California Sushi Rolls

Sushi is defined as a Japanese dish consisting of small balls or rolls of vinegar-flavored cold cooked rice served with raw fish, vegetables, cheese, and eggs. Personally, I'm a big fan of raw vegetables, but because of the elevated bacterial contamination risks associated with most raw flesh products, I choose to exclude such ingredients unless they are fully cooked. This vegetarian recipe is one of my favorites because it doesn't require any meat products and yet is easy to make and full of wonderful delicate flavors.

Uh-oh! We're unable to calculate nutrition for this recipe because some ingredients aren't recognized.

Step 1

In a medium pot or rice cooker (preferred), add 3 cups* of rice and rinse and drain 5 times or more until water is clear of rice starches. *Note that this cup (180 ml) is actually less than a standard cup measure (240 ml).

Step 2

Add 3 cups* of water and allow to soak for 30-mins. I recommend using the rice and water measuring cup that is usually included with the rice cooker. *Note that this cup (180 ml) is actually less than a standard cup measure (240 ml).

Step 3

In a small sauce pan, add rice vinegar, sugar, and salt and cook on low heat until dissolved (about 4-5 mins).

Step 4

Cook rice in rice cooker according to directions. Fluff rice and let stand for 10-12 minutes.

Step 5

In a medium bowl, add cooked rice and slowly cut in the vinegar mixture until thoroughly mixed, and set aside.

Step 6

1. Avacado: Seed and cut into 1/2" linier strips.

Step 7

2. Cucumber: peele, seed, and cut into 1/2" linier strips.

Step 8

3. Cream Cheese: cut into 1/2" linier squares. This is best accomplished by leaving the cream cheese refrigerated until ready to use.

Step 9

4. Cooked real or Imitation Crab Meat: cut into 1/2" linier strips.

Step 10

Seaweed Paper (Nori): use 1- 8" x 7.5" sheet per sushi roll.

Step 11

Place 1 sheet of Nori, shiny-side down on sushi roll mat. Add approximately 1/4" of sushi rice, completely covering nori evenly. Wet hands in water so rice doesn't stick. Carefully turn nori over on mat and place sushi Ingredients approximately 1" in towards bottom side of nori facing you. Using fingers, hold ingredients in place while using thumbs to lift bottom rice side of mat and roll up tightly while carefully peeling back of mat. Set mat aside and garnish with sprinkles of sesame seeds on sushi roll. Using a sharp knife, cut sushi roll into 5 equal vertical rounds. Repeat process for additional sushi rolls.