California Rolls

This is one of my favorite rolls! I have always loved a good California Roll. If you have not already, read my post on Yummy Sushi Rice, you will need it.

What you need:

Follow instructions for Sushi Rice

Nori (toasted seaweed sheets)

Cucumber

Avocado

Real or imitation crab meat

Sesame seeds optional

Plastic wrap

Instructions:

Start the sushi rice. While it is cooking, prep the vegetables.

Peel and slice the cucumber into long sticks (julienne).

Cut the avocado in half and scoop out the meat whole with a spoon, discard the pit and skin. Slice the avocado into 'logs' similar in shape to the cucumber.

You have options with the crab meat. You can leave it plain whether it is shredded or lump, it doesn't matter, or you can "flavor" it. The flavoring works really well for the imitation, shredded, super affordable crab meat.

You add mayonnaise and sriracha to the crab meat to taste. You do not want it wet, just coated so it sticks together but doesn't run. That would make it hard to roll.

Once your vegetables are prepped and your rice is at most warm to the touch but not hot, you can set up your sushi roll. But first get a bowl of water (for your hands) and plastic wrap ready.

Lay a sheet of plastic wrap down on your work surface. It needs to be bigger than the nori sheet.

Lay the nori down, shiny side down (yes there is a shiny side and a rough side) on the plastic wrap. Add rice to the nori in a thin layer, the thinner you make it the easier it is to roll ( I like more rice so I'm willing to work harder to roll a thick roll). Use your hands to spread the rice, getting them wet and 'washing' the sticky off your hands in the water as needed.

Only cover the lower 2/3rds of the nori with rice, you need to top 1/3 to seal the roll.

Add the filling you want, cucumber, avocado, crab (optional variations) and roll the roll away from you. You roll by picking up the serran wrap and folding the roll onto itself and then rolling like a log. Here's a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGG01tj9wi4 (I leave more space not covered with rice to make sure my roll stays together, they only leave 1 inch, which is alo fine).

Wrap the rolled roll in the serran wrap and let sit for at least 5 minutes. I like my sushi slightly warm or room temperature so I usually eat it right after the 5 minutes. Unwrap the plastic wrap and cut with a knife, washing the knife as needed to remove the stickiness.

And done! Can top the cut pieces with sesame seeds (toasted preferred) if desired. I also like to mix my soy sauce with some seasoned rice vinegar and wasabi :)

I highly recommend learning other sushi techniques from videos on YouTube, hand rolls, onigiri, learning to put the rice on the outside of the roll is not hard when you can see someone do it.

#sushi #vegetarian #japanese #roll #avocado