Recipe Friday--Sushi in a Bowl

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Let me say that I announced early on in my sushi eating career that I was not learning to make sushi. I learned my lesson over the fajitas and the chicken tikki masala. Okay, I didn't learn my lesson over one, or the other wouldn't have happened, but what's important is I can produce a better product than what can be had in the local restaurants. The result: cooking—yes; going out for fajitas and chicken tikki masala—no. And I can't blame it on The Guy. Even I don't want to eat theirs.

Anyway. I digress. That's my hobby.

I wasn't going to let it happen to me over sushi. After all, I didn't have the little mat or access to sushi grade raw fish. And there was no way, I was going to stand there and chop, roll, and hope stuff didn't fall apart. I've held to that. However, a few hot summers ago, I ran across a recipe for Sushi in a Bowl. (That recipe has only a nodding acquaintance with what I am about to give you.) It's not sushi, so much as a salad with some of the elements of sushi. It's easy and won't cost you trips to the Japanese restaurant.

Apparently Precious Angel thinks it's good for breakfast. Two summers ago, before he could drive, I picked him up one morning at 8 a.m. after football weight training, which had started at 6 a.m. "Do you want to go to the grocery store with me?" I asked. "Or do you want to go home to rest until you have to be back for practice at 10?"

"Home, please" he said. "I just really need a shower, some food, and a nap."

This made me a little sad. This is the first time I can ever remember him turning down a trip to the grocery store. That child loved the grocery store. The man-child, not so much. Which, come to think of it, I'm glad about. I don't want him, as an adult man, to love the grocery store. That's just weird.

Anyway, I threw him out at my house and went about my business. I hadn't given much thought to what he would eat. There was cereal, fruit, English muffins, and he can scramble an egg. However, when I returned, there was a trail of rice, wasabi, and smoked salmon from the sink to the refrigerator. And the orange juice was gone.

I prefer it for lunch or a light dinner.

Enjoy!

Sushi in a Bowl

For the Sushi Mayonnaise

• ½ cup of light mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 1-2 tablespoons chopped pickled ginger
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

For the Rice

• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 cups (one cup dry) cooked and cooled rice (I use brown rice, but you can use sushi rice.)
• salt to taste

For the Rest

• Half an English cucumber, chopped
  
• 2 sheets of nori, torn into small pieces
• 6 ounces chopped smoked salmon
• 8 ounces boiled salad shrimp
• one chopped avocado that has been sprinkled with lemon juice
• wasabi and soy sauce

Combine ingredients for sushi mayonnaise and refrigerate.

Mix vinegar and sugar and toss with rice. Add salt.

Salt chopped cucumber and let drain on paper towels while you tear the nori and chop the salmon. Mix rice, cucumber, nori, salmon, and shrimp. Toss with mayonnaise and chill. Just before serving, add avocado. Serve with soy sauce and wasabi.

You can put anything in it you like. Red bell pepper and roasted asparagus is good. Little chopped up cubes of cream cheese is an idea. Not a good idea, as far as I am concerned because I don't like plain cream cheese, but I'll let you have it.

Serves four, provided a teenage boy is not involved.