Brown Rice California Cake

Otanjyobi Omedetou means "Happy Birthday" in Japanese.  Chef Azuki remembers her father's birthday today and also how he loved sushi.  In his honor, we are introducing Brown Rice California Cake in our blog.  It's a spin off from the famous California Roll and the Roll Your Own Sushi Recipes.  We used brown rice and light mayonnaise in an attempt to make it healthier.  Let us know what you think.

Brown Rice California Cake

3 Cups brown rice (short grain)

1 Cup chopped imitation crab

1 cucumber seeded and diced

2 stalks green onion chopped

1/3 Cup Seasoned Rice Vinegar

1/4 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. light mayonnaise

1 avocado sliced

1-2 tsp. ginger for garnish

1 Tbsp. furukake (nori komi)

1 Package Sushi Seaweed Sheets

Low Sodium Soy Sauce 

Wasabi to taste (be careful, it's hot)

Directions:

1.  Cook 3 cups of rice according to directions

2.  Chop the crab and green onions

3.  Dice the cucumbers

4.  When the rice is cool, add sugar and salt to seasoned rice vinegar, stir and pour over the rice

5.  Add light mayo to the imitation crab

6.  Use an 8 or 9" round cake pan or any round casserole dish you may have

7.  Line casserole dish with saran wrap

8.  Layer the cake.  Start with 1/2 the rice (Push it down with fingertips to have an even layer)

9.  Fill with crab mixture, then cucumbers and top with another layer of rice.  (Push it down)

10.  Carefully (you may need the help of a friend or little BeaN) take out the cake by
       flipping it over a plate and pulling on the saran wrap.

11.  Sprinkle furukake all over the top

11.  When it comes out you can garnish with avocado slices making a pretty flower

12.  Mound up a pile of ginger in the center of the flower

13.  Cut nori(seaweed) sheets in half horizontally

14.  Everyone can now make their own sushi rolls by cutting the cake and
       putting the rice mixture into the nori and rolling it up.
15.  Chef Azuki's special instructions:  make the point of the nori paper point to you,
       put a scoop of rice mixture on at an angle and roll from that point.

16.  Let everyone make their own dipping sauce (soy sauce and wasabi) in individual small bowls
       and enjoy your roll!

Maybe you know a sushi-lover whose birthday is coming up.  This will surely be a hit!
Otanjyobi Omedetou to all our Pisces readers!  

BeaNspiration:  Adding a new twist on something tried and true can make it new again!