Skip to main content

Vegan Onigirazu Sushi Sandwich with Glazed Tofu

This easy version of onigirazu, aka rice sandwich or rice ball, is made using the viral tortilla folding hack and is absolutely fail-safe and beginner-friendly! The filling combo possibility is endless and I used purple rice, homemade kewpie mayo, sweet and spicy glazed tofu, veggies, and chips for this one here.

Show me a life-changing hack you never knew existed but now can't live without! For me it's this easy folding hack, which was originally meant for tortillas but I've since used this method on nori way more often. And I first made an onigirazu using this folding hack with teriyaki tofu and created a more umami flavor profile, check out the recipe linked here for that version!

They're just the perfect lunch in all aspects - quick and easy to make, packed with flavors, and nutritionally balanced with protein, carbs, fibers, vitamins, and healthy fat. I make them on repeat at least once a week to a point that I just have to create a new flavor combo! So this one has a little more sweet and spicy taste on top of umami.

Instead of white sushi rice I "spiced it up" a little bit with purple rice, which is just the magic that happens when you mix white rice and black forbidden rice, and it doesn't just add a fun color but also much more aroma and chewiness than plain white rice! For the tofu, I pan-fried them till golden crispy and glazed them with a sweet, spicy, and sticky gochujang glaze. 

Watch the video below and you'll see just how easy it is to make this fun and yummy lunch! Refer to the written recipe for the exact measurements. And don't forget to follow me on Instagram and Tiktok where I'm more active ^^


INGREDIENTS:

*makes 4 onigirazu

1 rice cooker cup of white sushi rice

1/4 rice cooker cup of black forbidden rice

1 16oz block of extra firm tofu

1 avocado, sliced

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

Lettuce as needed 

Chips of choice, I used chickpea chips

Homemade Silken Tofu Mayo, or vegan mayo of choice

4 nori sheet

Canola oil or other heat-safe cooking oil


For the Gochujang glaze -

1 1/2 tablespoon Gochujang paste

1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoon coconut amino

2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 - 2 teaspoon maple syrup, adjust to preferred sweetness

1/2 teaspoon arrowroot powder or corn starch

2 tablespoon water to thin


TO MAKE:

- Make the purple rice first, mix the regular white sushi rice with black forbidden rice at a 4:1 ratio, and add 10 minutes to the white rice program on your rice cooker;

- Slice the tofu into 1/2 inch thick pieces, mix together all the glaze ingredients;

- In a nonstick pan, heat a drizzle of oil over medium-high heat, pan fry the tofu until both sizes are golden crispy, about 3-4 minutes for the first side and another 2-3 minutes for the other size;

- Once the tofu pieces are all golden brown, give the glaze another stir in case the arrowroot powder has settled at the bottom, slowly pour the sauce into the pan;

- Lower the heat immediately, swirl the pan around and flip the tofu pieces to coat them all evenly in the glaze;

- Once the glaze is thickened and "glued" onto the tofu, remove from heat;

- When ready to assemble the onigirazu, place one piece of nori onto your work surface, make a cut from the middle point of one edge to the center of the nori sheet;

- Press down some purple rice on a quarter of the nori, drizzle on some homemade vegan mayo, then a few tofu pieces to the next quarter;

- Then some lettuce and cucumber, finally the avocado slices and your favorite chips on the last quarter;

- Start folding where the cut is, fold one quarter onto the next one, until it become one thick square;

- Wrap it in some cling wrap, cut in halves diagonally, enjoy!


Popular posts from this blog

Rice Paper Sushi Rolls with Teriyaki Tofu and Veggies

When crispy rice paper rolls and sushi rolls have a baby - then we have something that has the best of both worlds. These rice paper sushi rolls are a perfect combination of earth and ocean, crispy chewy rice paper brings the aroma of the earth, seaweed brings the taste of the ocean, then filled with umami teriyaki tofu, homemade vegan mayo, and fresh veggies. If you ever feel "bored" with your food or cooking, try combining a few things you love and creating something new! These rolls are the kind of magic where 1 plus 1 is greater than 2! They are naturally gluten-free, very well balanced in nutrition with loads protein, carbs, vitamins, and fiber... packed full of flavors and layers of texture. When it comes to rice paper, a very common complaint is "why is my rice paper roll soggy/not crispy/leaking". Well rice paper is a wonderfully versatile ingredient to work with and once you get the hang of it it's super easy to get that golden crispy crust every single
Get the recipe »

