Salmon Avocado Uramaki with Chili Aioli and Wasabi Soy Vinaigrette

Sushi Rolls are a favorite among our guests and this simple Uramaki roll is a great way to utilize the bellies of your Salmon (if you haven’t smoked them already). Uramaki is different than other types of rolls in the sense that the rice is on the outside of the roll.

Ingredients:
Wild Alaska salmon
Ripe avocado
Pickled ginger
Sheets of nori (roasted seaweed)
Short-grain Japanese sushi rice (see instructions below)
Mayonnaise
Sushi vinegar
Black & white sesame seeds
Thai chili sauce
Wasabi paste
Spicy Asian mustard
Sesame oil
Fresh scallion
Fresh garlic clove
Bamboo sushi mat
Cling film
A sharp knife

Before you start cover your bamboo mat with some cling film. this will make it much easier to form your roll and keep your mat clean. Place the nori on the sushi mat. Cover the whole sheet of nori with a thin (5mm) layer of rice, ensuring it is evenly spread—right to the edges. It is helpful to have a cup of cold water to dip your hands in when pressing the rice on to the mat so the rice doesn’t stick.

Sprinkle sesame seeds evenly across the rice—use a mixture of black and white seeds to add flavor toast the white sesame seeds in a sauté pan over medium heat until lightly browned. Turn the rice and nori over, so the nori is facing upwards. Cut the salmon and avocado into small thin pieces. Place the salmon, then mayonnaise, then avocado, then pickled ginger along the center of the rice making sure to not over fill the roll.

Rolling the Uramaki:
Starting with the side closest to you, roll the mat to produce the finished roll. Once it is rolled up, place the roll seam side down on the table and place the mat back over the roll and squeeze it to make sure the roll is tight. Cut the roll into pieces. It is often easier to start in the middle to ensure they are of a similar size. Serve with wasabi vinaigrette and chili mayo as well as some extra wasabi on the side.

Sushi Rice
The word “sushi” means “it’s sour” Although historically this was commonly comprised of fermented fish, the sourness that “sushi” refers to is the vinegar in the rice. If you do not have a rice cooker here is a basic stove top method.

First you need to wash your rice. Use plenty of water stir and mix the rice with your hand in a large bowl, you will see the water become cloudy with starch. Repeat the washing several times until the water becomes clear. Then let the rice soak for 30 minutes. Cook the rice per the directions on your rice cooker.

Now you can start cooking. Add 3 parts rice to 4 parts water to your saucepan and place it on the stove at maximum heat until the water boils. Reduce the heat and allow the rice to simmer for about 15-20 minutes with the lid on. When the simmer time has elapsed, remove from the heat but leave the rice in the pan to steam for another 10-15 minutes to give the rice the right amount of stickiness, also helping to form your sushi shapes.

Cooling and seasoning your rice:
To make authentic sushi rice you now need to mix in sushi vinegar. Mix ¾ cup of sushi vinegar with the rice. To get the best flavor, the vinegar needs to be folded into the rice while it is still warm. The mixing process allows the moisture to evaporate and helps it cool before use.

Wasabi Soy Vinaigrette
2 tbsp mustard
2 tbsp sushi vinegar
¼ c. soy sauce
1  tsp wasabi paste
½ tsp fresh ginger grated
½  tsp sesame oil

Add mustard, wasabi, vinegar and ginger to a mixing bowl. Once well combined, slowly drizzle in the sesame oil.

Thai Chili Aioli
½ c mayonnaise
¼ c sweet Thai chili sauce
1 clove garlic chopped finely
1 tbsp chopped scallion

Mix ingredients in a mixing bowl and season with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper.

Did you love this salmon sushi uramaki? Check out more recipes by Chef Chris Lee and Friends of Fish The Nush here. For the motherlode of Alaska fishing recipes check out Fish Alaska and the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.