This recipe for California Roll sushi was submitted by Akira, who serves as our tour guide in Japan. Akira informs us that handmade sushi comes in two main styles: nigiri sushi (little balls of sticky rice with a slab of fish or other delicacy on top) and maki sushi (which is a roll, formed with the rice on the inside or to the outside of a seaweed wrapper, made with vegetables and fish or other filling). Maki-style sushi offers cooked as well as uncooked fillings, so newcomers can experience the unusual but pleasing blend of flavors without being squeamish. Unknown to most Americans, nigiri and maki sushi may be eaten with the hands. So, if the idea of using chopsticks has discouraged you from trying sushi, fear no more! Pick up a piece and enjoy! (If you aren't a fan of hot, spicy flavors, stay away from the wasabi, a Japanese horseradish paste that packs quite a kick.)
California Roll (a popular maki sushi made with cooked crabmeat)
Yield: 1 roll (6 pieces)
NOTE: All ingredients can be purchased at a Japanese specialty shop but many supermarkets now also carry these ingredients, as well as the equipment for making sushi.
Ingredients
1 sheet nori (seaweed wrapper)
1 cup of sushi rice
2 thin slices of ripe avocado
6 cucumber sticks (1/8"-1/4" thick)
6 oz. canned crabmeat
Garnish
Soy sauce
Wasabi
Sliced pickled ginger
Place the nori on a sushi mat. Press the rice firmly onto the nori in a thin layer. Cover the entire sheet of nori with the rice, to a thickness of 1/4", but leave about 1" uncovered at one end. On the edge of the rice opposite the uncovered end, place the avocado slices, end to end. Place the crabmeat uniformly on top of the avocado. Top with the cucumber sticks, then use the sushu mat to roll the ingredients into a tight cylinder. Remove the sushi mat, then cut the roll into six pieces. Serve with soy sauce (for dipping), wasabi (if desired) and sliced pickled ginger.