I’m a color-outside-of-the-lines kinda girl. I prefer making big, crazy, messy salads as opposed to perfect little, ummm… sushi rolls. This was my first time rolling sushi. Ever. To say I was intimidated was an understatement. I played and paused this one youtube video about a million times before I rolled up my sleeves and grabbed some rice.

But as cliche as it sounds, once I got “rolling” it was actually really fun! These little rolls may look far from perfect but the flavor is amazing stuffed with this miso roasted sweet potato. And guys! Finger limes! Ok, I had never tried a finger lime up until this point either – lots of firsts wrapped up in this post. Delicious firsts. When Melissa’s asked me to share a recipe made with finger limes I really had no idea where to start but kept coming back to this citrus caviar idea. When you cut into these little things, the tiniest, perfectly round balls of lime juice come oozing out! They taste amazing – subtle lime flavors that are more flowery than sour. We ate a whole bunch just plain and they really do have the texture of caviar without that whole fish eggs part. Together with these sushi rolls it was a flavor match made in heaven. All soooo good!

Ingredients for the Miso Roasted Sweet Potatoes

  • 3 large sweet potatoes
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • a couple dashes of liquid smoke

Ingredients for the Cilantro Aïoli

  • 4 tablespoons mayonaise or just mayo
  • 1 tablespoon miso paste
  • juice of half a lime
  • big bunch of fresh cilantro
  • 1 thai green chili or a few pinches smoked ghost pepper chili flakes

For the Sushi Rolls, etc.

  • a few nori sheets
  • 1 cup short grain white or brown rice
  • finger limes for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F. Marinate the sweet potatoes in olive oil, miso paste and spices. I like to really rub the miso paste onto the sweet potatoes with my fingers. Place on parchment papered baking sheet and roast for 15 to 20 minutes until soft, fragrant and beginning to brown.

While the sweet potato roasts, cook the rice per instruction. Make the cilantro sauce – place all ingredients into your food processor and blend. If the consistency is a bit runny, place in fridge to set, alternatively you could also add more mayo. Let the sweet potatoes cool a bit after they finish roasting.

I like to add a few dashes of rice wine vinegar to the sushi rice when it’s finished cooking (I saw it on a sushi making tutorial on youtube).

When the rice and the potatoes have slightly cooled you can begin rolling! Cut the large nori sheets in half.

Place sheet near the bottom of your saran wrapped mat. Wet your clean hands before grabbing a small handful of rice. Using your fingers, push the rice along the center of the nori strip, evenly distributing it up to the edges as shown.

Place some sweet potatoes in the center of the rice (more than you think because they really smush down). On the first roll you are tightly tucking all the ingredients into the roll. The second roll is to seal the edges. Use a sharp knife to cut even bite size pieces. Garnish with finger limes – just finger limes in half and squeeze over your rolls. Cilantro sauce on the side.

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