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Chef Chris Cho making Philadelphia Roll — This is how you make Philadelphia Roll!

Philadelphia Roll is a type of sushi roll that is originally made of smoked salmon, Philadelphia cream cheese, and cucumber. It had an interesting invention story, and it is now loved by many!

Philly roll was invented by Madame Saito in the 1980s when she moved to the US. Back then, people were not aware of what sushi was, so she thought of making something that was familiar to the Western taste buds.

Using local ingredients, she created the Philadelphia Roll. To Madame Saito, sushi is like art that can be expressed in many different ways, thus her innovative way of introducing Japanese cuisine to the West.

Who would’ve known that this sushi roll would now be known all over the world??

I admire stories like these because they paved the way for people to appreciate Asian culture even more. Just like the California Roll and Avocado Roll, the Philadelphia Roll helped open the gates for people to try new things that are outside of what they used to know~

Furthermore, the culture of innovation and creativity promoted the evolution of cuisines which allows Chefs of today, like me, to not be afraid to explore and create new recipes as well! If you’re interested to know more about sushi around the world, check this article out!

Philly Roll Ingredients

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Salmon, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Avocado

Rice Seasoned with Rice Vinegar. Of course, the base of any sushi is rice. You can use Japanese rice, but short or medium-grain rice is also amenable as long as you cook it a little on the sticky side. We need to season it with rice vinegar for flavor which will complement the fish.
Nori. These are seaweed sheets that will help hold the whole sushi. At the same time, it will also provide a fresh seafood taste to the whole dish.

Salmon. To get this, you can go to any Japanese restaurant and order salmon sashimi. You can also go to Asian markets like Hmart or local fish markets and ask for “sushi grade” sashimi. Smoked salmon is also amenable to this recipe! Once you buy this ingredient, make sure to be ready to make it right away to prevent the fish from spoiling.
Philadelphia Cream Cheese. While this is a unique item far from traditional sushi, it actually complements the roll really well. It’s creamy, buttery, and a little bit salty which gives good flavor to the sushi. Use a block of cream cheese so it’s easier to slice and use.
Avocado. This is another item that complements the salmon. Avocado can be replaced with cucumber if you want something crunchy instead.

How to Make Sushi with Cream Cheese?

Step 1. Prepare the ingredients. Season the rice, cut the nori sheet in half, and slice the salmon 3-in x 1-in in rectangular sizes, the avocados thinly, and the cream cheese 2-in x 1-in matchstick sizes.

Step 2. In a sheet of nori, place a fist full of rice and spread it edge to edge, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Step 3. Turn the nori upside down and place the salmon slices, avocado, and cream cheese in the middle.

Step 4. Using a bamboo sushi roller wrapped in cling film, roll and tuck the sushi close.

Step 5. Slice into 6 pieces and serve with soy sauce. Enjoy!

Other Japanese-inspired recipes you might like:

Make sure to leave a rating, a comment, or tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Tiktok when you chop them up! Yeobosayo!

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