Watermelon Sashimi & Forbidden Rice
Watermelon sashimi is the new summertime favorite in our house. Watermelon is in season from late spring into late fall. This sweet, juicy fruit is great on it’s own or wonderfully complimented with a variety of savory herbs and spices. In this recipe we use Japanese sashimi as an inspiration to show the versatility of using dehydrated watermelon.
When creating healthy raw options we try not to mimic meat, instead we try to inspire you to satisfy your nutritional needs with raw vegan food. So while watermelon will never replace fish for instance, once you try our sashimi, you’ll never want those bland and boring little vegetable rolls ever again.
Our second main ingredient was a completely strange concept to me before I started doing this site. I never knew you could eat rice raw, and technically you can’t eat just any rice raw. Only Forbidden Rice, that bag of dark purple rice you sometimes see on shelves at specialty supermarkets is the only rice that can be eaten safely raw. This purple (not black) rice is truly the Emperor of all rices. High in antioxidants and naturally gluten free, Forbidden Rice is also a great source of protein, iron and fiber. Forbidden Rice is the only rice you do not have to sprout in order to eat it, but sprouting it gives it the exact same consistency as cooking it. It will remain al dente. I actually used the rice at germination, just when you see the radical start to emerge.
To make this recipe you will need to prepare the wasabi 15 mins before, the ginger at least 2 days or more before and the rice 24 hours (or until germination/sprouted) before final preparation. The watermelon will take about 6- 8 hours in the dehydrator, depending on how thick you cut your piece. This might seem like a hassle, but the good news is the ginger and wasabi will keep for about 3-4 weeks while the sprouted rice and watermelon will keep for about 2-3 days in the fridge, making leftovers easy.
RAW VEGAN RECIPE: Watermelon Sashimi with Forbidden Rice
1 watermelon filet
1 cup sprouted Forbidden Rice
1/2 avocado (diced)
Fresh grated wasabi (if you can find it, powdered otherwise and follow directions on jar)
pickled ginger
Shoyu sauce
slice of lemon
Dehydrated Sashimi Watermelon
Watermelon is easy to select. Pick one with a shiny skin and bold colors. It’s fine if it’s yellow on the bottom as long as it’s not soft. If you cup your hand and thump it, it should give off a hollow sound, this is usually a good indicator of a perfect melon.
Remove the rind and cut a 3″ X 4″ rectangle about 1 – 1/2″ thick.
Place watermelon on silicone sheet in dehydrator for 7 hours at 118 degrees. Turn watermelon over at the halfway point. Refrigerate covered for one hour and slice.
Sprouted Forbidden Rice
1 cup Forbidden Rice
2 cups room temperature filtered water
Rinse rice at least twice. Place rice in a bowl with filtered water and let sit 6-8 hours (germination) or overnight (sprouting). Drain before serving.
*if you cannot find Forbidden Rice you can sprout another variety, but it takes several days before it’s safe to eat.
Pickled Ginger
1 good sized firm round fresh ginger, peeled and sliced very thin (young ginger preferably)
Apple cider vinegar (enough to cover ginger slices)
1 1/2 tsp fine raw sugar
1 tsp Kosher salt
Place salt, sugar and vinegar together and liquefy. Let the mixture sit for 2 hours in a warm place, stirring periodically. Put the sliced ginger in the jar and pour the liquid over it, seal tightly and give it a good shake. Let sit for 48 hours in the refrigerator, shaking it every couple of hours.
*use the back of a spoon to peel the ginger, works a lot faster and more efficiently.
**if you want it pink, place a red radish in with the ginger or a drop of beet juice.
Plating:
Place rice into bowl with sliced watermelon. Serve with lemon, avocado, pickled ginger, wasabi and Shoyu sauce.
Enjoy!
