California Roll (or California Maki) is a type of sushi roll that is made of cucumber, avocado, and imitation crab. It has fresh seafood despite the simple ingredients!
Did you know that California Roll was not invented in Japan? It was invented by Japanese chefs living in the US and Canada. While there is a debate about where it was first invented and what the original version was, I think we can all agree that this sushi roll is a CLASSIC.
Almost all Japanese restaurants have it and it has been one of the key dishes that introduced Asian cuisine to the world. California Roll helped ease people to know more about our cuisine and made people try more dishes that are outside of their palette.
California Roll Ingredients
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Ingredients for this dish not really hard to get. I bet most of these are already in your pantry, but many people shy away from making them at home because it requires special technique. No worries, because I’ll teach you that too!
- Freshly cooked rice seasoned with rice vinegar. You can use short or medium grain rice that was cooked slightly sticky. Season it with rice vinegar so it evens out in texture and adds flavor that will complement the sushi. If you don’t have rice vinegar at home, you can easily substitute it with regular vinegar and sugar.
- Nori Sheets. These seaweed sheets will be the bed that holds the sushi together. Aside from that, it will also add a fresh ocean taste to the sushi roll. We’ll be using half sheets for every roll.
- Tobiko. This is fish roe. You can buy some at Hmart or any Asian grocery stores. It’s a nice-to-have in a California Roll because of its saltiness, subtle sweetness, and crunch that helps with the taste and texture. However, if you don’t have it, you can just use sesame seeds.
- Imitation Crabs. It may be called crab, but it is actually made of fish. Nevertheless, it has a unique salty seafood flavor that you will appreciate in California Roll.
- Cucumber and Avocado. These fruits are the refreshing touch to the sushi roll. They will give crunch and creaminess to the bite of the roll. Remove the seeds of the cucumber to remove water content and keep it from turning soggy.
How to Make California Roll?
- First, you need to prepare all your ingredients. You need to do this step because when everything is within your reach, you can just go on rollin’ until you perfect it. The first roll won’t be pretty, but as you keep making it, you’ll get a hang of it.
- Second, prepare your equipments. Wrap your bamboo sushi rollers, wet your hands before rolling, and wet your knife before slicing. Even before you get started, the rice WILL BE STICKY and it will be a struggle to handle them in the beginning.
- Now, place a fistball of rice and spread it in the nori sheet from edge to edge. Top with tobiko and sesame seeds, then flip. Carefully place the crabs, cucumber, and avocado in the middle.
Roll & Tuck
The key to making California Maki is to roll it, then tuck it well. On the first roll, make sure that the fillings are compressed from the middle to the edges. Once you see that it’s nicely tucked, roll it again and tuck it to lock. It should be shaped like an elongated square.
If you see any fillings fall out, move the roll on the edge of the bamboo roller and tuck all the fillings in. When you remove the bamboo roller, nothing should be falling out.
After rolling, slice into equal pieces, serve with soy sauce, and enjoy!
Other Japanese-inspired recipes you might like:
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California Roll
Equipment
- Bamboo Sushi Roller
- Cling Film
Ingredients
- 2 cups Rice Freshly cooked
- 1.5 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- Nori Sheets Cut lengthwise
- Tobiko
- Sesame Seeds
- 1 pc Cucumber Sliced into Matchsticks
- 1 pc Avocado Sliced Vertically
- 2 pc Imitation Crab
Instructions
- Season the rice with rice vinegar, mix, and set aside.
- Prepare other ingredients.
- Wrap your bamboo sushi roller with cling film.
- Wet your hands then spread out the rice in nori sheets, then spread tobiko and sesame seeds on top.
- Turn it upside down and place it on the bottom of the bamboo roller.
- Place imitation crab, cucumbers, and avocado on top of the nori, then roll and tuck. Make sure that all fillings are compressed.
- Roll and tuck once more to lock the sushi. If fillings fall out, put the roll on the edge of the bamboo roller, roll and tuck it all inside.
- Wet your knife and slice the sushi into 6 starting from the middle.
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