California Sushi Rolls

Tasty American version of maki sushi

Japan

Main course
4 persons
30
Mild

In the early 1960s, several sushi chefs left Japan for the United States. They were fortune seekers looking for new opportunities. The Japanese sushi chefs created many American-style sushi variations. They came up with unique names for their American sushi rolls such as California roll.

Ingredients

4 Crab sticks (1 stick per roll)

1 Avocado

1 Cucumber

Preparation method for California Sushi Rolls

Wash the rice two to three times in a colander with cold water until the water runs clear. Then drain for about 15 minutes.
Cook the rice in a rice cooker or boil the drained rice in a large pot with 650 ml of water. If using the pot, make sure the rice comes to a boil. Then turn the heat to low and place the lid on the pot. Cook gently until the rice has absorbed all the water. Finally, let the rice cook for another 15 minutes with the lid closed.
Pour the hot, cooked rice into a large unpainted wooden or clay bowl. Then add the sushi vinegar.
Season the rice well with the sushi vinegar and stir gently with a wooden spatula. Try not to bruise the rice grains while stirring. Quickly cool the rice under a clean, damp cloth and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
Wash the cucumber and cut it in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds with a teaspoon and cut the cucumber lengthwise into strips about 5 cm long and 1 cm wide.
Cut crab sticks in half lengthwise.
Peel an avocado and cut it into strips as thick as the cucumber.
Cut the nori sheet in half 1/3 of the way across.
Lay the bamboo mat flat on the table with 2/3 of the nori sheet on top and place the sushi rice on top.
Sprinkle the sushi rice with some toasted sesame seeds.
Cover the sushi rice with plastic wrap. Now turn over the whole nori sheet, the sesame seeded sushi rice and the plastic wrap and place them on the bamboo mat. Now the nori is on top.1
Fold the top edge of the nori sheet 1 cm inward.1
Apply a line of mayonnaise to the center of the nori sheet. Place a strip of cucumber, 2 strips of avocado and 2 halves of crab sticks cut into strips on top.1
Fold the bamboo mat with the plastic wrap and tighten it well. Continue rolling the sushi to the end of the bamboo mat. Don't forget to remove the plastic film little by little while rolling.1
Remove the bamboo mat and plastic wrap and cut the roll into 8 equal pieces.

Serve tip

Place the California rolls on a platter or plate and make a nice composition with a garnish of sweet and sour ginger, balls of wasabi and a little soy sauce. If desired, you can also decorate the outside of your sushi with sesame seeds.