How to Make Autumnal Sweet Potato and Kale Sushi

September 22, 2013

When it comes to maki rolls, it's traditional to stick to the usual fillings, but that doesn't mean you have to. Sushi can be as creative as your imagination allows, which makes it the perfect seasonal food! Fill maki rolls with whatever is ripe and seasonal on the supermarket shelves; Peppers and Salmon are at their most delicious in summer, and make for a fresh, cooling eat - but as winter draws in we want something more substantial and earthy. 

In Autumn and Winter we start to dig up the most sugary, lovely sweet potatoes, bursting with rich flavour, so it would be a shame not to use them to fill a beautiful maki roll. In this recipe, to add a little more intrigue, we're also using seasonal Kale leaves to add a healthy but delicious kick to our rolls!

The sweet potato in this maki is the furthest thing from boring too, as the perfect conduit for a little fiery chili and salty, savory soy sauce! 

Try it out, we promise the whole family can enjoy it.

You Will Need

• 3/4 Cup of Cooked Sushi Rice (Remember to Season!)
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 Tsp Chopped Garlic 
• A Large Handful of Chopped, Washed Kale
• 3 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 Medium Sweet Potato
• 1 Finely Chopped Chilli
• 1 Tsp Honey
• 1 Thinly Sliced Spring Onion
• 3 Sheets of Nori
• A Handful of Toasted Sesame Seeds
• 1 Tbsp Sesame Oil

Method

• Assuming you have already made your sushi rice, the first thing we are going to do is roast our sweet potato. Ensure the sweet potato is chopped into 1cm cubes and then throw them in a bowl. Add the olive oil, soy sauce, garlic, chili and honey. Mix well, then pour out on to a baking tray. 
• Roast in the oven at 200c, and turn regularly to ensure an even cook. Cooking should take 20 mins, but keep an eye on them and remove from the oven when soft inside, and golden outside.
• Leave the sweet potato to cool whilst you prepare the kale. Cut into small strips so it fits well into a maki roll, then place in a bowl and dress with sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds. 
• Now begin to construct your sushi rolls, start with a sheet of nori, and lay out a 1cm deep layer of rice on top, right to the edges. 1/4 of the way up, lay a line of sweet potato across the length of your roll. You might want to sit the sweet potato on a piece of kitchen roll prior to this to drain away excess oil.
• Now lay the sesame kale on top of the sweet potato. Finally, finish with a sprinkling of spring onion.
• Roll the maki using a bamboo mat and ensure it is tight, before chopping into bitesize rolls using a sharp knife. 

Serve your maki with soy sauce and wasabi.