A fusion of California and Japanese cultures, the California sushi roll features crab meat,large shrimp or firm-fleshed fish fillets such as halibut or salmon, cut into 2-inch chunks, avocado, cucumber, rice and seaweed. It was initially created in Los Angeles in the 1960s to make sushi more accessible to those who were hesitant to eat it. It’s also an inside-out version of traditional Japanese sushi, where the seaweed is outside the rice.
To make 2 rolls (16 pieces) :
- 400gr of sushi rice
- 1 nori leaf
- 5 sticks of surimi or fresh salmon
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1/2 avocado
- 20gr sesame seeds
- Mayonnaise
Preparing the California Rolls Step By Step :
- Start by preparing your sushi rice in the classic way or use a rice cooker if you have one.
- Cut the cucumber lengthwise and remove the seeds in the middle.
- Then cut it into thin strips about 1 cm thick. Then cut your avocado in half.
- Remove the stone and then the skin from the two halves and cut them into 4 or 6 strips each.
- Place a large piece of cling film on your work surface.
- Put your mat in the middle to surround it completely with cling film.
- Roll up the carpet to extract the trapped air. To let the air out more easily, pierce it with the tip of a knife.
- Make sure the rice evenly covers the entire nori leaf, then sprinkle the surface of the rice with sesame seeds. Place a large piece of cling film on your work surface. Put your mat in the middle to surround it completely with cling film. Roll up the carpet to extract the trapped air. To let the air out more easily, pierce it with the tip of a knife.
- Turn the set over at the edge of the bamboo mat, so that the nori leaf ends up on top of the rice. Arrange horizontally in the middle of the nori leaf, a mayonnaise fillet, your avocado, cucumber and surimi strips.
- Starting at the edge closest to you, gently lift the mat and nori sheet with your thumbs. Place your other fingers on the filling and start rolling up the mat. Continue and finish rolling your california roll while applying light pressure along the entire length of the roller to give your roller a nice cylindrical shape. Remove the bamboo mat.
- Soak the blade of your knife and your hands in vinegar water beforehand, then cut your roll in half. Place the two half-rolls side by side and cut them again in three. You should get six pretty california rolls. Between each cut, wipe your blade with a damp cloth.
- All you have to do is place your california rolls on a plate and serve them with a little soy sauce, wasabi and a few slices of marinated ginger.