Kimbab (Vegetarian Sushi)

We ate out when trying to go to the Immigration Office the other day and I got Vegetarian Kimbab for lunch.  Not only did a full roll cost 1,500 Won, but it was delicious! Here's a Recipe for you from c How Divine! 

Vegetable Gimbap Recipe
Makes 4 gimbap rolls

Ingredients
4 sheets laver

Gimbap Rice*
4 cups cooked brown rice (short grain)
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp rice vinegar (unseasoned)
1 tsp agave nectar or sugar (optional)
1/2 tsp salt

Filling*
1 carrot, julienned
5 oz. baby kale (or spinach)
4 long strips of takuan or danmuji (pickled radish)
6 oz portobello, sliced thinly
1 tsp tamari
1 tsp agave nectar or sugar
salt and pepper
canola or grapeseed oil for the pan

1. Sauté carrots until crisp tender. Add a pinch of salt and mix well. Set aside. Sauté kale until it just wilts. Add a tablespoon or two of water to speed up the process. Add a pinch of salt and mix well. Set aside.
2. Sauté mushrooms until lightly browned. Add a pinch of salt, teaspoon of tamari, and teaspoon of agave nectar. Mix well. Remove from heat once all of the liquid has been absorbed. Set aside.
3. Spread out the rice in a thin layer to let it cool until it’s comfortable to touch. Once cooled, mix the rice and the rest of the ingredients for the gimbap rice in a bowl. Mix gently being careful not to crush the rice.
4. Place a piece of dried laver on a bamboo mat. Spread out 1 cup of the gimbap rice over 3/4 of the laver, leaving the 1/4 of the laver farthest from you empty. Place a layer of carrots, kale, mushroom, and pickled radish. Try to stack the filling ingredients on top of one another. Roll away from you by pulling up on the edge of the bamboo mat closest to you, and folding the rice and laver over the filling. Squeeze and roll again creating a nice round cylinder, peeling back the bamboo mat as you roll. Roll tightly. It’s kind of like rolling a cigar (well, not as tightly). Repeat with rest of the rice and laver.
5. Cut the gimbap into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces with a sharp knife. Wipe the knife as necessary with a paper towel soaked in some oil. Serve on a plate or in a bento box. Enjoy your gimbap! You will have some filling ingredients left over. If you do, make some bibimbap or bibim guksu with them with some gochujang sauce.

*Cook’s Note: When making gimbap, make sure the rice you are using is short grain. Short-grain rice is stickier which is necessary for the sushi to keep its shape. Some markets carry “sushi rice,” which is just short-grain, white rice. If in doubt, “sushi rice” is a safe way to go. And you can use as much or as little vegetable fillings as you want. It’s up to you. However, if you are a novice at this, it will be easier to roll with less filling. Additionally, you can add avocado slices.

Raw Samoa Cheesecake

Adapted from Fragrant Vanilla Cake: 

Raw Samoa Cheesecake
Makes one 6 inch cake

Crust:
1/2  cup raw macadamia nuts, soaked and dried

1/2 cup sprouted buckwheat, dried in the dehydrator (or macadamia nuts)

1/2 cup dried finely shredded coconut

1/8 teaspoon sea salt
10-12 soft medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Filling:

1 1/2 cups raw cashews (preferably soaked overnight and drained)

1 1/2 cups young coconut meat (or additional soaked cashews if unavailable)

1/2 cup coconut water (or filtered water)

1/2 cup raw coconut nectar, raw agave nectar or raw honey

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract and seeds from half a vanilla bean (other half reserved for topping)

1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup finely shredded coconut

Caramel:
15 medjool dates, pitted
3 Tbsp coconut butter
1/4 cup raw coconut nectar, raw agave nectar or raw honey
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4  cup water (or as needed)

1/4 cup finely shredded coconut 

Raw Chocolate:
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 cup raw coconut oil
2 Tbsp raw coconut nectar or agave nectar
a pinch of sea salt

Lightly coat a 6 inch spring form removable bottom pans with coconut oil. To prepare the crust, process macadamias, buckwheat and sea salt in a food processor until the nuts are fine crumbs, then add the dates and vanilla and process until the mixture holds together when squeezed between your fingers (if not holding together, add more dates). Firmly press crust into the bottom of the prepared pan, and set aside.  

To make the filling, drain the cashews and combine them with coconut water, agave nectar, sea salt and vanilla in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. With the processor running, add the coconut oil, and process for a minute until blended.  Remove half the filling from the food processor and place in a bowl stir in 1/4 cup shredded coconut, and add the cacao powder to the remaining half in the processor.  Process until well blended and place in another bowl. Set aside while you prepare caramel.

To make the caramel, combine all ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth (adding more water by the Tbsp if too thick), then press through a fine meshed strainer to remove any date bits (optional, but makes for a smoother caramel).  Divide the caramel into 2 bowls, stirring 1/4 cup shredded coconut into one.

To assemble cheesecake, pour the vanilla coconut filling into the crust.  Drop half the caramel without the coconut onto the top of it in tspfuls, and swirl with a knife.  Pour the chocolate filling over and drop the remaining caramel without the coconut over in the same fashion you did with the rest of it.  Swirl with a knife.  Place the cheesecake in the freezer to firm up for about 4 hours.  Once it is firmed up, spread the caramel with the coconut over the top.  

To make the chocolate, whisk together all ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Drizzle over the cheesecake (it is easier if you put it in a plastic bag and cut the tip off to drizzle it). Place the cake in the freezer for about 5 minutes to harden the chocolate. Serve!