This Vegan's Gone Nuts! Buffalo Peanut Inside Out Sushi Rolls

So, Celine and I are putting together the finishing touches on our newest book, The Great Vegan Nut Book, (but we may rename it Vegans Gone Nuts!, not sure yet...I'll keep you posted.) And the bugger is already available for pre-order!

In the spirit of football season (all of the sudden my husband is a football fan!) and in the spirit of me adding a fusion twist to almost everything I cook, I thought I would share one of my favorite recipes from the upcoming book.

Why not try this spin on "buffalo" at your next football party? I suppose it depends on the crowd, haha, but I think my football loving friends would be totally into it!

Buffalo Peanut Inside Out Sushi Rolls

For the rice:

1 cup (180 g) arborio rice (sushi rice)
2 cups (470 ml) water
1 tablespoon (21 g) agave
1 tablespoon (15 ml) rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Buffalo Peanuts:

1/4 cup (120 ml) your favorite hot sauce (Frank's works well here, as does SriRacha)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) refined coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon (9 g) minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup (112 g) dry roasted peanuts

For the rolls:

3 sheets of Nori, cut in half
5 tablespoons (40 g) sesame seeds
1/2 cup (120 ml) Creamy Sunflower Buffalo Sauce (below)
2 stalks celery, cut into thin julienne strips about 4-inches (10 cm)
1 cup (100 g) chopped green onions
2 tablespoons (7 g) fresh chopped dill

You will also need:

a bamboo sushi rolling mat
a gallon size resealable plastic bag
plastic wrap

To make the rice: Place all ingredients in a rice cooker and follow the instructions on your machine. If you do not have a rice cooker, bring water and salt to a boil in medium saucepan. Stir in rice, agave, and vinegar. Return to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid, 16 to 18 minutes. Once rice is cooked, remove from heat and cool completely.

To make the Buffalo Peanuts: Add coconut oil, hot sauce, and garlic to a small bowl and mix together. Add in the peanuts and toss to coat. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add in peanuts and saute until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and toss with black pepper. Set aside to cool.

To assemble the rolls: Place your bamboo mat inside a resealable bag. Place on a flat work surface with the bag opening facing away from you. Place one half-sheet of nori on the edge closest to you. Add 1/2 cup (3.5 ounces or 100 g) of cooled rice in a single layer about 1/4-inch (6-mm) thick to completely cover the nori. Sprinkle liberally with 1 tablespoon (8 g) sesame seeds. Flip over so the rice is face down on the plastic and nori is side up.

Spread 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of Creamy Sunflower Buffalo Sauce in a thin layer on the nori. Into the center of the nori, layer about 4 pieces of celery, 1/4 cup (38 g) of the Buffalo Peanuts, and 2 tablespoons (12 g) green onion.

Carefully roll in the the sushi mat to close and create an inside out roll. Take care to roll as tightly as possible. Open mat. Cover the entire roll with plastic wrap, then re-roll in the bamboo mat to form the roll. Leave the roll in the plastic wrap, in the refrigerator, until ready to serve.

To serve, carefully unroll from the plastic and, using a very sharp knife, cut off each end of the roll and discard (or eat!) Cut the roll in half, then cut each half into quarters, and finally each quarter into eighths. Carefully remove each piece and arrange on a plate. Drizzle with remaining Creamy Sunflower Buffalo Sauce and garnish with remaining green onions and dill.

Yield: 6 rolls (48 pieces)

Recipe Note: 

Not into rolls? Try it as a bowl instead! Simply layer all components in a bowl, drizzle with sauce, and sprinkle with shredded nori sheets, green onions, and dill.

Creamy Sunflower Buffalo Sauce

This easy blender sauce works well as a dip for veggies, salad dressing, pizza sauce, on nachos, and even in Sushi!

1 cup (128 g) sunflower kernels, soaked or simmered
3/4 cup (200 ml) unsweetened nut milk
1/2 cup (120 ml) mild flavored vegetable oil
1/3 cup (80 ml) of your favorite hot sauce (I like Red Rooster or Frank's for this)
2 tablespoons (17 g) minced garlic
1 (8 g) tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)

Add all ingredients to a blender and puree until silky smooth. (If you have a high powered blender, this will be no problem. If you have a less than stellar blender, but you also happen to have an immersion blender, opt for the latter as it whips it into silky goodness quite nicely.)
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Yield: 2 1/2 cups (590 ml)