Description
I used to order the same thing every time we went to our favourite sushi restaurant in California. When I moved to the continent, I missed the dish so much, I’ve created a similar roll, but easier to make. Not quite Takara’s Charlie Special, but almost as good.
Ingredients
- 2 sheets nori (dry seaweed)
- 1 cup uncooked medium grain white rice
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 1 ½ tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 ½ tablespoons white sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 ounces cold cream cheese, cut into thin strips, divided
- 2 teaspoons crushed garlic, divided
- ½ cup crushed cashews, divided
- 2 green onions, finely chopped, divided
- 2 ounces smoked salmon, cut into strips, divided
- soy sauce
- wasabi paste
Instructions
- Wash the rice in several changes of water until the rinse water is almost clear
- then drain well. Place the rice and 1 1/4 cups water into a large saucepan with a lid
- bring to a boil
- reduce the heat to low
- and cover. Simmer the rice until the top looks dry and the water has been absorbed
- 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat and allow to sit covered for 20 more minutes to steam.
- Mix the rice vinegar
- sugar
- and salt into the rice with a wooden spoon
- and spread the rice out onto a metal sheet pan to cool.
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Put the first sheet of nori in the oven for 4 minutes to soften. Remove and place shiny-side down on a plastic-wrapped bamboo mat
- so the longer side is left-to-right. (The wrap is not essential
- but helps keep things clean.) With wet hands
- press a layer of rice onto the nori
- leaving a 1/2-inch margin on the edge nearest you
- and an inch on the farthest-away side. The layer should be roughly 1/2-inch deep
- and as flat as possible.
- Lay half the slices of cream cheese in a horizontal line in the center of the sheet. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon garlic
- half the crushed cashews
- and half the spring onions. Arrange half the strips of smoked salmon next to the cream cheese.
- Pick up the edge of the bamboo rolling sheet
- fold the bottom edge of the sheet up
- enclosing the filling
- and tightly roll the sushi into a firm cylinder. Brush a line of water across the remaining edge of the nori sheet
- and press and roll the sheet to seal the roll together. Once the sushi is rolled
- wrap it in the mat and gently squeeze to compact it tightly. Repeat with the second sheet of nori and the remaining fillings.
- Cut each roll into 6 slices using a very sharp
- wet knife. Have a damp paper towel handy to wipe off any residue
- and wet the blade with water for each cut. Serve with soy sauce and wasabi paste.
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
Servings: 2