Vegan Yellow Pickled Radish Sushi Roll (Takuan Maki)
A timeless favourite — bright yellow pickled daikon radish wrapped in seasoned sushi rice and toasted nori seaweed. Crisp, tangy, sweet‑savoury, and perfectly balanced. Light, refreshing, and naturally vegan — no fish, no egg, no dairy. Simple ingredients, pure classic flavour!
Shared by novi
Time
35 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
easy
đź›’ Ingredients
- #Sushi Rice
- 300 g short‑grain Japanese white rice
- 360 ml water
- 4 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp cane sugar
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- #Filling & Wrapping
- 4 sheets roasted nori seaweed (dark side out)
- 8–10 strips yellow pickled daikon radish (takuan), drained and patted dry
- Toasted white sesame seeds — for sprinkling
- Optional: soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger to serve
👩‍🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook the rice: Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear — about 3–4 rinses. Drain well. Combine rice and water in a pot. Bring to a boil, then cover tightly, reduce heat to lowest, and simmer 15 minutes. Turn off heat — keep covered and let steam 10 minutes more.
- 2
Make sushi seasoning: While rice cooks, gently warm rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small pan until dissolved. Do NOT boil. Set aside to cool slightly.
- 3
Season the rice: Transfer hot cooked rice into a wide, shallow bowl. Drizzle the vinegar mixture evenly over it. Gently fold and cut through the rice with a wooden spatula — do NOT mash or stir roughly. Fan the rice lightly to cool it quickly to room temperature. It should be glossy and sticky, not mushy.
- 4
Assemble the rolls: Place a nori sheet shiny‑side down on a bamboo mat. Spread a thin, even layer of sushi rice over it — leave a 1 cm strip bare along the top edge. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the rice. Place 2–3 strips of takuan horizontally across the rice, about 2 cm from the bottom edge.
- 5
Roll tightly: Lift the bamboo mat and roll upwards firmly, starting from the bottom edge, tucking the filling in neatly. Roll all the way to the bare edge. Moisten the nori strip lightly with water to seal. Let rest seam‑side down for 2 minutes.
- 6
Slice & serve: Use a sharp, wet knife — cut gently with a sawing motion, wiping the blade between cuts. Slice each roll into 8 even pieces. Arrange on a plate, sprinkle extra sesame seeds. Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi if desired.