This is ¡Pasion!'s take on the popular Japanese sushi bar handroll. Instead of covering the lenguado—the Spanish word for “sole”—with a thin layer of nori seaweed, I use whole cilantro leaves. In place of the pink pickled ginger that is a ubiquitous condiment for sushi, I serve pickled, paper-thin slices of green (unripe) mango in a South American flavor combo of lime, garlic, and fiery habañero chile. Every time I offer this dish, my kitchen staff quietly curse me because the rolls require a bit of handwork and are so popular that the staff can't stop rolling. I've since learned that if we make the rolls early in the evening and cover them with dampened paper towels, they keep beautifully.

Serves 4

4 thin flounder fillets, about ½ pound
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
1 firm but ripe Hass or Pinkerton avocado, peeled, trimmed to flatten edges, and cut into sticks
½ English cucumber, lightly peeled and cut into sticks
2 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into fillets
½ bunch fresh chives, cut into 3-inch lengths plus 8 whole chives for tying
2 tablespoons wasabi powder
½ small habañero chile, seeded and finely chopped
½ cup Green Mango Escabeche
¼ cup soy sauce, for dipping

Arrange the flounder fillets on a clean work surface. Cover with plastic wrap and pound lightly, using the side of a heavy chef’s knife. Combine the lime juice and salt. Transfer the pounded flounder to a nonreactive (stainless-steel or enameled) tray and sprinkle with the lime-and-salt mixture. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until the fillets are nearly opaque.

Remove the flounder from the marinade and place on a clean work surface, with the outer side of the fish down. Cut each flounder fillet into 4-inch lengths, discarding the trimmings.
Cover the exposed inner side of the fish with a layer of cilantro leaves. Over the cilantro, on one short end of each of the flounder pieces, place one-quarter of the avocado, cucumber, tomato, and chives.

Roll the fish up as tightly as possible around the vegetables, and repeat with remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate briefly to firm the rolls. Using a sharp knife, slice each roll crosswise into 2 pieces, and tie to secure with a chive. Place the rolls on a tray covered with plastic wrap or waxed paper, cover with a dampened paper towel, and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 6 hours ahead.

In a small bowl, mix the wasabi and chile with enough water to make a thick, stiff paste. Form the paste into four marble-size balls and reserve. To serve the handrolls, place 2 pieces on each of 4 small serving plates. Garnish with a portion of the wasabi paste and a small mound of Green Mango Escabeche, and serve with a small dipping bowl of soy sauce.