Zucchini Sushi Rolls wrapped in Broccoli & Carrots-Served With Minty Yogurt Dip

Zucchini is one of those foods that I discovered late in life (like, two year’s back!) and now I just can’t get enough of it!  “V” is not very fond of it so I try using zucchini in variety of dishes like risotto, salads and in pastas. Every time I try slipping it in into dishes, I just hope that he doesn’t realize it until it’s already in his mouth. 

Would you ever think of zucchini as an appetizer?  Well today’s recipe is a sushi roll made out of zucchini. I made this for an evening snack and it turned out to be pretty impressive.  These sushi rolls are wrapped with a mixture of broccoli, carrots, almonds and cottage cheese. I have used the slight tinge of garlic and some herbs to enhance the aroma.

Zucchini is a very wholesome vegetable. High in vitamin C and antioxidants. While they are low in calories, just 15 calories in a 3/4-cup serving, they’re rich in potassium, which promotes healthy blood pressure, as well as immunity-supporting vitamins C, A and B6. They also have plenty of zeaxanthin, which is good for your eyes. (Be sure you eat zucchini with the skin on—that’s where most of the nutrients are.)

They are known as summer squash as well. These sushi rolls are very simple to prepare, super delicious and highly versatile. The other bonus is it can be made ahead of time.  You could also use these as a side dish. It creates an endless amount of possibilities because almost anything goes with the smooth and silky flavor (and texture) of the zucchinis. It is a great grain-free alternative to the conventional wrap.

It is an ideal option for a light summer dinner meal. I decided to serve the sushi rolls with a dip made out of hung yogurt, dry mint powder and generous use of simple flavors like garlic, green coriander leaves and crushed pepper.

If you don’t like to use cottage cheese then fill it with hummus or any other stuffing like minced soya granules or even with chunks of raw green apple salad. Oh the opportunities are endless!

Okay let me just go straight to the recipe or else I will get lost in the simplicity of the dish.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For Zucchini Sushi Rolls

Zucchini: 2 Small ones

Soy Sauce: 2tsp

Crushed Black Pepper: 1 ½ tsp

Balsamic Vinegar: 3 tsp

Salt: As required

For the Stuffing:

Grated Cottage Cheese (Paneer):1/2 cup

Par Boiled Carrots & Broccoli: Finely chopped 1 Cup

 Oilve Oil: 2 Tbsp

Chopped Almond: 2 tsp

Dry Pomegranate Powder: 2 tsp

Green Coriander Leaves: ½ Cup finely chopped

Crushed Black Pepper: 1 tsp

Salt: As required

For the Yogurt Dip:

Hung Yogurt: 1 cup

Finely chopped Garlic: ¼ cup

Crushed White Peeper: 1 tsp

Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves: ½ cup

Dry Mint powder: 1 tsp

Black Salt: 1 1/2 tsp

Powdered Sugar: 2 tsp

Roasted Cumin Powder: 2 tsp

Method:

1.       Slice zucchini into 1/4 inch thick slices lengthwise.  A mandolin works best for this but you could always use a good old knife.  Discard the two outer slices that are mainly skin.

2.      Place the slices on a dish and rub it with the ingredients mentioned above for the zucchini sushi rolls. Brush the zucchini slices with olive oil on both the sides and allow it to marinate for 10 minutes. Lightly sprinkle one side with salt to taste. 

3.       Now it’s time to prepare the stuffing. Take the par boiled carrots and broccoli and stir fry it with little salt in 1 tsp olive oil.  Slightly toss the veggies in olive oil over low flame for 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and allow it to cool down.

4.      Take a bowl and mix all the other ingredients of the stuffing together. Add the carrot and broccoli mixture to it and mix well. The stuffing is ready to be rolled up.

5.      Heat a non-stick pan with 1 tsp of olive oil. Place the marinated slices directly on the pan and cook the slices until it is cooked from both the sides and the zucchini is tender.  This could take 3-4 minutes per side. It should be light brown in color from both the sides. Don’t overcook it or else it will lose the original texture required for the rolls.

6.      Remove the slices from the pan and place it on a plate.  Allow to cool.

7.      Once cooled, place 1/2 Tbsp of the stuffing at one end of each zucchini slice.  Roll the slice up beginning with the end where the stuffing is and secure with a toothpick. 

8.     Now it’s time to make the yogurt dip for serving the zucchini sushi rolls. Combine all the ingredients for the dip and the dish is ready to be plated.

You can either serve the dip separately or plate up the rolls by topping it with the yogurt dip.

Enjoy the subtle taste of the wonderful zucchini sushi rolls stuffed with the incredible mixture of broccoli, cottage cheese and carrots. Savor the food for life and keep churning out great innovative dishes :)