Salad Sushi for One

Two of my favorite things are salad and sushi. I like them eaten together as a meal, but what if you combined them—and made sushi out of the salad? I had this idea because I wanted a salad and I was out of leafy greens. But I’m not sorry! This is me, doing the happy dance.

1/3 cup sushi rice,

¾ cup water

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1 TBLSP rice vinegar

2 green onions, chopped

½ stalk celery, sliced into thin strips (julienned)

½ carrot, sliced into thin strips (julienned)

2 TBLSP pumpkin seeds (or other small nut)

5 black olives, sliced and diced

1 TBLSP fresh parsley or cilantro, diced

2 sheets nori (for rolling)

Green Goddess Dressing (recipe here:  http://melaniespiller.blogspot.com/2014/08/green-goddess-dressing-for-one.html)

1. In a covered pot, cook the sushi rice in ¾ cup water until all the water is absorbed and the rice is soft, about 20 minutes. (Put it on to boil, and once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down and cover it.
2. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and vinegar until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the mixture over the still-hot rice (once it’s cooked), and mix it in with a smooshing motion. Let the rice cool all (or at least most) of the way to room temperature. Don’t refrigerate, though, or it will get stiff.
3. Organize the fixings on the nori by making a row of rice, then putting the onions, celery, carrot, seeds, olives, and parsley on top of it and then capping it with another row of rice. I use a little tool to help press it together, but you could do it right on top of the nori if you’re good at rolling sushi. Roll the fixings inside the nori and then seal the end by rubbing a piece or two of rice on the flap of bare nori.
4. You should be able to get two, maybe three rolls out of this. Slice into eight even rolls and serve with Green Goddess Dressing or soy sauce/tamari and wasabi. Or both!