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Veggie caterpillar roll served on a black board.
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Vegan Caterpillar Roll

Upgrade your sushi night with this vegan caterpillar sushi roll! It's filled with cucumbers, simmered shiitake mushrooms, topped with sliced avocado and teriyaki sauce.
Prep Time30 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Japanese
Servings: 4 rolls
Author: Jazzmin Kaita

Equipment

  • Bamboo Rolling Mat
  • Sharp Knife

Ingredients

Instructions

Preparing Sushi Rice

  • First, make a batch of seasoned sushi rice and let it cool to room temperature before starting the caterpillar sushi rolls.

Preparing Ingredients

  • While the rice cools, you can make my homemade teriyaki sauce and simmered shiitake mushrooms. Tip: you can prepare both recipes and store them in the fridge a day ahead.
  • Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise, remove the seeds with a small spoon, and cut it into thin strips. You can use a mandolin with a julienne attachment or a knife. 
  • Dry the filling by patting the cucumber strips and shiitake mushrooms with a paper towel to remove excess moisture before adding them to the roll. This action prevents the seaweed from getting too soggy.

Assembling Rolls

  • Cover the bamboo mat with plastic wrap to make cleanup easier and prevent rice from sticking. Using scissors, cut a whole nori sheet in half to create two half sheets.
  • Place half a nori sheet horizontally on the bamboo mat, rough side up. Wet your hands slightly with water to prevent the rice from sticking. Grab some sushi rice (about 1/2 -3/4 cup) and spread it thinly/evenly over the nori, leaving 1/2 inch at the top bare.
  • Flip the nori sheet over so the rice faces down and the bare top part is now at the bottom. Arrange cucumber strips and mushrooms in the centre.
  • To roll the sushi:
    - Lift the edge of the nori closest to you and tuck the bare flap of the nori inside the roll.
    - Roll until you’ve completed the roll.
    - Using the bamboo mat, give a firm hug/squeeze the roll with both hands. Repeat to shape the roll further.

Make Avocado Topping

  • Slice the avocado in half, remove the pit and gently use a spoon to run around the edge to scoop the flesh out in one piece. Then, thinly slice each half the short way across.
  • Use your hand to fan out the avocado slices gently, lift them with a large knife, and place enough slices over the sushi roll, overlapping each other to cover the top. Tip: avocados vary in size, so you might use one whole avocado or half to cover the entire roll.
  • Gently use the bamboo mat to help attach & shape the sliced avocado onto the roll.

Cutting The Roll

  • Cover the roll with a large piece of plastic wrap, ensuring it's double the size of the roll and then with a slightly wet sharp knife, slice it into 8 pieces. Remove the plastic wrap, drizzle with teriyaki sauce and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Notes

  • Use a water bowl - Dip your fingers in water before handling sushi rice to prevent it from sticking to your hands
  • Clean cuts - Keep a slightly wet, sharp knife handy. Cut firmly downward, dipping the knife in water before each slice and tap off excess. Clean the knife after each use to prevent rice from sticking and ensure neat slices.
  • Storage instructions - For the best flavour, enjoy this vegan caterpillar roll fresh. If you have leftovers, tightly wrap them in plastic or store them in a sealed container. Refrigerate for up to 2 days.