Cucumber Sushi

Ingredients

• 2 long cucumbers, for sushi, see note 1
• 1 cup ice cold water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup cooked sticky rice, see note 3 on how to cook sushi rice
• ⅛ teaspoon light soy sauce
• ½ lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 3 cloves of garlic, grated
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon kalonji seeds
• 100 grams paneer cut into thin strips
• 2 carrots cut into thin strips and sauteed until crunchy
• 1 cucumber cut into thin strips
• 1 red bell pepper cut into thin strips
• 1 yellow bell pepper cut into thin strips
• 1 teaspoon black & white sesame seeds, optional, for garnish

Steps

1. Cut cucumber into 2 & scoop them out with a knife or spoon to form cylinders.
2. Soak the cucumber halves in ice cold water & salt for 5 minutes, drain, dry & set aside.
3. Take cooked sushi rice in a bowl & add light soy sauce & lemon juice, mix well & rest it for 10 minutes.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients of the sushi rice mix, give it a good toss & set aside for 10 minutes.
5. Fill half the cucumber cylinders with sushi rice mix & press it well with a knife to make room for other ingredients.
6. Add cut paneer & veggies, compressing as you add until cucumber is packed full.
7. Repeat for the remaining cucumbers.
8. Trim the ends off the cucumbers.
9. Using a sharp knife, cut the filled cucumbers into 1cm thick discs & serve chilled with soy sauce.