Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (185 g) uncooked short-grain sushi rice, rinsed and drained
- 1 1/4 cups water, or amount specified on the sushi rice package
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 12 ounces (340 g) boneless skinless salmon fillet
- 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 full-size nori sheets
- 1/2 English cucumber (about 100 g), cut into thin long matchsticks
- 1/2 medium avocado (about 75 g flesh), cut into strips
- 3 tablespoons (45 g) regular mayonnaise, for the sauce
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) ketchup, for the sauce
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) finely minced yellow onion, for the sauce
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) harissa paste, for the sauce, more to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, for the sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika, for the sauce
- Small pinch ground cumin, for the sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds and chopped parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Rinse the sushi rice and combine with the measured water in a small saucepan. Cover, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes, following the package water ratio if different. Turn off the heat and rest covered for 10 minutes.
- Mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Fold gently into the hot rice, then spread rice in a shallow dish for about 5 to 10 minutes until it is warm but no longer steaming.
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400°F. Pat the salmon dry, place on a lined baking sheet, rub with neutral oil and pepper, and roast for about 12 to 16 minutes until its thickest part reaches 145°F. Rest briefly, remove any pin bones, and break into thick flakes.
- Whisk mayonnaise, ketchup, minced onion, harissa, lemon juice, paprika, and cumin in a small bowl. Let stand refrigerated for 5 minutes while preparing the fillings. Taste and adjust heat sparingly.
- Place one nori sheet shiny-side down on a sushi mat. With damp fingers, spread about one-quarter of the rice over the lower two-thirds, leaving a one-inch clear strip at the top. Add one-quarter of the salmon, cucumber matchsticks, and avocado strips across the lower third.
- Roll firmly using the mat, pressing just enough to make a tight cylinder. Lightly moisten the top nori strip to seal. Repeat with the remaining nori, rice, and fillings.
- Rest rolls seam-side down for 1 minute. Slice each roll into roughly seven pieces with a sharp damp knife. Sprinkle on optional sesame seeds or parsley, and serve immediately with the orange Algerian-style sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Yield: 4 full rolls, about 28 sushi pieces; 1 serving = 1 roll (about 7 pieces) plus one-quarter of the homemade sauce.
- Active prep is approximately 20 minutes. Cooking takes about 20 minutes of active heat time; allow 15 minutes of resting/cooling as described, for about 55 minutes total.
- Use a food thermometer; salmon must reach 145°F in its thickest part. This recipe intentionally uses cooked rather than raw fish.
- The home sauce is inspired by French/Belgian-style sauce algérienne, not a verified copy of a commercial formula or a traditional Algerian regional sauce.
- Use short-grain sushi rice. Let the rice and salmon stop steaming before rolling, and keep the sauce separate until serving.
- Nutrition is an ingredient-based approximation assuming Atlantic salmon, dry sushi rice, regular mayonnaise, ketchup, avocado and optional 1 teaspoon sesame seeds across 4 servings. Brands, fillet type, sauce quantity and rice measurements change the results.
- Fish and egg allergens are present. Check product labels for gluten, soy, milk, mustard, and other allergens according to your dietary needs.
- Refrigerate perishable food promptly at 40°F or below and do not leave cooked rice or fish at room temperature for more than two hours (one hour above 90°F). Assembled sushi is best eaten the day it is made.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Resting and cooling: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop and Oven
- Cuisine: Japanese-Inspired Fusion
- Diet: Dairy-Free