Sundried Tomato, Pumpkin and Avocado Sushi

My colleagues point out box after box of sushi, talking critically between themselves about what to share. They end up with four boxes from the shopping mall stand.

This is the problem with being a vegetarian: it’s hard to share food with people.

None of the boxes are suitable so I wander around to the rolls.

All the usual are here: teriyaki chicken, tuna, cucumber, tofu… but what is this?

Sundried tomato, pumpkin and avocado sushi rolls? Really? That’s a bit weird.

That makes it right up my alley.

Sitting outside in the wind, my c0-workers rapidly devour their sets of dumplings and sushi. My tofu kimchi roll is very tasty, sweet and spicy, but it’s all done and now it’s time for the main attraction.

The tomato smell is strong enough that the normal sushi smell of seaweed is undetectable. Looking at the little soy sauce fish dispenser… probably not necessary.

In it goes!

The oily sweetness of the tomato dominates the taste as well as the scent. The red discs are so firm I can’t bite through them… have to eat the chunk all at once… leaving a gaping wound in my roll that allows me to try a bit with just the pumpkin and avocado.

The avocado is perfect, soft and buttery, but the pumpkin is nearly as sweet as the tomato while being almost a puree. The effect is a squelch in the mouth.

Another go, another unbiteable chunk of tomato. This is like a really weird pizza or panini… there is no taste of sushi, it’s like the rice and nori isn’t even there.

Sushi just should not be this sweet. Oh, it’s edible, but it’s just not right.

In the tiny kitchen an elderly man and woman churn out freshly made sushi. Hopefully not much of it is this westernised.

Rating:

Specifics: Sundried tomato, pumpkin and avocado sushi from Pemulwuy Marketplace, Greystanes