It’s not uncommon for me to have food themes at my house. This happens for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it happens because I do a project with a company that launches me on a brainstorming spree where I have a bunch of ideas I want to try, which translates into a series of posts using a theme ingredient, like Fig Week. Sometimes it happens just because I feel like it, like Cupcake Week or Pumpkin Palooza. Sometimes it happens because of a food holiday, like Pancake Week. Then other times it happens because something is in season and I want to make as many things as I can with it while I can, like Grape Week. Sometimes these food themes don’t show up here on my site, at least not in full. You may only get a taste of the madness. Today is one such case. The theme that has most recently taken my kitchen by storm is mangoes.
During a trip to the supermarket last week I picked up a big bag of mangoes that was super cheap because the mangoes were all ripe and needed to be used ASAP, otherwise they would go bad. I couldn’t resist, and really, why should I have? They’re good for you! My family loves mangoes, and I love this time of year when they tend to be a bit cheaper in our markets.
So grab that bag I did, and the result was a day of extreme “mango madness” as I whipped up that bag of mangoes into 3 different dishes. I started by slicing a few of them and throwing the slices into my dehydrator, making the slices into chewy mango snacks for my girls. With a couple of the others I made dinner, adding them to buccatini pasta with shrimp and basil.
Then with the last two I made mango sushi rolls. This one was my favorite, which is why I decided I had to share it with you! These rolls are a bit sweeter than traditional sushi, but not so sweet that they fully land in the dessert category. I served ours with some strawberry coconut ice cream for a light summer dessert, but they could just as easily be served on their own as a refreshing afternoon snack.
For my rolls I used soy wrappers instead of nori (seaweed) to add some color and to shake things up a bit.
I used brown rice, which is harder to work with when making sushi (it doesn’t stick together as well), but I’ve been trying to use more brown rice instead of white rice in my cooking for health reasons. I lightly seasoned the brown rice with a bit of coconut milk, sugar, and freshly squeezed lime juice. I then spread the rice over a soy wrapper, added a strip of mango slices, and then carefully rolled everything into a roll.
I knew my girls would love the sushi, but I was surprised when they ate their sushi first before eating their ice cream! The great thing about this recipe is that it is endlessly customizable. You could use white rice instead of brown, and nori instead of the soy wrappers. You could make thinner rolls, cutting your wrappers in half. Don’t like lime? Use lemon or some other citrus juice to flavor your rice! Have other fruit on hand? Cut it up and use it alongside your mango in the filling! Here’s to summer fruit—what I like to call “Nature’s Candy”!
Mango Sushi Roll
Makes 1 roll
2 cups freshly steamed Japanese rice (white or brown)
3 tablespoons coconut milk
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeeze lime juice
pinch of salt
1 mango, sliced
1 soy wrapper sheet (or 1 sheet of nori)
1. Place the hot rice in a large bowl or dish. In a separate bowl, combine the coconut milk, sugar, lime juice, and salt and stir until the sugar dissolves. Fill a small bowl with water and a splash of rice vinegar and set aside.
2. Sprinkle half of the coconut milk mixture evenly over the rice, then toss the rice by gently cutting into it vertically with a rice paddle (or spatula), and then lifting the rice and turning it over, working from the outside of the bowl into the center. As you do this, fan the rice with a hand fan or piece of cardboard (or get someone to help you). Sprinkle the remaining coconut milk mixture over the rice and continue the cutting, folding, and fanning process. Fanning the rice facilitates quick cooling, which gelatinizes the surface of the rice and gives a glossy finish to the rice. Fan the rice so it cools to room temperature, about 5 minutes.
3. Place the soy wrapper sheet, shiny side down, on a bamboo sushi mat. Dip both hands in the bowl of water, shaking off the excess (this helps prevent the rice from sticking to your hands), then spread the cooled rice evenly over the soy wrapper, leaving about a 1-inch strip of space at the edge furthest away from you. Put the strips of mango horizontally across the middle of the rice.
4. Place your thumbs on the back of the bamboo mat of the edge nearest you and begin rolling forward tightly. Press gently and continue rolling forward to complete the roll.
5. Shape the roll by applying light, but even pressure with your hands. Remove the bamboo mat and set the roll on a cutting board, with seam on bottom, for a few minutes to let the edges of the soy wrapper fully adhere and set.
6. Wipe a sharp knife with a damp cloth and cut the roll in half. Cut each half into 3 pieces, wiping the knife after each cut, and arrange on a plate and serve.
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
Ok, I really love mango, on all of my sushi, much like I love avocado on all my sushi, so good! The soy paper makes the color so pretty!!!
How fun are these! Love mango, so creative Rachael :)
Oooo, I do just love mango! And so cute with the coconut rice. Yummy. I think that’s a great dessert!
What a wonderful idea! I just received a bunch of mangos and was trying to think of new ways to use them. :)
This sounds amazing. Mango makes my world go ’round.
Must.have.this.immediately!
So pretty, so fun, so….I want!
Cuuuuuuute! I love mango and I think the mango sushi looks awesome :D I bet my kids would love it too. I love looking through the discounted produce. I usually buy things that freeze well when they’re a good deal but I obviously need to get a little more creative :D
Omg Rachael…I would pay you to make these for me!!!
I have never made my own sushi, scared of the rolling/falling apart possibly flop…need to get over that b/c clearly this recipe is made for me: no nori (not really a huge fan), mango-yes and coconut milk!!
I HAVE TO HAVE THESE!!
This looks great. Want to come to dinner and make it for us? I’ll buy you a bag of mangos! Just kidding, but I love your explanation about working in a series. This food in today’s post is beautiful!
Just beautiful…you sure do make it sound doable but I fear all I will ever do is watch you do it! I love some things with mango flavor but have never been wild about fresh mango; too weird huh? Maybe I should give them another shot. They look fabulous.
The roll looks great. I just had a roll that included mango and I liked your take better.
The beloved mango. What a fantastic way to enjoy it. Candy for my eyes and hopefully later for my stomach.
I enjoy Sushi a lot but husband cannot tolerate the smell of seaweed at all. This soy wrapper looks pretty and colorful and perfect for Mango Sushi :)
That dessert sushi looks absolutely beautiful, makes me long for summer! I agree with you that brown rice is a bit more difficult to work with, but I do love the flavour, and the extra healthy-ness of it.
Love, love the mango theme…I buy mine by the box at Costco, of all places, and am scheduled to make mango chutney tomorrow. Happy 4th!!
Oh I wish I had known about those soy wrappers. Just made something that could have used them. Beautiful sushi you got there!
This looks SO good. Thai mango with coconut rice is my favorite dessert ever. This reminds me of a Japanese version. Can’t wait to make it. xo
so inventive and creative, Rachel! And beautiful. I love how your girls eat…you are one good “mama”!
wow this is really unique and beautiful!!! Great contrast of colors and I can imagine that it is just so delicious! btw amazing photos!
So pretty, summery and surely divine! I really like the idea.
Cheers,
Rosa
I just came across your site through Gojee and am so glad I did. Your recipes and photos look wonderful. I look forward to exploring.
These look lovely… What a fun idea!
I think I’m going to have to implement theme foods into our household! Mango week especially!!
I just Love Mango, I will try this on the weekend. Thanks for sharing.
Miam! Je fais aussi des sushis à la mangue et c’est délicieux!!
What is the sauce pictured above with the rolls? I’d like to
Know how to make an accompanying sauce.
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