Spicy California Shrimp Stack

If you love California Rolls or sushi, you will love this recipe today. I am going through one of those phases where I am tired of the same old thing. I felt this easy, flavorful recipe would spice things up.  I paired this recipe with edamame which was the perfect touch. I think Eric could have eaten another one of the Spicy California Shrimp Stacks, but I was one and done. Before Eric and I started dating, he didn’t really eat sushi, and I was just getting into liking it. I only eat cooked sushi but maybe one day I will venture out. I will never forget the first time I had sushi. I think I was in elementary school or middle school, and we were downtown at Surin in Five Points catching dinner before a play at the BJCC. My Aunt Krissy made me try it. I wish I could find this picture of us that my aunt Karen happened to capture while all of this was going down. I remember gaging and saying to myself: I will never eat this again. Who would have thought years later, it is now one of Eric’s and my favorite meals to eat together. Our favorite sushi place in Birmingham is Jinsei. This is actually where Eric took me to dinner before he proposed. If you haven’t been there and you live in Birmingham, then you must live under a rock. Ha kidding, but seriously they have the best sushi and mojitos!

On to the recipe. This took me maybe 25 minutes to make. I did everything the recipe called for except the chives because you guessed it, Eric hates onions. I did put a hint of onion powder on the shrimp while cooking them in the skillet just to give it that flavor. I am so glad that I did because yum! This recipe does call for sriracha, and although it’s called spicy, I thought it was a good amount of heat. You can add less sriracha if you aren’t a fan of spicy foods.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups cooked short-grain brown rice

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

8 ounces cooked shrimp, peeled and tails removed

1 cup diced cucumber

1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives

1 medium mashed avocado

4 teaspoons sesame seeds

4 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

4 teaspoons mayonnaise

1 teaspoon sriracha sauce

Instructions

• Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and oil.  When rice is done, add rice vinegar and stir.  Evenly spread rice on a sheet pan to cool.
• Cut shrimp into 1-inch cubes.
• In a small bowl, combine cucumber and chives.
• In another small bowl, combine mayonnaise and sriracha sauce.
• Using a 1 cup dry measuring cup, layer cucumber, avocado, then shrimp, and 1/3 cup rice.
• Carefully turn the cup upside down to turn the stack out onto a plate, lightly tapping the bottom of the cup if necessary.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with soy sauce and sriracha mayonnaise.
• Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Happy Eating! 

Original Recipe- Spicy California Shrimp Stack