These teriyaki bowls with avocado and spicy mayo kind of remind me of caterpillar rolls: the teriyaki sauce is similar to eel sauce, and the creaminess of the avocado and spicy mayo really hits the spot!

I haven’t ventured into making sushi yet, but maybe some day. When we want vegetarian sushi we try and go to a place where they will customize. We want big flavorful American style rolls with things like asparagus and sweet potato tempera or jalapeños stuffed with cream cheese battered and fried, and wrapped in rolls, topped with avocado and teriyaki sauce and spicy mayo. Maybe make a roll with mushrooms then cut it, lay it flat, top with kewpie mayo, baked it and then add fried onions, raw onions, sesame oil, you name it! Okay now I am getting hungry…

Tofu has so much water content that it doesn’t absorb marinade very well. What I did was cut the tofu the night before and wrap it in a towel and put it in the fridge over night which dried it out some. Then in the morning I put the tofu in the marinade. I’m doing a lot more planning and cooking ahead these days since there is so little time to play with Ishaan after work! On Sunday we try and figure out what we want to eat during the week and do some prep.

This made 2 bowls.

Teriyaki Sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons ginger minced

• Mix all ingredients together.

Spicy Mayo
2 tablespoon mayo (Japanese Kewpie mayo is best, Best Foods 2nd best)
Srirachi to taste
Pinch vinegar
Pinch sugar

• Mix all ingredients together.

Bowls
8 ounces tofu cut into squares
Teriyaki sauce
Calrose rice
A little olive oil for pan frying cauliflower and tofu
1/2 cauliflower broken into florets
1 avocado
Spicy Mayo
Sesame seeds
Green onions chopped
Cilantro chopped (optional)

1. Marinate the tofu in a little of the teriyaki sauce (see above for tips).
2. Cook rice (we use a rice cooker and for Calrose it is about 1 cup rice to a little less than 1 1/2 cups water).
3. Heat olive oil in a skillet over high heat and brown the cauliflower. Cover to finish cooking. Add the rest of the teriyaki sauce to heat through.
4. Pan fry the tofu in a little olive oil until browned.
5. Make up your bowls: rice, tofu, cauliflower, slice some avocado on top, then drizzle with spicy mayo and sprinkle with sesame seeds, green onions, and cilantro!