repeated) Sushi Gunkan.

White asparaguses, myoga ginger, corn (gunkan) and tomato sushi nigiri.

Sorry, the pic is small, but the tray isquite sophisiticated:

Top: tomato. Second row (from top down): Rice ball wrapped in shiso/perilla leaf, pickled aubergines and myoga ginger. Third row: Tomato and kawaire daikon sprouts. Fourth row: Rice ball wrapped in shiso/perilla leaf, pickled aubergines and myoga ginger. Fifth row: bamboo shoots.

Here the rice is white and violet rices mixed.
Shhitake mushroom, broccoli, pickled yam and fuki.

Small pic again, sorry.
Goya, daikon pickled in sweet vinegar, okra, bamboo shoots and chopped mountain vegetables.

Pickled aubergine, Okra, Myoga Ginger, Plain rice, Burdock root and pickled aubergine.

Ice plant, Avocado and radish, Leek shoots, Myoga Ginger and Shiitake Mushroom.

Leaf sprouts, pickled aubergine, yam and red sweet pimento cubes, green aspargus tips and seared eringe mushroom.

From top:
Ippon Shimeji mushroom (grilled), Myoga Ginger, Pickled celery, Tomato gunkan with cucumber instead of seaweed/nori and Leek sprouts.

Sorry for the fuzzy picture:
From top: orange and its peel marinated in sweet vinegar, Tomato, Onion marinated in sweet vinegar, Kawaire daikon sprouts (lightly boiled), Tomato and okra gunkan and pickled cucumber.

From left: green leaves gunkan, Chinese cabbage (boiled and topped with grated ginger), red seet pimento (lightly grilled), Na no han/rape blossoms (boiled), Bambooo shoot (boiled), and trefoil (lightly boiled).

Okra, celery, myoga ginger and three different pimento.

Green pimento (lightly grilled), na no hana/rape blossom (boiled) and pickled aubergine.

From bootom upwards:
Leek sprouts, bamboo shoots, Myoga ginger and na no hana/rape blossoms!

Still looking around and ordering!
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4) Natto & Sesame Seeds Sushi Roll!

Some time ago, I did come some Vegan Sushi suggestions.
Since I have started postings (Lou Ann; , keep your eyes open!), combining it with vegan is only natural!

Natto & Sesame Seeds Sushi Roll!

INGREDIENTS:

-Natto: 1 standard pack
-Dry seaweed/nori: 1 standard sheet
-White (actually yellow!) sesame seeds: 8 tablespoons
-Rice: 1 “go” (180 cc/ml
-Konbu/seaweed (hard type for cooking): 3×3 cm piece

●Salt: 1/3 teaspoon
●Sesame oil: 1 teaspoon
●Japanese mustard: as appropriate
◎Rice vinegar: tablepsoons
◎Sugar: 1 teaspoon
◎Salt: 1/3 teaspoon

RECIPE:

-Wash the recipe and steam until still a little firmer than usual.

-Drop “◎” ingredients in a small and gently heat until all is dissolved. Try to keep it lukewarm.

-Add “●” ingredients to natto and mix.

-Mix in “◎” liquid with rice by “cutting ” it in.

-Line a sushi roll mat with cellophane paper and sprinkle the whole surface with sesame seeds.

-Spread the sushi rice evenely over the sesame seeds covered cellophane paper. Cover with the dry seaweed sheet.

-Spread the natto mix along one side of the sushi rice and on the seaweed.

-Roll in carefully by lifting the cellophane paper at the same time.

-If you think that the roll is not round enough to your taste, pinch each cellophane paper extremity shut and press into shape.
When cutting the sushi roll, you can do it across the cellophane paper with a sharp knife and then delicately unwrap it.
Wipe your knife clean after each cut!
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5) Vegan Natto & Cucumber Sushi Rolls

Here is another simple suggestion for making sushi rolls with natto for all to enjoy!

Vegan Natto & Cucumber Sushi Rolls!

INGREDIENTS: For 1 roll

-Nori/dry seaweed sheet: 1
-Rice: 1 bowl Check RECIPE
-Roasted sesame seeds: 1 teaspoon

-Beni shooga/pickle red ginger: 1 tablespoon
-Natto: 1 standard pack
-Cucumber (Japanese style, thin and crunchy): 1/2
-Thin leeks: 1~2

RECIPE:

-Chop the beni shooga finely. Add to rice with sesame seeds. Mix well.
Cut the cucumber into long thin strips.
Do the same with the leek.
Mix natto with its seasoning well (if not sold together, use soy sauce, sesame oil and mustard).

On a sushi roll pad, spred the nori/dry seaweed sheet. Cover it evenly with the rice.
As shown in picture above, fill the roll (starting fromabout 1 quarter of the width) with cucumber, leeks and natto.
Roll delicately first, then firmly.
Leave inside the pad until you serve.

Before serving, unroll the sushi roll and cut it with a sharp knife.
Wipe the knife cleanly after each cut!

Enjoy!
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6) Vegan Sushi at Sushi Ko

For once, thatis last Thursday, the heat has somewhat abated.
We even had welcome rain almost all day long.
The Missus and I did not need more encouragement to pay a belated visit to our favourite sushi Restaurant in Shizuoka Cyt, Sushi Ko.
We did have a lot I will describe in the next posting but I thought my vegan and vegetarian friends would like to see a separate article about vegan/vegetarian sushi!

Mr. Oda seved us 5 different types.
The first two are menegi/芽葱 or thin leeks sprouts topped with a little yuzukoshio paste.
The second one is himesoba/姫蕎麦 or buckwheat sprouts secured with a small band of nori/dry seaweed.
Both were serve raw.

The third one was kaiwaredaikon/貝割れ大根　or daikon sprous, boiled and topped with some umeboshi/梅干 pickled Japanese plum paste.
The fourth was raw mitsuba/三つ葉　or Japanese Honeywort secured with a thin band of nori/dry seaweed.

The fifth was mitsuba/三つ葉　or Japanese Honeywort again but slightly boiled and served as gunkan shushi/軍艦寿司 style.

Looking forward to the next visit!

Sushi Ko
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho. 2-3-1 (Aoba Koen)
Tel.: 054-2512898
Business Hours： 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 （Sundays）
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)