Before we get to the brown rice salmon sushi, I need to tell you about why I love food and travel so much. See, I think one of the best gifts you can give your 18 or 21 year old is a plane ticket. One way if they’re a dick.
Joking.
I am super fortunate that I have travelled my whole life. Being born in the Channel Islands to intrepid parents ensured that my childhood had a bit of adventure. I got quite a few stamps on the old passport.
I think getting that intro to travel as a child was one of the biggest reasons for me wanting to travel so much as an adult.
The Caribbean on my Dad’s yacht, the foul smelling tannery in Morocco, the oldest bullring in the world in Spain, a full moon in the desert in India, the biggest bird poo ever on my back in Madrid, the food, THE FOOD, everywhere.
The tastes and smells of adventure. So many memories of cultures so different to ours. So many people who live in ways so unimaginable unless you’re sitting on the dirt floor of their hut, playing charades with someone who doesn’t speak your language in order to communicate, getting ripped off, swindled, charmed or wooed, or drinking beer under a palm tree with a kid who has grown up in a parallel universe.
If nothing else, and is there a lot else, you learn to be grateful for this country we live in.
I was pretty clueless, as I’ve mentioned. Did all sorts of dumb shit, but it’s that dumb shit that taught me what I was capable of, and that I, too, am intrepid.
All I know is the more I travel, the more I want to travel. I’d love to trek with the kids, but I don’t know if I’m even still up for camping at the end of the day.
Glamping maybe. With good pillows.
Oh, god, maybe I’m not as intrepid as I used to be.
The thing is, we can travel without actually leaving our dining room. I’ve never been to Japan, and I’ve never really been attracted to it, but I know one thing I would love about it is the food. This brown rice salmon sushi is taking me for a trip in about 30 minutes from now…
Brown rice salmon sushi
Makes 20 pieces
Prep time: around 30 mins
- 1 salmon fillet, you can use a chicken fillet or tofu if you prefer
- 2 tablespoons ketcup manis (sweet soy)
- 1 cup brown rice
- 5 tablespoons sushi rice seasoning (I buy all in one but you can make your own with 5 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt)
- ¼ cup zucchini, finely grated
- ¼ cup carrot, finely grated
- ¼ cup of coriander, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon of pickled ginger, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, lightly toasted in a dry frypan
- ½ an avocado, sliced
- 3 teaspoons good quality mayonnaise. I like Thomy.
- 3 sheets nori
- one bamboo sushi mat
- wasabi and soy for serving
1. Pop the rice with 3 cups boiling water in a saucepan on the stove, turn it down low, stick a lid on and leave it until the water is absorbed and your rice is cooked (30-40 mins).
2. Once cooked, remove from pan and place it into a flat dish, pouring over the sushi vinegar seasoning. Stir well to combine and leave to cool.
3. Roll the salmon in the ketcup manis and cook in a little coconut or peanut oil in a frypan (or BBQ is even better) until just cooked. Remove from heat.
4. Toss the carrot, zucchini, coriander, chopped ginger and toasted sesames through the seasoned rice and stir well.
5. Place the nori on a sushi mat and spread a generous layer of the sticky rice over the nori, leaving a bit at the edge bare.
6. Flake the salmon and lay a nice chunky line through the centre, along with some sliced avocado and a little smear of mayo.
7. Using the mat, roll the sushi quite firmly to ensure it sticks nicely together. Roll until it is a tight cigar and set aside. Repeat until all ingredients are used. I sometimes have rice leftover which is fab in a salad.
8. Using a sharp, wet knife, slice the sushi in half, then in half again, and then in half again… unless you prefer a large roll.
Serve with wasabi and soy… and Asahi beer. Not for the kids.