Whole Roasted Turmeric Cauliflower with Whipped Tofu Feta, Crispy Chickpeas & Chimichurri

Turn cauliflower into your next holiday centerpiece dish! This whole roasted cauliflower is super easy to make yet packed with layers of different textures and flavors, high in plant protein, and gluten-free! Cauliflower is literally magic, they can be turned into just about anything and have! This is a dish that fully celebrates cauliflower and compliments it with many different elements and flavors. It's very low-fuss and easy to make and it's so festive-looking it can be a wow factor at any holiday gathering. The cauliflower is blanched first then roasted with a turmeric-based seasoning till golden and slightly charred, served with crispy chickpeas, which are cooked at the same time with the cauliflower, on a bed of creamy fluffy whipped tofu feta and finally drizzled with tahini and chimichurri sauce. You can also add roasted baby carrots, or potatoes, or green beans on the side of this dish! Let the festivities begin ^^ INGREDIENTS: 1 head cauliflower 1/4 cup olive oil 2 t
Get the recipe »

Vegan Napa Cabbage Rolls with Tofu Stuffings

These napa cabbage rolls are almost like vegan dumplings but without having to make any dough. The stuffings are hearty, savory, and "meaty", wrapped in sweet and juicy napa cabbage leaves that are pan-seared to give them a little golden color and charred flavor, and finally dressed in a shiny, umami, garlicky sauce. Cabbage rolls are widely loved in many parts of the world - Central, Northern, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe and much of Asia, as well as parts of North Africa. But of course, they're made differently from region to region. In China, in particular, cabbage rolls are usually made with napa cabbage, as opposed to cannonball cabbage, commonly known as green cabbage. They're then stuffed with minced pork and vegetables and finished by steaming or pan-fring. To make a vegan version, I used tofu, brown rice, shiitake mushrooms, carrot, and scallions but the combination is highly adaptable. This is a perfect chance to use up any scraps of veggies in your fri
Get the recipe »

Chinese Cucumber Salad - Suo Yi Cucumber

The most fabulous way to cut and present cucumber, ever! This cucumber salad is made of ONE SINGLE cucumber, sliced into a spring shape and dressed in a sweet, sour, and umami sauce, and finally topped with some aromatic and spicy chili oil. Let's please call this dish by its proper name - Suo Yi cucumber, or Suo Yi Huang Gua 蓑衣黄瓜. Suo Yi, means the traditional Chinese raincoat which was made of overlapping layers of straw and sometimes leaves, think a Hawaiian grass skirt but for the whole body. And the "scales" of the cucumber created by a special slicing technique and stretching resemble the layers of straws in Suo Yi, hence the name. And this special way of slicing is not just for presentation's sake! Because of all the incredibly thin, translucent, and flexible slices that this method creates, the seemingly ordinary cucumber is transformed into a form of magic and art! The texture is crunchy yet tender, every single thin "scale" of the cucumber picks up
Get the recipe »

Vegan Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savory Pancake with Veggies)

My absolute favorite Japanese street food, EVER!  Okonomiyaki is like a big savory pancake that is thick, a bit chewy, fluffy and soft on the inside and golden crispy on the outside, topped off with a generous amount of umami and sweet sauce and mayo. Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake made of vegetables, sometimes meat and seafood, in a wheat flour batter. It's as adaptable as an omelet, if not more, as the word  okonomi  literally means "how you like" or "what you like".You can pretty much stuff it with whatever ingredients you prefer but for this vegan version, I used a variety of vegetables. This is also a great fridge clearing recipe to use up all the scraps of veggies you have on your hand. For the batter, the traditional okonomiyaki recipe calls for grated nagaimo to add fluffiness to the texture. Nagaimo, or mountain yam, is a type of root vegetable that's long and hairy, it's creamy and slimy when grated. However, it's not easy to find
Get the recipe »

