Attention Vegan Sushi Lovers: Here’s How To Make King Oyster Mushroom Nigiri

• First, prepare Sumeshi (vinegared sushi rice) using my recipe. Alternatively, use your favorite go-to vinegared sushi rice recipe.
• While rice is cooking, start preparing the king oyster mushroom “fish.” Trim off the top and the bottom of the mushrooms to make into about 4 in (10 cm) length. Next, slice them lengthwise into 0.3-0.5 in (8.5 -10 mm) thickness rectangles. Also, trim the sides if you like. Then, score diagonally on both sides of each sliced mushroom. Be sure not to go too deep otherwise it will break apart.
• Cook the mushrooms. Heat up a frying pan at medium to medium high heat (non-stick surface would be recommended for preventing from sticking.) Pour neutral oil and cook the mushrooms about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Try not to move them too much for better coloring. Remove from the pan and lay them flat in a single layer on a large plate or something similar. While still warm, season with soy sauce and toasted sesame oil. Set aside to marinate until the sumeshi (vinegared sushi rice) is done.
• Once the sumeshi is done (it should be cooled down to resembling the body temperature), start assembling. Damp your hands and grab a small amount of rice in one hand. Toss and roll gently to form an oval shape (don’t squeeze!) Place the marinated mushroom “fish” on top. Shape it again with a gentle pressure. Repeat the process.
• Right before serving, prepare shiso leaves. Clean the leaves under running water and gently pat dry with a towel. Cut off the stem at the bottom. Roll all the leaves together (like making a sushi roll) and slice them thinly. To serve. topit with a pinch of thinly sliced shiso leaves and a tiny amount of neri ume (about 1/2 tsp for each nigiri.)

ADDITIONAL NOTES

Sumeshi (Vinegared Sushi Rice)

• Sumeshi (Vinegared Sushi Rice) is a must for this recipe! I highly recommend using my recipe for an authentic sushi tasting experience!
• My sumeshi recipe makes 2-3 servings by default which makes about 30 small nigiri. You will need about a half of the sumeshi to make this King Oyster Mushroom “fish” Nigiri Sushi recipe which should make about 12-16 nigiri by default.

King Oyster Mushroom

• King oyster mushroom (trumpet mushroom) is a type of mushroom that’s meaty and thick.
• Choose large pieces for this recipe: 5 in length (12 cm) or larger so you can trim down to at least 4 in (10 cm.)
• Don’t discard the trimmed down parts! You can save it for another meal.

Tips For The “Fish”

• Trim down the king oyster mushroom to about 4 in (10 cm) length then slice it to about 0.3-0.5 in (8.5 -10 mm) thickness to much the size of nigiri sushi.
• Score diagonally to mimic the look of “fish.” When scoring, don’t go too deep! It will fall apart.
• When cooking, get a good grill mark by not moving too much. This is important for the visual effect of the “fish.”
• See the photos on the blog for more details!
• Neri Ume (Pickled Ume Plum Paste)
• Neri ume is a paste of Japanese pickled ume plum called umeboshi.
• Pickled ume plum and neri ume (in general) is very salty with an intense sourness.
• A little bit goes a long way.
• If you don’t have neri ume, buy a whole pickled ume plum. All you have to do is to remove the pit and make a paste on a cutting board with knife. Move as if you’re mincing then soon it will become a paste.
• I buy my Umeboshi Plum Paste (neri ume) from Gold Mine Natural Foods.
• Shiso Leaves
• Shiso is Japanese shiso perilla leaves. Shiso is very fragrant which adds a nice accent to a dish.
• There are two different types of shiso leaves, green and red, which in this recipe, green shiso is used.
• Major Japanese grocery stores should carry shiso leaves. I buy (online) shiso leaves from Suzuki Farm (the availability may be seasonal.) They have extensive selections of authentic Japanese produce.