California Roll

Ingredients

• 2 cups sushi rice, uncooked
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 sheets nori (dried seaweed)
• 8 oz (225g) imitation crab or cooked crab, shredded
• 1 avocado, sliced thin
• 1 cucumber, seeded and cut into thin sticks
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
• Soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi, for serving

Before you cook

• Rinse the sushi rice in a fine mesh sieve under cold water until the water runs clear.
• Combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl and stir until dissolved.
• Seed the cucumber and cut it into thin matchsticks.
• Slice the avocado thinly.
• Shred the crab meat into thin strands.

Steps

1. Combine the rinsed rice and water in a rice cooker or saucepan and cook according to package directions.
2. Transfer the hot cooked rice to a large wooden or glass bowl.
3. Pour the vinegar mixture over the rice and fold it in gently with a wooden spatula.
4. Fan the rice as you fold to help it cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
5. Lay a sheet of nori shiny-side down on a bamboo rolling mat covered in plastic wrap.
6. Wet your fingers with water and spread a thin, even layer of rice over the entire nori sheet.
7. Sprinkle sesame seeds evenly over the rice.
8. Flip the nori and rice over so the rice faces down onto the mat.
9. Arrange a line of crab, avocado, and cucumber sticks across the center of the nori.
10. Drizzle a thin line of mayonnaise over the filling.
11. Lift the edge of the mat closest to you and roll it tightly over the filling.
12. Continue rolling, using the mat to shape and tighten the roll into a cylinder.
13. Repeat with the remaining nori sheets, rice, and filling.
14. Wet a sharp knife and slice each roll into 8 even pieces, wiping and re-wetting the knife between cuts.
15. Arrange the pieces cut-side up on a serving plate.
16. Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi.