Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup sushi rice (or any other short-grain white or brown rice)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 small zucchini or yellow summer squash (about 1 1/4 pounds), halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal slices
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 small cucumbers, partially peeled and thinly sliced into coins
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped kimchi with its juice
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/3 cup mayo
- Sriracha or another hot sauce, to taste
- Scallions, for serving
Instructions
- In a small pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 cup rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover tightly with a lid and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until all the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes (do not stir during cooking). Turn the heat off and let the rice stand covered (still not stirring) for 10 more minutes to steam.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini in a single layer and cook until it’s nicely browned, stirring occasionally but not too much, 8 to 10 minutes; in the last 2 minutes of cooking, season with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. (see note below)
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine 2 sliced cucumbers with 1/4 cup chopped kimchi and 1 teaspoon each of sesame seeds, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir 1/3 cup mayo with hot sauce to taste, starting with 1-2 teaspoons and working your way up, depending on how spicy you want it.
- To serve, divide the rice among 4 bowls and top with the zucchini and cucumber salad. Drizzle with spicy mayo and sprinkle with scallions and extra sesame seeds.
Notes
How you cook the zucchini is key to the success of this dish. Cook it over medium/medium-high heat and don’t overcrowd the skillet; resist the urge to stir the zucchini too often and wait until the very end to add any salt. This technique yields golden brown, not-mushy zucchini with bright green skin.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 300
- Fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 47.2 g
- Fiber: 2.7 g
- Protein: 5. 8g
