Thumbs up for innovation, IMA vegan ‘salmon’ sushi is a truly astonishing plant-based alternative to conventional sushi that looks and tastes just like the real thing.
Our seas and oceans are trouble, not only from plastic garbage and climate change but also from overfishing. Anyone striving for a more sustainable diet shoud aim to eat less meat and less fish as nearly 90% of the world’s marine fish stocks are now fully exploited, overexploited or depleted.
IMA was founded in 2017 by Jessica Chan who set out to reinvent sushi vegan-style. Jessica had been making sushi from a very young age but, after going vegan, quickly became disatisfied with the selection of plant-based sushi options out there.
IMA vegan ‘salmon’ sushi is made from konjac, an Asian tuber plant often used as a gelatin substitute, layered with coconut to replicate the appearance of sliced salmon. IMA sushi is then handrolled in their London kitchen using traditional bamboo mats.
I sampled the range last week and was really impressed. For once, the vegan ‘salmon’ does not only look really realistic but also has an identical texture to real salmon. I found the taste to be slightly less fishy than conventional salmon. However wrapped in nori and once dipped into soy sauce, I could not tell the difference between Ima vegan ‘salmon’ sushi and traditional sushi.
Mindful of plastic pollution’s impact on the environment, IMA vegan sushi products are packed in 100 per cent biodegradable packaging. What’s more 10% of IMA sushi sales go towards fighting against plastic oceans.
IMA’s vegan ‘salmon’ sushi retails at £6.99. The range, available at Selfridges, Sourced Market and Planet Organic, also includes plant-based alternative hoisin ‘duck’, tofu firecracker and black California roll with ‘crab’ as well as a ‘tuna’ sushi burrito.
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