California Roll Sushi Bowls (Printable)
Deconstructed California roll over seasoned sushi rice with avocado, crab, cucumber, nori and spicy mayo.
# What You'll Need:
→ Sushi Rice
01 - 1½ cups sushi rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
04 - 1 tablespoon sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
→ Toppings
06 - 7 oz imitation crab sticks (surimi), shredded or roughly chopped
07 - 1 large avocado, sliced
08 - 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced or julienned
09 - 2 sheets nori, cut into thin strips or small squares
10 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
11 - 4 tablespoons mayonnaise (preferably Kewpie)
12 - 1 tablespoon sriracha (optional, for spicy mayo)
13 - 1 small carrot, julienned (optional)
14 - Pickled ginger, for serving
15 - Soy sauce, for serving
# How-To Steps:
01 - Rinse the sushi rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Combine rice and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for an additional 10 minutes.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until fully dissolved. Gently fold the mixture into the cooked rice using a rice paddle or wooden spoon, taking care not to mash the grains. Allow the rice to cool to room temperature.
03 - In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and sriracha. Stir until smooth and well blended. Set aside.
04 - Divide the seasoned sushi rice among four serving bowls. Arrange the shredded imitation crab, sliced avocado, julienned cucumber, carrot if using, and nori strips on top of the rice in separate sections.
05 - Drizzle each bowl with the prepared spicy mayo and sprinkle generously with toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately with pickled ginger and soy sauce on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Everything you crave about sushi night lands on your spoon in under forty minutes, no bamboo mat required.
- The spicy mayo drizzle is the kind of thing you will start putting on everything once you taste it.
02 -
- If you stir the vinegar mixture into the rice aggressively instead of folding gently, you will end up with a paste instead of distinct grains that hold their shape.
- Letting the rice cool completely before assembling the bowls prevents the avocado from warming and turning mushy on contact.
03 -
- Toasting the sesame seeds in a dry skillet until they just start to pop releases oils that make them taste ten times more fragrant than the ones straight from the jar.
- Wet your knife blade before slicing the avocado to get clean cuts that do not drag and bruise the flesh.