6.20.14 Sushi Rice Salad
If you’re like me, you have certain foods that you get random cravings for all the time. In the summer, the craving that seems to strike me most is for sushi. And when I’m not craving it, Forrest is. So at any given time, odds are that at least one person in our household is jonesin’ for some sushi. But the problem with sushi is that you either have to go out someplace to get it, or resign yourself to making it at home. And while making your own sushi isn’t too terribly difficult, it can be a bit of a project. On a random weeknight, I’m not always in the mood to bust out the bamboo mats and start rolling some sushi. Which is why I invented this salad for when the craving strikes. Rice, nori, vegetables, sesame seeds, and a soy ginger wasabi dressing - it’s basically a sushi roll in salad form, no rolling required.
Now I like to eat this salad as a side (it’s awesome with teriyaki salmon), or when the mood strikes, I’ll add some protein and call it a meal. Really, you can throw in anything you might conceivably find in a sushi roll, and you’ll be set. Seared tuna steak, shrimp, a tamago-esque omelet cut up into pieces - really your possibilities are endless. I’ve been known to throw some cold smoked salmon on top and call it breakfast (I know, I know, sushi for breakfast? But trust me, it’s amazing). To each their own. But I’m telling you, once you start making this salad, you’ll be hooked. Just make sure you have some cold rice in the fridge (also perfect for making fried rice at a moment’s notice), and your next sushi fix is only minutes away.
Sushi Rice Salad
serves 4
Dressing:
- 3 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 ½ Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp fresh grated ginger
- ½ tsp wasabi (or more to taste)
Salad:
- 3 cups cooked and cooled white or brown rice (from about 1 cup dried rice)
- 1 cup chopped seeded cucumber
- 1 large avocado, chopped
- 2 sheets nori, torn into small pieces
- ¼ thinly sliced scallion, green part only
1. Combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk thoroughly until mixed. Or to make things even easier, put the ingredients in a jar, screw on the lid, and shake until combined.
2. Mix together the rice, cucumber, avocado, nori and scallion, then toss with the dressing until well coated.
