From Meatloaf to Sushi Bowls

Amanda’s Homemade Sushi Bowl

I grew up in southern Indiana. My hometown consisted of a stoplight, the proverbial ice cream parlor, and a gas station. My journey into discovering cuisine from around the world didn’t start until I moved to Louisville at the age of 20. What is this stuff called curry? People really eat raw fish? I found myself wondering these types of things.

There is nothing wrong with sticking to what you know. I know a lot of people who do. For example, we ate a lot of spaghetti, orange roughy, meatloaf, stuffed green peppers, stir-fry (with those crunchy noodle-things on top), and breakfast for dinner when I was growing up. Quite the amalgamation? I wouldn’t be surprised if most of our dinner tables looked something like this as we had family dinner. Of course! America: we are the great melting pot and none of these dishes originated here!

I knew my familial heritage was a fusion of Irish, English, Scottish, and German– and the list probably goes on. Unlike some of my other family members, my immediate family didn’t have a direct connection to our cultural roots. One of my Aunts married into a Greek Orthodox family. Talk about amazing baklava! I always wished my immediate family had recipes handed down from Great-Grandma Gracie, or Uncle Hershel, etc.

This may be one of the reasons that I have always really enjoyed cooking. My future, and having my own family, was something I thought about a lot when I was a kid. Maybe I could be the one to create the recipes to be handed down for generations? I definitely went through the phase of, “When I grow up I want to be a chef.” Once I got out on my own in the “big” city, I really had a fervent desire to learn more about different cultures, specifically their cuisines!

Now I’m making up for lost foodie time. Orange roughy was one of the few fish that I tried before the age of 18, but now sushi is my favorite food. When I have the extra cash, I’m willing to try anything, even if being adventurous doesn’t always turn out so well. For instance, I tried Uni for the first time recently. Think cream cheese that tastes like you just got tossed under by a wave while wading at the beach and you came up spitting sand and seawater. Yuck, in my opinion, but some people love it!

Uni (Sea Urchin)

Here is my cheap solution to cure that sushi fix when you’re a poor college student like me:

Homemade Sushi Bowls

• Rice
• Crab Select (the fake stuff)
• Veggies: carrots, edamame, cucumber, green onion, etc.
• Siracha (or other asian inspired hot sauce)
• Mayo (any kind)
• Sesame Seeds
• Soy Sauce & Wasabi
• Extras (if your budget allows) : seaweed snacks, cream cheese, rice wine vinegar, shrimp, etc.

The possibilities are endless! 

Directions: Boil the rice. While it cools down, chop veggies. Mix mayo and hot sauce with chopped up crab. Pile veggies/protein/extras on the rice. Drizzle on some soy sauce and maybe a few pieces of wasabi. Eat with chopsticks for extra authenticity. Voila!

Here are a few other takes on sushi bowls!

Citrus Sushi Bowl

Deconstructed Sushi Bowl

Salmon Sushi Bowl

Thanks for Reading,

Amanda