Think of Cucumber Sushi as a fresh way to use up the summer glut!
There’s something about cucumber season that feels quietly triumphant. One minute you’re coaxing along a few tentative seedlings, the next you’re opening the fridge to discover yet another cucumber that somehow appeared overnight…and they all seem to be ready to pick at the same time, don’t they!
This little recipe has been around the block too. Several years ago (yes, back in ‘the day’ when I was writing recipes and providing photograph for print) it was published in the NZ Lifestyle Block magazine. It is simple, fresh, and oddly satisfying to make.
This year, I’m trying out a new hybrid variety. It’s a bit of an experiment all round as I’ve trained several plants up a trellis in containers and positioned them in a sunny nook by my newly erected hot house. Usually my cucumbers are left to fend for themselves in ‘the food jungle’ out the back (it really is like a jungle, the tiger slugs are killers). But this year, I wanted to ensure my cucumbers were regularly watered – something MORE likely to happen in and around the hot house, than not. Well, that’s the plan.
The plan was (and still is): growing them up a trellis will provide better airflow, straighter fruit, easier harvesting, and fewer of those sneaky cucumbers hiding under leaves until they’re the size of small submarines. It’s still December and I can’t say I’ve been inundated with cucumber…just yet, but I am at the ready should this happen!
Why Cucumber Sushi?
Well, why the heck not?! This recipe is ideal for using up cucumbers when they’re plentiful and at their best. The cucumber becomes the “wrap”, which means no rolling mats, no seaweed dramas, and no pressure for perfection.
For this recipe, I’ve kept things beautifully simple with avocado and capsicum (plus the essential sushi rice). But it’s very much a use-what-you-have situation.
If you’ve got leftover teriyaki chicken, use it.
If the fridge offers smoked salmon and cream cheese, go that way.
If the garden is overflowing with carrots and herbs, let them lead.
Cucumber sushi is forgiving and flexible – exactly the kind of recipe that makes good use of a summer glut without feeling like you’re eating the same thing again and again.
A quick wander through cucumber varieties in NZ
One of the joys of growing cucumbers in New Zealand is the sheer variety you can play with:
Lebanese cucumbers: Small, crisp, thin-skinned and mild. These are my go-to for this recipe because they hold their shape beautifully.
Telegraph cucumbers: Long, classic salad cucumbers. Best grown on a trellis to keep them straight. Slightly softer flesh, but still very usable if you scoop them carefully.
Apple cucumbers: Round, pale and mildly sweet. Lovely in salads and pickles, though LESS suited to this recipe due to their shape.
Gherkins: Perfect if you’re into pickling. They’re prolific, enthusiastic, and very good at turning a manageable harvest into a full-time job. (NOT good for this recipe, for obvious reasons due to their size!)
Hybrid and disease-resistant varieties: These are increasingly popular, especially for trellis growing. Strong growth, consistent fruiting, and less stress all round.
Cucumber Sushi
Serves: 6–8 as a side
Ingredients
- 1 cup sushi rice
- 5 cups cold water
- 4 Tbsp sushi vinegar (aka Shin-Mirin)
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers
- ½ red capsicum
- ½ avocado (or preferred filling)
Method
- Rinse the sushi rice in cold water. Drain, then add to a saucepan with 1½ cups cold water over medium heat. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir through sushi vinegar until well combined, then set aside to cool slightly.
- Wash the cucumbers and pat dry. Leave the skin on. Cut each cucumber into even lengths of around 10–12 cm. Using a paring knife or apple corer, remove the centre flesh and seeds. Discard. Use a teaspoon to scrape away any remaining soft flesh, creating a sturdy tube. Dry the inside using a paper towel wrapped around the handle of the teaspoon.
- Slice the capsicum into long strips and dice the avocado.
- Stand each cucumber tube upright and spoon in rice. Use a flat utensil to gently push the rice to one side, then add capsicum strips and avocado. Fill any gaps with extra rice or filling. Turn the tube over and repeat if needed.
- Once filled, chill the cucumber tubes in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Slice into rounds using a sharp knife.
- Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, or your favourite dipping sauce.
If your garden (or neighbour) is producing cucumbers at an alarming rate, this is a lovely way to turn abundance into something fresh, light, and just a little bit playful. Perfect summer food.
