Itsy Bitsy Foodies

Making sushi at home is easy, fun and a great way to disguise healthy foods, such as the smoked salmon in this roll.  My son loves cream cheese so this roll is an easy sell.  For another kid-friendly favorite, try our Spicy Scallop roll with seared scallops and avocado. 

Ingredients

Nori seaweed

White or brown* short-grained rice, cooked

Sushi vinegar or rice vinegar 

Salt and sugar if using rice vinegar

Smoked salmon

Light cream cheese

Soy sauce

Wasabi

Pickled ginger

To make the vinegared rice, cook the rice according to the instructions on the package.  *Short-grained white rice is traditionally used but a friend introduced me to making sushi with brown rice to add whole grains and nutrients.  While the rice is still hot, fold in the vinegar dressing (using sushi vinegar or a mixture of rice vinegar, sugar and salt).  A ratio of 1 3/4 cups uncooked rice, 3 Tbsp rice vinegar, 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar and 2 tsp salt is recommended.  Let the rice cool to room temperature.  (Don’t place it in the refrigerator or else it will become hard). 

To roll the sushi, place a piece of nori seaweed on a square of plastic wrap.  Spread several heaping spoonfuls of vinegared rice onto the nori seaweed, leaving about one inch on one of the sides of seaweed bare.  Position the seaweed so that the side with the bare edge is at the top. 

Spread cream cheese on the bottom of the seaweed and then place pieces of smoked salmon on top.  Roll up the seaweed until it completes one roll and the seaweed is tucked underneath.  Using your hands or a bamboo mat, gently form the roll and then continue rolling the seaweed until you reach the bare spot.  Dab your fingers in water and spread the water on the bare seaweed so that the roll will seal together.  Then finish rolling up the sushi. 

Set the rolled sushi on a platter and then when you are ready to eat, cut them into slices, arrange them on a plate and serve them with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.

Click here to view a guide for selecting seafood.