Get a taste of Ani Phyo's healthy foods with this delicious recipe

Wasabi

MAKES 1 CUP

To avoid the artificial coloring common in prepared green wasabi, make your own by blending up nuts with fresh horseradish root. Look for horseradish root in the supermarket’s produce section. Much like an oversized carrot or parsnip in shape, its skin resembles that of fresh ginger. Expect a potent smell and sharp, piquant flavor. Use a smaller blender to grind the nuts before using to create a smoother textured paste.

1 cup ground cashews, pine nuts, or macadamia nuts
4 in. horseradish root, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. spirulina, for color
1/8 tsp. sea salt

Blend ingredients in a blender until smooth, adding small amounts of filtered water only as needed to make a thick paste. Store airtight, chilled, for a week or longer.

 

Wasabi Mayo

MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
Use this spicy mayonnaise as you would any mayo—in wraps, rolls, sauces, and dips.

½ cup macadamia, cashew, or pine nuts
½ Wasabi recipe above

Blend nuts, ½ cup wasabi, and 1/3 cup filtered water into a smooth mayonnaise, adding additional water tablespoon by tablespoon as necessary. Try to use as little water as possible to maintain a thick, creamy texture. Store mayo, chilled, up to 5 days.

 

Cashew Nut “Rice”

MAKES 2 CUPS

This raw rice is made by lightly processing into small rice-size bits turnip, daikon radish, or jicama with soft cashews. I chose cashews for their color and mild flavor. Use this rice the same way you would the cooked grain. It will keep, chilled, for a couple of days.

1 cup cashews
½ tsp. sea salt
3 cups turnips, daikon radish, or jicama, peeled and diced

Add cashews and salt to a food processor. Pulse lightly to process into small pieces. Add turnips, daikon, or jicama and pulse lightly again. Be careful not to overprocess or your rice will become mush.

 

Wasabi Mayo, Umeboshi Plum, And Shiso Leaf Nori Roll

SERVES 4

This recipe calls for two traditional Japanese ingredients: umeboshi plum and shiso leaf.

The pickled, salty and tart Umeboshi plum stimulates metabolic activity and helps us to eliminate toxins. Look for whole umeboshi plums, but the paste will work, too. If you can’t find either, substitute sauerkraut or another pickled, tart, and salty vegetable.

Shiso leaf is the Japanese name for perilla leaf, a perennial herb in the mint family. It’s used in Chinese medicine to stimulate the immune system and fight colds. It tastes like a mixture of basil and mint, so use those more familiar herbs if you can’t find shiso.

 

FILLING

8 shiso leaves, or ¼ cup total of basil and mint, mixed
1 batch Wasabi Mayo, (see recipe above)
1 umeboshi plum, pitted and minced, or ¼ cup sauerkraut
1 cup sprouts, any type
1 cup peeled, seeded, sliced avocado (about 1 avocado)

 

WRAPPER

4 nori sheets

 

RICE

1 batch Cashew Nut “Rice” (see recipe above)
Pickled ginger for serving

1. Assemble rolls: Place a sheet of nori onto a flat, dry surface. Along bottom third of sheet closest to you, evenly layer 2 shiso leaves or 2 tsp. of basil-mint. Spread about 1/3 cup rice evenly over greens. Next, spread about 2 to 3 tbsp. of Wasabi Mayo evenly over rice. Add about ½ tsp. or more, to taste, of umeboshi plum, or 2 tbsp. sauerkraut. Top with ¼ cup sprouts and ¼ cup avocado. Roll fillings up inside of nori, pressing lightly to help avocado bind together the fillings.

2. Slice roll into 6 to 8 pieces and serve with a side of pickled ginger. Enjoy immediately.

 

 

 

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