Sushi-Roll Rice Salad (Page 151)

RECIPE #1120

• Date: Thursday, February 25, 2010 -- 7pm
• Location: Berkeley, CA
• Kitchen: Our Temporary California Home
• Fellow Chef: Matty
• Dining Companion: Chris
• Recipe Rating: A-
  

I made this salad as part of Chris' birthday dinner a few weeks back. I started by rinsing sushi rice in several changes of cold water, then draining it. I toasted some sesame seeds in a skillet. Then I combined the rice with water and brought it to a boil. I simmered for 2 minutes, then let it stand, covered, for 10 minutes. I combined rice vinegar, sugar, and salt and brought it to a boil. I sprinkled the rice with the vinegar mixture. I used a vegetable peeler to shave some carrot strips. Then I whisked together wasabi paste, water, and vegetable oil. I added rice, carrot, chopped cucumber, scallions, pickled ginger, and sesame seeds and tossed. I put the salad in bowls and topped with sliced avocado and thin strips of toasted nori. This salad was very tasty. It was quicker than rolling vegetarian sushi, and had the same great flavor combinations. The rice was very flavorful and the balance of rice and vegetables was perfect. It was a simple, healthy rice salad that I wish I had made sooner!

The recipe is here.

It was quite a busy weekend! On Friday evening we went over to Mike and Teresa's for dinner and a movie (actually two movies). We ate Indian take-out and watched Up in The Air, followed immediately by Zombieland. After the double feature my special gentleman declared that the two movies "had the same message, delivered slightly differently." Hahaha. On Saturday morning we drove from Bloomington up to Chicago for Brad and Deniz' annual St. Patrick's Day pub crawl! We spent the day hanging out with friends, drinking beer at various pubs, and playing with Brad and Deniz's puppies. On Sunday we flew back to California. Now I am in Berkeley for a couple days before heading to Las Vegas on Wednesday to meet my parents for a little family vacation. My parents love Vegas -- probably because they got married there! I have only been there once, but I am looking forward to visiting again. In the meantime I am trying to get a lot of work and cooking done before I start traveling again!