Sushi Roll Salad

Let me start off by saying that I'm not a sushi snob.  You know the type of person I'm talking about.  The type who moves to a new area and the first thing he wants to know is where the location of a good sushi restaurant is.  They type of person who randomly injects his knowledge of sushi into every day conversations.  The type of person who sees sushi as a status symbol of sorts.  That's not me.  Actually I tend to roll my eyes at those type of people (yes, I'm that type of person).

Let me now say that I really do like sushi.  It doesn't even need to be good sushi. I just love the pairing of the sweet and tangy rice, with the fishy taste of nori (and whatever fish it happens to have) and the spiciness of wasabi and ginger.  It's just...amazing.  

We have some good friends who periodically invite us over for sushi parties.  It's always a lot of fun and good conversations as we roll our own sushi rolls.  But the best part is chowing down on sushi. We always leave with very happy and full tummies.  

We have made sushi at home before.  It's not quite the same and is a lot of work, although still delicious and well worth it.  This salad incorporates the same flavors, but is a little lower on the effort required scale.  It also used brown rice (yes, sushi snobs, I know it's not technically sushi if I don't use sushi rice) instead of white making it a slightly healthier alternative.  It makes a delicious main course but would also make a great salad for a pot luck.

Sushi Roll Salad

serves 4

recipe adapted from: In the Kitchen with Kath

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups brown rice (I prefer using instant)

1/3 cup  rice vinegar

2 tbs sugar

1 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons finely chopped pickled ginger

2 green onions, sliced

3/4 cup shredded carrot

1 large cucumber, peeled quartered and thinly sliced

2 sheets roasted nori

1 avocado. 

1 tsp. lime juice

8 oz imitation crab, chopped

For the dressing:

1 teaspoons prepared wasabi

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

3 teaspoons juice from the pickled ginger

Directions:

1. Cook rice according to your preferred method.

2. Put vinegar, sugar, and salt into a small saucepan.  Cook stirring frequently until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat.

3. When the rice has finished cooking, place in a large bowl and add the vinegar mixture.  Stir to combine, allowing the rice to cool slightly.

4.  Add the ginger, green onions, carrots and cucumber.  Stir to incorporate.  

5. With a pair of kitchen shears, cut the nori into thin strips and then again into pieces 1-2 inches long.  remove the peel and the seed from the avocado and chop.  Toss with the lime juice.  

6. Stir the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl.

7.  Gently fold 2/3 of the nori, the avocado, crab and dressing into the salad.  Top with the remaining nori and serve

*This salad can be served warm as a main dish or cold as a side.  To make ahead prepare the salad up to step 4 and refrigerate until ready to serve.  

What the husband thinks:  He is like me in my love for sushi, so...he loves this salad.  He says I can make it anytime and won't even complain that I used brown rice (which he's still a bit resistant to--I'm wearing him down though).

What the kid ate:  Steamed carrots.  He wouldn't even try this salad.  I didn't expect any different.