Recipes

Philadelphia Roll Crispy Rice Sandwich

Ingredients

For the Crispy Rice

  • 3 cups Calrose rice, cooked
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • Oil, for frying

For the Filling

  • 6 ounces smoked salmon
  • ½ medium cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 3 ounces cream cheese
  • 2 sheets of nori, cut to fit sushi rice squares
  • 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
  • Sesame seeds, for topping

For the Spicy Mayo Sauce

  • ½ cup Kewpie mayo
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha, adjusted to taste
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • Kosher salt, to taste

Directions

Prepare the Sushi Rice:

  1. In a large bowl, mix the cooked Calrose rice with the sugar, rice vinegar, and a pinch of salt until well combined.
  2. Transfer the seasoned rice to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread it evenly to form a 1-inch thick rectangle, roughly the size of 4 bread slices.
  3. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top of the rice, and use a smaller baking tray to press down firmly, ensuring the rice is tightly packed and flat.
  4. Freeze the rice for 2 hours until firm.

Fry the Crispy Rice:

  1. Once the rice is ready, cut it into 4 equal squares, trimming the edges as needed to create even "bread slice" shapes.
  2. Lightly dust each rice square with cornstarch to form a thin coating.
  3. In a large pan, heat oil to about 3 inches high, enough to fully submerge the rice squares. Heat the oil until hot.
  4. Fry each rice block until golden brown and crispy on the outside, but still soft inside, about 6-8 minutes. Repeat with the remaining rice blocks.

Assemble the Crispy Rice Sandwich:

  1. On a large piece of plastic wrap, place a crispy rice block.
  2. Spread about 1½ ounces of cream cheese on the rice, followed by a layer of thinly sliced cucumber, 3 ounces of smoked salmon, a sheet of nori, and thinly sliced avocado.
  3. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, then top with another crispy rice block to form a sandwich.
  4. Fold the plastic wrap around the sandwich tightly, then cut it diagonally for easy serving.
  5. Repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.

Serve with Spicy Mayo Sauce:

  1. In a small bowl, mix the Kewpie mayo, sriracha, sugar, sesame oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of kosher salt.
  2. Serve the Philadelphia Roll Style Crispy Rice Sandwiches with the spicy mayo sauce on the side for dipping.