REDNECK SUSHI. WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THIS ALREADY???

     On one visit to a Japanese restaurant, I got adventurous and ordered a tempura-battered sushi roll. They called it the Volcano Roll. Each bite was drizzled with their sauce: something, I imagine, like a mixture of Sriracha hot sauce and horseradish or something... I was hooked. I love sushi, and I. love. spicy. stuff!
     I've been aching to make sushi lately, but I also wanted to figure out a way for my husband to eat it. (Because, as we all know, men from the south don't eat raw fish. Period.) So I opted to replace fish with chicken, cooked, of course, and made a super simple tempura batter to fry it! HE LOVED IT!!! He thinks it's better than my Tex-Mex Eggrolls (check that under Cilantro Week)!
     My advice: make these! PRONTO!
---Jenny


REDNECK SUSHI (Tempura-Battered Chicken Sushi)

2 small chicken breasts, pan-fried in sesame oil & sliced into thin strips
2-3 cups sushi rice, cooled
1 package dried seaweed sushi wraps
1/2 cucumber, seeded, sliced lengthwise & julienned
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded & sliced into thin strips
1/4 white onion, sliced thinly
4 ounces cream cheese (optional)

Cook sushi rice. Set aside to cool. Pan-fry the chicken and set aside to cool. Cut and lay out vegetables for easy assembling. Flatten a large spoonful of rice against one half of a sushi wrap. Arrange strips of chicken and veggies horizontally on top of rice. If desired, form chilled cream cheese slices into strips (like rolling a piece of clay) and place along with chicken and veggies. Tightly hand roll the filled wrap. Wet slightly with water, roll in brown rice flour or regular all-purpose flour. Dredge in tempura batter and fry in peanut oil at 350 degrees.
Fry approximately one minute on each side and set aside to drain. 

Tempura Batter:

1 cup flour
1 egg
1 cup ice water, a couple ice cubes
Just before use, mix all ingredients until just blended. A few lumps are acceptable.