Dino-Chow California Rolls
Serves 1 person (a meal or two snacks). 7 ingredients
Ingredients
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 cucumber
- 2 scallions, green only
- 4 oz. shrimp (I used wild, cold water salad shrimp.)
- 2 sheets nori
- another vegetable of your choice (Do not skip this part, or I will be very disappointed in you.)
- optional: wasabi powder, coconut aminos
Directions
- Prep your ingredients. Mix wasabi powder with water and set aside.
- Peel the cucumber and cut it in half cross-wise. Eat half of it. Now. Do it! That's half a serving of vegetables; you've solved half the veggie problem in your sushi. Congratulations!
- Slice the other half of the cucumber very thinly, lengthwise. Cut the thin slices into matchsticks and set aside. (If you don't like the seeds – I really don't! – remove them before cutting.)
- Begin assembly. Place nori on a flat surface. Spread half the avocado on the nori with the back of a spoon. It doesn't look that great, but it solves a few problems: it distributes the avocado evenly (win!), it softens the nori for rolling, and it helps seal the whole thing together at the end. Be sure to spread avocado on the end of the nori furthest from you; that's the edge that will seal the deal. Think of that avocado as delicious glue. (Or, ew, maybe don't think that.)
- Pile cucumber matchsticks, the greens from one of the scallions, and half the shrimp on the edge of the nori closest to you. Again, it doesn't look super pretty. See?
- Starting at the end closest to you, roll the sushi. If you have a sushi matt, this works much better. I don't have one; I survived. You will, too.
- Let the roll rest for a few minutes so the flavors can meld and the ingredients can bond into a happy roll.
- Slice it into rounds with a sharp knife and arrange on a plate with your additional raw vegetable. As you can see below, I chose jicama. Other good ones: carrots, green pepper strips, red pepper strips, snap peas. You could even make a little slaw with shredded cabbage, sesame seeds, and a dash of sesame oil. Please, I really like you; don't skip the extra serving of veggies.
- If you're having dipping sauce, add some coconut aminos to your wasabi, and you're good to go. Eat with your fingers! Savor the up-the-nose rush! Gloat because you're enjoying healthy California rolls you made with your own two hands.
Notes
Makes enough for one person for a meal or two snacks – if you're around my size. If you're a big, CrossFit dude, this is probably just a snack or half a snack for you. Adjust as necessary. Variations: I've made these with other seafood, and they were equally delicious... smoked salmon, faux crabsticks, real crab meat, and once, I mixed a can of tuna with some homemade mayo and slapped that into a roll. Next time, I think I might try spicy mayo with the shrimp. Or some lobster! And the lovely Erika Jeanne recommends the addition of slivered red bell peppers.