California Roll

ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pickled ginger
• 4 scallions, cut lengthwise into thin 1 inch strips
• 1/2 cup finely shredded carrot
• 1 large seedless cucumber (about 1 pound), quartered lengthwise, cored, and chopped
• 2 sheets nori (paper-thin sheets of dried seaweed)
• 1 California avocado
• 1/4 pound surimi if desired, sliced thin
• dressing:
• 2 teaspoons wasabi
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons ginger juice (squeezed from freshly grated ginger)

directions

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 1/4 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.

Dry-roast 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 2 inch-long strips.

Peel and pit avocado. Quarter avoado and cut crosswise into thin slices. Add avocado to salad with surmimi if using and 2/3 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.