Recipe - California Roll Salad

1 One half cup Longgrain rice
One fourth cup Plus 3 tablespoons rice
vinegar*; (not seasoned)
One fourth cup Sugar
1 One half teaspoon Salt
1 tablespoon Sesame seeds; (preferably
; unhulled*)
3 tablespoon Vegetable oil
2 tablespoon Finely chopped pickled
ginger*
4 Scallions; cut lengthwise
into
; thin 1inch strips
; (about Three fourths cup)
One half cup Finely shredded carrot
1 lg Seedless cucumber; (about 1
pound),
; quartered
; lengthwise,cored,
; and chopped
2 Sheets nori; (paperthin
sheets
; of dried seaweed)*
1 Avocado; (preferably
; California)
One fourth pound Surimi; (mock crab legs) if
; desired, cut or sliced up
; thin

FOR DRESSING
2 teaspoon Wasabi; (Japanese green
; horseradish)
; powder*
1 tablespoon Hot water
2 tablespoon Cold water
2 tablespoon Soy sauce
2 teaspoon Ginger juice; (squeezed from
; freshly grated
; gingerroot)

*available at Asian markets, natural foods stores, and some
supermarkets

Into a large saucepan of salted boiling water stir rice and boil 10
minutes.

Drain rice in a colander and rinse. Set colander over a kettle of
boiling water (rice should not touch water) and steam rice, covered
with a kitchen towel and lid, until fluffy and dry, 10 to 15 minutes
(check water level in kettle occasionally, adding water if necessary).

While rice is steaming, in a small saucepan bring One fourth cup vinegar to
a boil with sugar and salt, stirring until sugar is dissolved, and
remove from heat. In a dry small skillet toast sesame seeds over
moderate heat, stirring, until golden and fragrant and transfer to a
small bowl.

Transfer rice to a large bowl and stir in vinegar mixture. Cool rice
and stir in sesame seeds, remaining 3 tablespoons vinegar, oil,
ginger, scallions, carrot, and cucumber. Salad may be prepared up to
this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring salad to room
temperature before proceeding.

Dryroast nori, 1 sheet at a time, directly above moderate heat (gas
or electric burner), holding it at opposite corners and moving it
back and forth, until it turns bright green, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
With scissors cut nori into thin 2inchlong strips.

Peel and pit avocado. Quarter avoado and cut crosswise into thin
slices. Add avocado to salad with surmimi if using and two thirds of
nori strips and toss well.

Make dressing:

In a small bowl stir wasabi powder into hot water and stir in cold
water, soy sauce, and ginger juice.

Serve salad sprinkled with remaining nori strips and drizzled with
dressing.

Gourmet July 1994

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