Make sushi even healthier with this modern version using quinoa, brown rice, barley and avocado
Yield
Makes 12
Prep Time
30mins
Cook Time
30mins
Difficulty Level
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Kids love sushi – it could be because it looks different from other foods, therefore, interesting, or perhaps it looks like “adult” food (because small children just want to eat everything mummy and daddy eats).

If your child loves eating sushi and you’re paranoid about salmonella in store-bought sushi (passed on from perhaps cooks using the same knife that was used to slice raw fish #truestory), make your own healthy sushi at home. Put a delicious twist on classic homemade sushi with this mixed grain avocado sushi recipe.

Ingredients

Avocado mixed grain sushi

  • 1/2 cup (100 g) brown rice
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) tri-colour quinoa
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) pearl barley
  • 2 1/2 cup (625 ml) water
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt flakes
  • 2 tsps rice vinegar, extra
  • 2 sheets toasted seaweed (nori)
  • 1 large avocado (320 g), sliced thinly
  • 2 tsps lemon juice
  • 1 medium carrot (120 g), cut into matchsticks

Pickled cucumber

  • 2 cucumbers (260 g), peeled, sliced thinly
  • 2 tbsps rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
  • 1 clove garlic, sliced thinly
01.
Avocado mixed grain sushi
Bring rice, quinoa, barley and the water to the boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat; stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
02.

Meanwhile, combine vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl. Place rice mixture in a large, wide, stainless steel bowl. Using a plastic spatula, repeatedly slice through rice mixture at an angle to separate grains, gradually pouring in vinegar mixture. Stand for 10 minutes to cool.

03.

Make pickled cucumber: Combine ingredients in a medium bowl; stand for at least 5 minutes for flavours to develop. Drain.

04.

Add extra vinegar to a medium bowl of cold water. Place one nori sheet, shiny-side down, lengthways across a bamboo mat about 2cm from edge of mat closest to you. Dip fingers of one hand into bowl of vinegared water, shake off excess; pick up half the rice mixture, place across centre of nori sheet.

05.

Wet fingers again, then gently rake rice evenly over nori, leaving a 2cm strip on the far side of nori uncovered.

06.

Combine avocado and juice in a small bowl. Place half the avocado and half the carrot in a row across centre of rice.

07.

Starting with the edge closest to you, pick up the mat using thumbs and index fingers of both hands; use remaining fingers to hold filling in place as you roll mat away from you. Continue rolling, pressing gently but tightly, wrapping nori around rice and filling.

08.

Repeat process to make a total of 2 rolls. Cut each roll into 6 pieces. Serve with pickled cucumber.

You could add a drained and flaked 185 gram can of tuna in springwater, if you like. Simply add the tuna with the avocado and the carrot in step 6. If transporting to work or school, pack sushi and pickled cucumber, separately, in airtight containers; keep refrigerated or pack with an ice brick.

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