Salmon and cucumber sushi roll

Where does sushi come from?

It might surprise you to know that sushi actually originated in South-East Asia and China over 2000 years ago, in the form of a dish called narezushi, which contained fermented rice and salted fish (as a means of preserving the rice and fish). 

This dish spread to Japan in the 8th century, where over the centuries it evolved into the sushi we know today - rice being cooked with vinegar and served with a small sliver of fish, called nigiri. It wasn’t until sushi was popularised in America in the 1900s that sushi rolls served with seaweed came into fashion, and all of the creative ingredient combinations followed.

Why is sushi good for you?

Here are a bunch of health benefits to get you loving sushi even more:

• It’s high in omega-3 fatty acids beneficial for heart and brain health, particularly if it contains salmon or other sources of seafood. 
• Salmon packs a protein punch, which is important for muscle health and weight management. It’s also a great source of B-group vitamins, potassium and selenium.
• Seaweed is a rich source of iodine and iron, both important nutrients for good health and wellbeing.

Ingredients

• 1 bamboo sushi mat
• 1 cup sushi rice
• 1½ cups filtered water
• 1 tablespoon sushi vinegar
• 1 lebanese cucumber
• 4 sushi seaweed sheets
• 150g sashimi grade salmon, cut into strips
• Tamari and wasabi to serve

TOP TIP: For a vegan alternative, replace salmon with lightly seared tofu. You could also try brown sushi rice as a wholegrain alternative to white sushi rice.

Instructions

1. Place rice and water into a medium sized saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, and simmer for 13-15 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed. 
2. Remove from heat and stir in sushi vinegar, cover, and stand for 5 minutes, then allow to cool. 
3. Cut the cucumber lengthwise, scoop out the seeds with a spoon and cut into 4 long strips.
4. Once the rice has cooled, place a seaweed sheet onto the bamboo sushi mat, rough side up. 
5. Spread a layer of rice about ½ cm thick over the seaweed sheet, leaving a 3cm gap at the length farthest from you, then place a length of cucumber and some strips of salmon onto the rice. 
6. Pick up the edge of the sushi mat closest to you, and tightly roll over the top of the filling, enclosing the filling and the rice in the seaweed. 
7. Reposition the mat and roll again, continuing until you have rolled up to the 3cm strip of seaweed. Lightly wet this strip of seaweed with your fingers, which will ensure the sushi roll sticks together, and then do one more roll to complete. 
8. You should now have a long sushi roll! Repeat with remaining seaweed sheets.
9. Using a serrated knife, cut the sushi roll into 2 cm slices and arrange on a platter with tamari, wasabi and your favourite green tea!

Serves 1-2.