Spicy Samlon Roll Recipe

Rinse the rice under cold running water: place 2 cups short-grain rice in a sieve or bowl, swish and drain several times until the water runs mostly clear. Drain 10–15 minutes.

Cook the rice: combine rinsed rice and 2.25 cups water in a rice cooker or pot. If using a pot, bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low and simmer 12–14 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes.

Make sushi vinegar: while rice rests, whisk 3 tbs rice vinegar, 1.5 tbs sugar and 1 tsp fine sea salt until dissolved.

Season the rice: transfer hot rice to a large wooden or nonreactive bowl. Pour vinegar mixture evenly over rice and fold gently with a rice paddle or spatula using cutting and fanning motions to cool to body temperature (about 5–8 minutes). Cover with a damp towel to keep moist.

Prepare salmon: ensure salmon is sashimi-grade and cold. Pat dry with paper towels, then finely dice into roughly 1/8–1/4-inch pieces.

Mix sauce: in a bowl combine 4 tbs mayonnaise, 1.5 tbs Sriracha, 0.5 tsp sesame oil, 0.25 tsp kosher salt and 0.125 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust heat—add more Sriracha for extra spice.

Combine: add diced salmon, 2 tbs thinly sliced green onion, and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds to the sauce. Fold gently to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for 10–15 minutes to let flavors meld. Keep chilled until assembly.

Prepare work station: place bamboo mat on counter and wrap in plastic. Fill a small bowl with water and a splash of rice vinegar to wet your hands and knife between handling rice.

Lay nori: place one nori sheet shiny side down on the plastic-covered mat, long edge toward you.

Spread rice: wet your hands, then take about 3/4 cup of seasoned sushi rice and evenly spread it over the nori, leaving a 1-inch strip at the far edge of the nori (the edge away from you) uncovered. Press rice gently to an even thickness (~1/4 inch).

Add fillings: sprinkle a thin line of julienned cucumber across the center of the rice (about 2–3 tablespoons), place a row of sliced avocado (about 1/4 cup), then spoon 2.5 oz (about a heaping 3 tbs) of the spicy salmon mixture along the center.

Roll: lift the mat edge nearest you and roll away from you, pressing gently but firmly to form a tight cylinder. Continue rolling until the exposed nori edge seals the roll. Use the mat to shape and compress gently for 20–30 seconds.

Repeat: make 3 more rolls using remaining ingredients (total 4 rolls).

Slice: using a very sharp knife dipped in the water-vinegar bowl and wiped dry between cuts, slice each roll into 8 equal pieces. Clean and wet the knife between cuts to keep slices clean.

Plate and garnish: arrange pieces on a platter. Drizzle 1/4 cup spicy mayo and 2 tbs unagi or sweet soy glaze across the rolls. Sprinkle 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and scatter pickled ginger. Serve with wasabi on the side if desired.

Food safety

Because this recipe uses raw salmon, keep the fish refrigerated until just before assembly and consume within the same day. Use sashimi-grade salmon from a trusted source. If serving to pregnant people, young children or immunocompromised guests, substitute cooked salmon (seared and cooled) or omit raw fish.