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A Genius Sushi Hack for Fresh, No-Fuss Cucumber Rolls – vegetarian recipe
Stav Kogan

A Genius Sushi Hack for Fresh, No-Fuss Cucumber Rolls

A brilliant shortcut for elegant, fresh sushi rolls. Instead of intricate knife work, we use a simple spoon to hollow out a cucumber, creating the perfect vessel for a delicious mint-sushi rice, hummus, and pomegranate filling.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 4 Rolls or 20 piece
Calories: 185
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • Four 7-inch / 18-cm lengths whole cucumber
  • 1 cup (200 g / 7.1 oz) Traditional Sushi Rice, prepared
  • 2 mint sprigs, finely chopped
  • 1 cup (250 g / 8.8 oz) Edamame Hummus or store-bought hummus
  • One 4-inch / 10-cm length carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
  • ½ cup (85 g / 3 oz) pomegranate arils, plus more for garnish
  • Vegetarian Ponzu Sauce, for dipping
  • for Perfect Cucumber Rolls
  • Use English or Persian cucumbers. They have thinner skin and fewer seeds, making them easier to hollow out and providing a better texture.
  • For clean cuts, use a very sharp, serrated knife dipped in water between each slice. This prevents the cucumber from tearing and the filling from smearing.
  • Get creative with your fillings! Try adding thin strips of avocado, bell pepper, seasoned baked tofu, or microgreens for different flavors and textures.

Method
 

  1. Cut each 7-inch cucumber length in half crosswise to create 8 shorter pieces. Use a small spoon or an apple corer to carefully hollow out the seedy core of each piece, creating a tube. 2.
  2. In a small bowl, mix your prepared sushi rice with the finely chopped mint. 3.
  3. Using a wet spoon to prevent sticking, press about 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 1 fl oz) of the mint-sushi rice mixture into each hollowed-out cucumber, leaving space for the other fillings. 4. Spoon the Edamame Hummus into a piping bag or a plastic bag with the corner snipped off. Lay the cucumbers on their sides to prevent the filling from falling out, and squeeze a layer of hummus on top of the rice. 5. Gently slide a few carrot matchsticks and several pomegranate arils into each cucumber, using a chopstick to press them in. 6. Seal the open end of each cucumber roll with a final dollop of Edamame Hummus. 7.
  4. Dip the blade of a very sharp knife in water.
  5. Using a swift, gentle sawing motion, slice each filled cucumber tube into 2 or 3 bite-sized pieces. 8.
  6. Garnish with extra pomegranate arils and serve immediately with Vegetarian Ponzu Sauce for dipping.
  7. Don't overfill the cucumbers. Leaving a little room makes them easier to slice and prevents the filling from squeezing out.

Nutrition

Calories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 7gFat: 4g

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