Suchi Rolls: A Culinary Crossroads of Mexico and Japan

Food is migratory.

When people immigrate and bring with them their tastes from home; a trade takes place. Can’t find soppraseta in your new home of New York City? Replace it with cuts from your local butcher, experiment with new spices, slap it on a pizza & you have pepperoni. Say you recently moved from Seoul to Los Angeles; you notice the food is saltier- and that’s not even starting to talk about tteokbokki carbonara or some truly fusion plates. Do you like salsa macha, ramen, country ham, or burgers? Then you’ve already taken the red pill.

Suchi.

Some say this is the result of Japanese immigration to Mexico for the coffee industry to Chiapas and later Sinaloa & Baja California. Some say it was spontaneously created in the early 2000s by Culichi chef, Ronald Guerrero, after a customer requested “something different”. Either way, suchi is one of the most fascinating “fusion” concepts out there.

Resembling what most people think of sushi in only it’s most basic principle: a rice and seaweed roll; suchi is full on Mexican. Tons of bold flavors. Lime, steak, avocado, shrimp, cream cheese, cilantro, Valentina. It almost seems like there are no rules.

Here’s a recipe for 2 unique and very delicious suchi rolls featuring ONIMA Far Below salsa negra. This was home cooking so no strict measurements were taken. (use the force)

P.S. sushi isn’t even Japanese.

TEMPURA SKIRT STEAK LIME PESTO ROLL

Ingredients

• Sushi nori
• Cooked and cooled rice seasoned with sushi vinegar
• Skirt steak
• Red bell peppers, sliced
• Tempura batter
• Frying oil
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Canned jalapeño

Marinade (blend)

• Orange juice
• Soy sauce
• Garlic
• Far Below hot sauce
• Baking soda
• Cilantro
• Olive oil

Cilantro Pesto (blend)

• Cilantro
• Garlic
• Lime juice
• Olive oil
• Salt
• White pepper

Recipe

1. Marinate the steak for a few hours.
2. Sear the steak on medium-high heat until you get a good crust and cook to medium-rare.
3. Cover a sheet of nori with seasoned rice.
4. Invert the nori and fill it with sliced steak, seared peppers, and cheese. Roll the sushi tightly.
5. Dip the roll in tempura batter and fry at 350°F until crispy and golden.
6. Slice and dress with cilantro pesto and more Far Below hot sauce.

TAKI-CRUSTED CHIPOTLE SURIMI ROLL

Ingredients

• Surimi (imitation crab)
• Takis (crushed)
• Cucumber
• Cream cheese

Chipotle Mayo (blend)

• Mayonnaise
• Chipotle in adobo

Recipe

1. Mix surimi with chipotle mayo.
2. Cover nori with seasoned rice, then invert it.
3. Spread with cream cheese and fill with surimi and cucumber.
4. Roll the sushi and coat it with crushed Takis.
5. Dress with more chipotle mayo and Far Below hot sauce.