Spicy Southwestern Barley Bean Maki

There is just something about sushi that makes me smile. I don't know if it is the cute little pieces of maki or fun with chopsticks, but I love sushi! So this week when I made a big batch of barley and cooked up a pot of dry beans, I decided to mix it up a bit. Throw in fresh spring onions from my CSA, some spices, Garlic Gold, and pickled jalapenos... wrap that all in nori... and suddenly dinner is made and I have that sushi smile on my face.

This recipe calls for my own version of refried beans which I will explain how to make below. It also includes the addition of diced jalapenos. You can add as much or as little of the jalapeno as you want. The pickling juice adds tang to the dish and the peppers give it a small kick and add crunch, so I wouldn't eliminate them entirely! Instead of rice, I made Bob's Red Mill Pearl Barley according to directions. It was easy-peasy and adds a unique texture and flavor to the rolls. When it comes to beans, you can use canned beans if you want, however I just make a pound of dry pinto beans in the slow-cooker with a piece of kombu which is an inexpensive way to get a lot of beans!

I didn't include serving size because I ate the entire dish myself. However, I guess it could serve two if you are willing to share ;o)

Spicy Southwestern Maki
4 pieces of nori
1 cup pearl barley, cooked
1 recipe of Jalapeno-Garlic Refried Beans
1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, diced (or less!)

Using a bamboo mat, pat a thin layer of barley on one side of the nori. Form refried beans into a thin snake and place on top of barley. Add diced jalapeno and roll. If you have never made your own sushi before, The Sushi FAQ has a great pictorial step-by-step guide to making maki.

Jalapeno-Garlic Refried Beans
1 tsp Garlic Gold olive oil
1/4 cup diced fresh spring onion
1 cup cooked pinto beans
1/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp jalapeno pickling juice

Heat oil in a small frying pan and add onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onions start to wilt/yellow. Add beans and spices (everything except pickling juice). Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, stirring. Remove from heat, add juice, and mash with a fork or potato masher.

Annie Chun's: Sushi in the Cupboard

It is inevitable. I could have a meal all planned out. It could be amazing. And then someone mentions "sushi" and suddenly it is ALL I can think about! Normally, this means going to one of my favorite sushi haunts. I have three that know me by name and I am always stalking Groupon for a sweet sushi deal. However in an attempt to save money tonight, I thought I would try a product I had to buy this spring while traveling and hadn't yet found a moment to try out.

Annie Chun's Sushi Wraps claim that all you need to add is the filling. Hmmmmm could it really replace my local Bay Area haunts?

By the way, this original product picture was taken before I got my new camera when I first bought the box. You can totally see the quality difference!

So what did I get in this box? A bowl of sushi rice, some small pieces of nori, and a packet of soy sauce. The bamboo place mat was not included.

I microwaved the rice (odd?) for a minute and then waited for it to cool down again. I am not sure why I needed to microwave the rice since I didn't want hot rice for my sushi. I may try it again without microwaving just to see what happens. I would think it should still work?

I needed to use my own sushi mat to roll the sushi. With the incredibly small rectangles, it was difficult to achieve neat rolls (well that and my vacation from home sushi making!) but as you can see below, it still turned out in the end! I grilled up some balsamic asparagus to serve on the side and some portabello mushrooms to put in the maki. You could get really creative with the fillings!

It was relatively easy to prep but the rice was just okay and some of the pieces of nori had holes that made it difficult to use. However for fast food sushi, this would pass. And considering how long it takes me to prep, the trade-off for a late night healthy inexpensive sushi fix was worth the small sacrifices. It won't be something I do often, I would rather go out or take the extra time to make everything from scratch, but I will definitely keep a box in the pantry for future sushi emergencies!

One half the package has 170 calories, no fat, less than one gram of fiber and 4 grams of protein.