Sushi For Dummies
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Pick up some sliced roast beef at your local deli for this hand roll, and if the sushi rice is done ahead, you’ll have your roast beef and watercress hand rolls ready in minutes.

Preparation time: 8 minutes

Yield: 4 hand rolls

2 sheets nori

1 cup prepared sushi rice

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon wasabi

4 lettuce leaves, preferably red leaf

4 thin slices (1/4 pound) roast beef, each rolled up in a bundle

4 sprigs watercress

Soy sauce

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

  2. Place the nori on a clean oven rack and bake it for 30 seconds.

    This brief oven trip reroasts the nori.

  3. Stir together the mayonnaise and wasabi in a small dish.

  4. Cut the nori sheets in half, forming 4 half sheets, each 4 inches x 7 inches.

  5. Place a half sheet of nori in the palm of your hand, shiny-side down.

  6. Dip your hands into a bowl of vinegared water and then tap your fingertips on a damp towel to release excess water.

  7. Place about 1/4 cup of the sushi rice on the nori, toward the top portion of the nori.

  8. Pat the rice out in a diagonal from the top area of the nori toward the heel of your palm.

  9. Spread the wasabi-mayonnaise mixture to taste on the rice.

  10. Lay 1 piece of lettuce on top of the rice, letting the leaf’s edge extend off the edge of the nori for looks.

  11. Place a rolled piece of roast beef on top of the lettuce and then add a sprig of watercress.

  12. Fold the bottom-left corner of the nori over the fillings up toward the right.

    Continue rolling to the right until you have a cone-shaped roll.

  13. Make 3 more rolls, following Steps 5 through 12.

  14. Serve immediately while the nori is crisp, with soy sauce as a dipping sauce.

Per hand roll: Calories 149 (From fat 59); Fat 7g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 18mg; Sodium 390mg; Carbohydrate 15g (Dietary fiber 0g); Protein 7g.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book authors:

Mineko Takane Moreno, born and raised in Tokyo, received her degree in French literature. Her love of food has inspired a lifelong education in many cuisines, including Japanese, Chinese, French, and Italian. Moving to San Diego in 1973, she began teaching Japanese cuisine, with a specialty in sushi. She currently teaches dozens of sushi classes a year at seven culinary schools, including Macy’s, Williams-Sonoma, and Sur la Table. Mineko consults with restaurants wishing to put sushi and other specialties on their menu. Her culinary work has been featured in numerous print publications and on television and radio shows. She is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Judi Strada has a bachelor’s degree in Russian studies, which led her to study other cultures through their foods. She was the food consultant and spokesperson for The Sheraton World Cookbook and The Culinary Festival Cookbook and coauthor of The Best of San Diego. She is a frequent cooking guest on television and radio shows on both coas ts. Judi, an award-winning writer, is currently food editor of San Diego Magazine; kitchen garden editor of Garden Compass Magazine; and a member of the Authors Guild, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the International Association of Culinary Professionals, and the James Beard Foundation. She is founding president of Les Dames d’Escoffier, San Diego.

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