Vegan Tofu Salmon Rice Bowl with Homemade Vegan Mayo

This mind-blowing tofu "salmon bowl" is my favorite lunch bowl ever and I myself make it at least once a week. Perfectly seasoned and slightly charred tofu "salmon", broken apart and mixed into a bowl of steamy rice, topped with sweet chili sauce and creamy homemade vegan kewpie mayo, and finally all wrapped in a piece of crispy seaweed - it's land and ocean, nutrition and flavor, all in one bite. You might know this bowl as an internet "trend" but for me and I believe many other Eastern Asian kids, it's a childhood memory. I grew up in a coastal city right on the beach and crispy seaweed is a snack our household always had in abundance, they're just so delicious, available, cheap, and actually healthy. And before anyone even had to teach me, I started using crispy seaweed to pick up steamed rice, I’d even skip the chopsticks and just use my fingers to pinch up the rice and whatever I mixed in it for that meal with the seaweed. I love the feeli
Get the recipe »

Miso Glazed Eggplants - Umami and Addicting

These miso eggplants are seared, glazed, and finally baked to perfection. They're literally bursting with umami, juicy, savory, tenderer than a baby's cheek, and just melt in your mouth. They're definitely a rice-killer - meaning so much rice is gonna be devoured up with this flavorful and addicting dish. But they're also lovely just on their own. Eggplant is one of my absolute favorite vegetables growing up, even during my fussy eating teenager years I never ever turned my back on eggplants. And rightfully so. They have such an amazing texture plus a unique aroma. Scoring the eggplant really helps release the yummy potential of them, the texture will get cooked tender and soft easier and the scored patterns will soak up the sauce and glaze all the way from top to the skin. And if being downright delicious is not enough, eggplant is also a very humble and easy ingredient to use, I can't even imagine how eggplants can ever go wrong. When I was little, sometimes my mo
Get the recipe »

Pan Fried Crispy Rice Paper Dumplings with Vegan Fillings

Happy year of the tiger! Dumplings are a must for me on the Chinese New Year, or Lunar New Year and these rice dumplings are the ultimate lazy and easy version. They're stuffed with a savory and "meaty" tofu veggie filling and then pan-fried till golden crispy. And to make the experience even more satisfying, serve them with some sizzling scallion chili oil! Rice papers are such a perfect "cheat" to make easy dumplings. No need to mix flour, knead the dough, then roll out the wrappers, simply dip rice papers in some warm water, cut them into shapes, and start wrapping. The texture is more like the "crystal dumplings" you would get at a dim sum restaurant - the skins would be translucent and chewy and if pan-fried, super crispy! For the fillings, I used a mixture of tofu and vegetables but this is highly adaptable! You can use up any scraps of veggies in your fridge and use any protein base you like - tofu, mashed lentils, or even crumbled tempeh. And i
Get the recipe »

Vegan BBQ Pulled Lion's Mane Mushroom Tacos

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say I've just cooked the best vegan pulled pork alternative! Yes, better than jackfruit! Actually a lot better. These BBQ pulled Lion's Mane mushroom tacos are just pockets of bursting flavors, smoky, savory, a little touch of spicy, and unbelievably "meaty". Jackfruit is a fine choice for vegan pulled "pork" but I've always found they have a natural tartness that goes against what you'd want in a taco or a burrito, also the texture of jackfruit is a little bit on the crumbly side and not stringy enough. On the other side, Lion's Mane mushroom was just a dream! They are so velvety tender, pull apart like a dream and so moist and stringy! Also they soak up sauces and flavors like a sponge! I also made the taco "meat" out of lentils and onions to give the tacos more structure and protein. Like how Lion's Mane is a perfect alternative for "pulled meat", lentils are perfect for the mince
Get the recipe »

Shanghai Style Vegan Wontons in Peanut Butter and Chili Oil Sauce

This, is the GOAT of all wontons - sorry to all the other wonton varieties out there I love them all but nothing tops these Shanghai street food style wontons! They are stuffed with umami tofu and colorful vegetables, cooked then chilled, and doused in a luscious peanut butter and chili oil sauce. I hold this recipe especially dear to my heart, as it embodies some of the best memories from my years in Shanghai. Throughout all the ups and downs, growth and growth pains, the street food in Shanghai was the one consistent thing that gave me so much comfort and joy. Scallion pancakes, scallion oil noodles, turnip cakes, soup dumplings, siu mai... but most of all, wontons! Hot steamy wonton soups in the winter and chilled peanut butter chili oil wontons in the spring and summer. The peanut butter and chili oil sauce is without a doubt the soul of this dish. I highly recommend making your own chili oil following this recipe ! It's sooo much more aromatic and flavorful than storebought an
Get the recipe »