Crunchy Pirates / Shojin-Inspired Dinner Party

A longtime fan of Shojin's "Pirates of the Crunchy" roll, I attempted to recreate it in my own kitchen.

I think I got pretty close, although vegan mayo still freaks me out a bit...

(scroll down for the complete menu from this dinner party)

Crunchy Pirates Roll

(inspired by shojin)

Ingredients

for sushi roll:

nori sheets

mixture of brown and white short-grain rice, fully cooked and seasoned with rice vinegar, salt and sugar

cucumber, peeled and cut into small and very long rectangular prisms

for topping:

vegan mayo (I used spectrum light canola mayo)

sriracha

tamari

tempeh, steamed and finely crumbled

rice crispies

Instructions

1. Make cucumber-rice sushi rolls.  Cut into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
2. Mix all the topping ingredients.  Do not add the rice crispies until you are ready to assemble, serve, and eat; they get soggy within minutes.  Top each piece of roll with a generous dollop, and serve immediately.

*

The complete menu:

• Crunchy Pirates Rolls
• Ramen with not-chicken stock, served with sesame oil, scallions, and chili oil as garnishes
• Tempura mushrooms (I made this recipe, but this one is much better) with dipping sauce
• Steamed kale salad with edamame and shredded carrots; dressing consisted of rice vinegar, lime juice, canola oil, sesame oil, wasabi, tamari, and sesame seeds (see also this kale salad)

Sesame Kale Salad with Carrots and Edamame