Sushi Rice Salad

Submitted by gailanng

"Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Lowfat Favorites. The original recipe calls for brown rice, but I substituted sushi rice. This recipe is a LOT of work and makes a LARGE amount. Having said that, it was good but believe it could benefit with a splash of something. I tried soy sauce, ponzu sauce and mirin. I preferred the mirin."

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• 2 cups sushi rice (short grain)
• 3 1⁄2 cups water
• 2⁄3 cup rice vinegar
• 4 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 4 small carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 2 yellow bell peppers or 2 orange bell peppers, seeded and diced
• 3 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced
• 3 teaspoons wasabi powder, plus more for serving
• 1 sheet nori, seaweed
• 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds, toasted
• 2 ripe avocados, peeled and sliced lentghwise

directions

1. Rinse the rice, and add it and the water to a medium-sized stockpot,. Bring the water to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer, cover the pot and cook for 18-20 minutes.
2. While the rice is cooking, prepare the sauce. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, and ginger to a small saucepan. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. When the rice is done, toss the sauce with the rice. Add the 3 teaspoons of water to the wasabipowder and mix. Stir the wasabi into the rice. Put in the refrigerator to cool.
4. Fill a medium pot half full of water and bring it to a boil. Add the carrots and cook for a minute, then add the bell peppers and cook for about another two minutes. The vegetables should have softened, but retain a bit of texture (they shouldn't be mushy). Drain and set the veggies aside to cool.
5. Toast the sesames by putting them in a saute pan over a medium flame until they are fragrant, about 5 minutes. Pour them out of the pan onto a plate to cool. Toast the sheets of nori in the same saute pan until they darken, about 1 or 2 minutes. When they are cool enough handle, crumble them into small pieces.
6. When the carrots and peppers have cooled, stir them into the rice. Add the cucumbers. Just before serving, stir in the sesames and nori. Peel and slice the avocadoes and serve them with the salad.