Lazy Springtime Prawn & Avocado Quinoa Sushi Bowls

As the days get longer and the temperature starts to warm up, you will probably find yourself looking for quick and healthy dishes that are easy to whip up for guests or midweek for your family.

I love this lazy sushi bowl recipe as, apart from being quick, it has a high nutritional value thanks to the avocado and citrus as well as a healthier grain mix of brown rice and quinoa meaning it is lower in carbs and higher in protein. It is also a low sugar recipe as I like to use amazake to add sweetness to the dish.

This dish is also much quicker and easier to make than sushi, it’s more like a poke bowl or, as I like to call it, lazy sushi!

If you are interested in learning to make sushi at home, including simple Temaki hand-rolls then don’t miss my online Sushi at Home class or you improve your skill to a gourmet level with this Sushi & Sashimi class.

Why I chose to skip raw fish for this recipe

We usually associate sushi with raw fish, though of course making vegan and vegetarian sushi is a simple switch of ingredients. People can also assume that sushi is healthy but I wouldn’t say that it is super healthy as certain fish can be very high in mercury, and the dish can be high in sugar due to the sushi vinegar mixture, and the white rice.

I choose not to use raw fish for this dish as it is an everyday dish and simply put, there is no need to eat it so often! I am being more mindful of avoiding unsustainable fish such as raw and sushi-grade fish, and tuna. I’m generally eating less of these things but, when I do, going for a better quality experience overall, such as sushi made by master chefs.

I have chosen to use king prawns in this recipe but you can easily make it vegetarian or vegan by adding any vegetables you prefer such as sugar snap peas or broccoli.

If you would like to try another very different sushi recipe then don’t miss this prawn tempura and green tea soba article

Sushi bowl key ingredients:

The beauty of this sushi bowl is that it is very customizable but there are some of the key ingredients that I love to add to my healthy version.

Grains

You can be flexible with what grains you use as the base for your sushi bowl. I like to mix white rice with different grains. For example, you can mix red and black rice and millet, and you can also use brown rice! You can cook them together as the ratio is 80% rice and 20% your secondary grain. Click on these articles to learn how to make perfectly steamed Japanese rice and brown sushi rice.

Mixing grains is something we do a lot in Japan, we call it zakkokumai (meaning mixed grains rice) and you can even buy it ready-mixed in a bag which is very convenient. You can easily pre-make your own favourite mix so it’s always ready to use when you need it.

Amazake

Not many people know about this ingredient or how useful it can be as a sugar substitute! Amazake is a traditional beverage from Japan that is made from fermented rice and is traditionally sweet-tasting, there are both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions.

Even though you can make amazake at home, it is convenient and easy to buy it from Clearspring who make several versions from different grains (use code yukiskitchen15 for a discount).

I always choose the rice one, made from koji — the koji culture converts the carbohydrates from the whole grains into simple sugars giving rise to the naturally sweet flavour of amazake.

Yuzu

The yuzu flavour adds a refreshing zest to this dish, people describe yuzu as a mashup of lemon and grapefruit. It’s good to have real yuzu is possible, though bottled yuzu is also now very accessible in most supermarkets. Yuzu is rich in antioxidants and high in vitamin C so great for boosting immunity.

Fresh yuzu is more expensive but very healthy and delicious. You can find it at the Japan Centre and you can also order it from The Wasabi Company who sell many fresh Japanese ingredients including fresh wasabi.

On to the recipe

This quick sushi bowl recipe is perfect for a weeknight as it takes just 20 minutes to prepare (+ soaking and cooling time) and takes just 15 minutes to cook.

Servings: 4

Author: Yuki Gomi

Prawn & Avocado Quinoa Sushi Bowl

This healthy and low-sugar deconstructed sushi bowl is a perfect quick springtime meal for weeknights and lazy afternoons.

Ingredients

100g of white, black and/or red quinoa
150g of sushi rice
3 tbsp of rice vinegar
1.5 tbsp of amazake
2 avocados, skinned and stoned
1-2 tsp yuzu juice
1-2 tbsp of mayonnaise or vegan mayo
2 tsp of soy sauce or tamari
220g of cooked extra large king prawns (if using)
1 tsp os sesame seeds
1 tbsp os chopped chives
1/3 punnet of salad cress
2 tbsp of frozen edamame beans, cooked according to pack instructions

Method

Put the quinoa and rice in a sieve and rinse under cold running water for 1 minute, gently turning the grains by hand until the water runs clear.
Drain and put in a pan with 450ml water, then leave to soak for at least 30 minutes. Bring to the boil in the same water, cover, and then reduce the heat and leave to simmer gently for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, covered, for a further 5 minutes (don’t lift the lid).
Meanwhile, make the sushi seasoning. Put the rice vinegar, amaze, and salt in a small bowl and mix until dissolved.
Place the rice and quinoa in a flat dish such as a roasting tray or wide, shallow bowl. Add the sushi seasoning and fold in carefully with a wooden spoon, taking care not to damage the grains. You need to cool the rice and quinoa quickly to stop it cooking – use a fan or a magazine to waft it. It should take about 3 minutes to bring to room temperature. Don’t leave it to cool naturally or put it in the fridge, as this will make it hard and dry.
To make the prawn and yuzu avocado sauce, mash the avocado with a fork until smooth. Add the yuzu juice, mayonnaise, and soy sauce, and mix well. Chop half the cooked prawns (or vegetarian alternative) into smaller pieces and add to the avocado mixture.
Divide the rice and quinoa between 4 bowls. Spoon over the avocado and prawn sauce, then add the remaining whole prawns. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, chives, cress, and edamame beans to finish.