There's something about the shift from one month to the next that has me looking for simple food to nourish me and mine. And when that shift is from June to July, that means bowl meals that lean into Asian flavors that can be made in minutes and enjoyed quickly before moving on to the next thing or lingered over while visiting with old friends. It's the time of the year that my gardens are thick with flowers and herbs and just the beginning of vegetables. It's the time of year when I'm as likely to sit around a fire pit laughing into the night as I am to crawl into bed early because we spent the afternoon doing all kinds of yard work. So let's find some great ways to fuel our bodies, nourish our spirits, and do it in short order so we can enjoy whatever the night holds.
To round out our week of quick, healthy, and delicious meals, we're putting together a "sushi" bowl featuring smoked salmon. If you are reluctant to aim yourself at raw fish at home, this one's for you. And what's more, once you have some leftover rice in the fridge for it, there's no additional cooking involved. It's a great meal idea for those hot days that July is known for … or really any day when you don't feel like grabbing a pan or firing up the grill. You can tweak the additions to the bowl, but try to keep them inspired by your favorite sushi ingredients and keep toppings and sauces in line as well. It's also a great excuse to go wander around a fun Asian market! This is a favorite lunch or dinner offering in my home regularly.
Like last time around, I like making this recipe and splitting it up into two lunch portions for my husband and myself and then packaging the rest into individual serving bowls with lids to take on a quick and easy picnic dinner. Mid summer brings us so many opportunities to be on the go and the Fourth of July weekend is certainly no exception. Make yourself a meal that reminds you of sushi without the high refrigeration requirements. It's the best of all worlds on a hot summer day. Enjoy!
Smoked Salmon Sushi Bowls
- 3 ½ cups chilled cooked short-grain or jasmine rice
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 12 ounces smoked salmon, flaked
- 1 cup sliced Persian cucumbers
- 1 cup coarsely shredded carrots
- 2 small ripe avocados, thinly sliced
- 5-6 small radishes, thinly sliced
- 2-3 green onions, chopped
- Fried red onions
- Sriracha mayo
- Wasabi
- Furikake
For the rice, place the cooked rice in a large glass bowl. Combine the rice vinegar and ½ teaspoon kosher salt in a small bowl. Heat the mixture for 20-30 seconds in the microwave and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Pour this mixture over the rice and use a rice paddle to combine. Allow the rice to sit for a few minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients - flaking, slicing, shredding, and chopping as needed.
Place roughly ¾ cup of the prepared rice into each serving bowl. Place the flaked smoked salmon over the rice. Add ¼ cup of the cucumbers and carrots on each bowl along with ½ of an avocado. Place thinly sliced radishes on top of the rice as well and sprinkle everything with chopped green onions. Top with the fried red onions, sriracha mayo, wasabi, and furikake before serving.
Notes: Sriracha mayo, fried red onions, wasabi, and furikake can all be acquired from an Asian market. To make your own sriracha mayo, you can combine ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 -4 tablespoons of sriracha (adjust to your tastes), 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce. Taste and adjust as desired.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes