California Roll Salad

If you like california rolls, you are going to LOVE this salad.  You can make it a meal by adding chilled crab or, as I did, about 3 cups of cooked, cleaned, chilled, tail off medium shrimp.  If you are not a Wasabi lover, try making the dressing with just a 1/2 tsp. of the wasabi powder ( or prepared Wasabi.) Then add more if you like.

California Roll Salad

• 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar (I'm a Miso fan)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

while rice cooks, bring vinegar, sugar and salt to a boil in a saucepan, stirring so sugar dissolves.  remove from heat.  transfer hot rice to a large bowl.  Stir in warm vinegar.

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted (black or white seeds)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pickled ginger
• 3-4 scallions, cut lengthwise into thin 1-inch strips (about 3/4 cup) using white and light green parts only
• 1/2 cup finely shredded carrot
• 1 large seedless cucumber (about 1 pound), quartered lengthwise,  cored, (If you buy regular cucumbers, just slice length wise and with a spoon, rake down the middle taking out the seeds.  I always do this with my cucumbers.  When you slice them, you get little cucumber moons!)
• 2-3 handfuls baby spinach, sliced into strips
• 1 avocado (I used 3.  I'm an avocado lover!)
• chilled crab or shrimp if you desire

For dressing

• 2 teaspoons wasabi (Japanese green horseradish) powder (look in your Asian section)
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1-2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

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.  When ready to serve, add the spinach.

Peel and pit avocado. Quarter avocado and cut crosswise into thin slices. Add avocado to salad. 


Make dressing:
In a small bowl stir wasabi powder into hot water and stir in cold water, soy sauce, and ginger juice.
Serve salad drizzled with dressing. 

This recipe is adapted from the new Keeping Up cookbook- by the authors of my favorite cookbook called (what else?)  Favorites which is a fundraiser for Make a Wish foundation.  I want to try every single recipe in this new cookbook.  You can buy it online.