You hear people say, “I can’t eat sushi (raw fish), but I eat California roll.”  California roll is so popular that even people who don’t want to try exotic ethnic food will eat it.  It is made of pretty innocuous ingredients for sushi: rice, roasted seaweed (sushi nori), cucumber, avocado, and crab meat.  No raw fish, and even the seaweed is hidden inside the roll. It is said that the California roll was invented in southern California by a Japanese sushi chef in the ’70s.  Sushi became popular in the ’80s, and it spread all over the country.   Now not only Japanese restaurants, but most American supermarket delis carry this popular sushi roll. Frankly, the California roll is not very Japanese (although Japanese people like it too!).  However, because it is one of the most famous and loved Japanese food in the US,  it’s worthwhile to introduce this recipe.  The ingredients are easy to find and it’s not very hard to make (especially with our video :).)

Roll one up and enjoy! Prep Time: 1 hourCook Time: 30 minutesTotal Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes Ingredients1 recipe of Sushi Rice 2 sheets of roasted seaweed (sushi nori), cut into halves 1 can crab meat, seasoned with lemon juice and salt 1 avocado, cut into 1/2" sticks 1 cucumber, cut into 1/2" sticks sesame seedsInstructionsPut plastic wrap on a bamboo rolling mat (makisu). Place a half sheet of roasted seaweed on the plastic. Spread 1/4 of the Sushi Rice on the seaweed. Sprinkle sesame seeds on the rice. Turn the seaweed over, rice side down on the plastic. Put some crab mixture, avocado, and cucumber horizontally on the middle of the seaweed. This will form the center of the roll. Roll and tighten hard with the rolling mat to make a log. Cut into 8 pieces.Step 1: What You'll NeedShow All ItemsThey're a fun, tasty, unboring way to get your veggies. DIY sushi is easier than you think -- and yet totally impressive.Total Time: 20 MinutesMakes 4 rollsCombine 2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp wasabi powder in a bowl for your dipping sauce.

Mix 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar, 4 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt in a microwave-safe bowl; Drizzle over 3 cups cooked brown rice (not instant; leftover takeout works). Slice 1 avocado lengthwise into quarters; cut each quarter into 4 wedges. gry sushi cat paradaRinse 4 packaged steamed beets (such as Melissa's); sushi online genevepat dry and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. jiro dreams of sushi watch online streamHalve a seedless cucumber lengthwise; sushi online juiz de foraslice sections into 1/2-inch spears.Spread 3/4 cup rice over half of sheet, leaving a border. In a bowl, mix 1 tsp wasabi powder and 1 tsp cold water; dab 1/4 tsp across center of rice;

top with 1/4 veggies.Roll sheet, using mat, over filling. Dab water on far edge; Dip knife blade in water; slice roll into 6 pieces. Repeat steps 4 and 5 with 3 more sheets and remaining filling. Sprinkle rolls with 1/2 tsp black sesame seeds. THE SKINNY: 285 calories per roll, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 51 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 7 g protein--Laraine PerriRELATED LINKS:OMG Grocery Store Find: The Latest Dishes From Smart OnesEat These High-Protein Foods to Build Lean MuscleHealthy Star Chef Ellie Krieger's Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast RecipeImage Credit: Claire BenoistAppetizers / Chicken / How to / International / Main course / Money-saving tips / Recipes / Rice / Snacks What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word sushi? Chances are, “cheap” isn’t one of them. But what if I told you that you can make your own homemade sushi rolls at home – for right around $1.40 per person? Making sushi at home seems out of reach for many people. Dealing with raw fish and unfamiliar ingredients, using a sushi mat, and rolling maki can be intimidating.

But sushi doesn’t have to be made of raw fish. If you choose to make your sushi rolls with raw fish, be sure to seek out sushi grade fish. But consider experimenting with something different, like I did with these rolls. The combination of teriyaki chicken with creamy avocado and crunchy asparagus was just perfect. I served this at a party I recently attended, and they were a hit. Nobody could really tell that they were eating chicken. One person thought the chicken was tempura shrimp. I’m all for creative sushi fillings and toppings as long as they taste good, authenticity aside. Who can argue with that? Sushi is one of my favorite foods, but I don’t eat it all the often. Mainly because of the price. Restaurant sushi can cost up to $18 a roll. Ready-made sushi at my local grocery store costs between $7 and $9 for one roll. This homemade method is by far the cheapest option I have come across. Here’s what I paid: For 5 sushi rolls, I paid about $7 – which comes out to $1.40 per roll.

One roll is a good amount for one person. Additional ingredients added to the cost a bit (rice vinegar, brown sugar, teriyaki sauce, wasabi), but I had all of these ingredients on hand. Tip: You’re going to need a sushi mat and some other supplies to make your own sushi rolls at home: Once you’ve mastered making sushi in the comfort of your home, why not share your skills and throw a sushi party with your friends? You could assign each guest to bring one appropriate sushi ingredient (see below for ideas), and you supply the rice, seaweed, and fixings. Don’t forget the sake. A photo posted by Haley @ Cheap Recipe Blog (@cheaprecipeblog) on Feb 22, 2015 at 1:37pm PST Visual learners: Check out this video to learn how to roll sushi. 2 cups sushi rice 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast 5 sheets of seaweed 5 fresh asparagus spears Fried onions (I got mine at an Indian grocery store)Rinse rice with cold water. Place in a heavy-duty saucepan with water.

Turn heat on to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until rice is cooked. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once rice is cool, sprinkle with rice vinegar - 1 to 2 tablespoons should do it. Set aside until ready to assemble rolls.Slice chicken breast into thin strips. Place in a plastic bag and sprinkle with a few drops of teriyaki sauce, sesame oil, and a pinch of brown sugar. Mix in bag and place in fridge to marinade for an hour or so. Fry chicken in a bit of olive oil for 3 to 4 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and slightly crisp on the outside. Remove from frying pan and set aside to cool. To assemble sushi rolls: Using a sushi mat, lay seaweed shiny side down. Top with sushi rice (enough so that the seaweed is covered, leaving the top inch or so bare) Top with additional ingredients (chicken, avocado slices, and asparagus). See photo above in post for a visual. Start rolling the sushi from top to bottom, making sure that you are keeping the roll tight - you don't want it to fall apart when you slice it.