Inside-Out California Roll

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The classic crab-avocado-cucumber roll, rolled inside-out so the seasoned rice sits on the outside under a coat of toasted sesame seeds. The whole thing hinges on two easy wins: rice seasoned while it's still warm, and a bamboo mat wrapped in plastic so nothing sticks. Budget-friendly, no raw fish, and forgiving enough that your third roll will look like a restaurant's.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups short-grain sushi rice
• 1 3/4 cups cold water
• 3 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• 8 oz imitation crab sticks (kanikama) or lump crabmeat
• 3 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise (or regular mayo)
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 medium ripe but firm avocado
• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 large English cucumber

• 4 sheets nori (roasted seaweed)
• 3 tbsp toasted white and black sesame seeds
• soy sauce, for dipping
• pickled ginger and wasabi, for serving

Instructions

1. Rinse the rice: put it in a bowl, cover with cold water, swirl with your hand, and pour off the cloudy water. Repeat 4 to 5 times until the water runs nearly clear, then drain in a sieve for 10 minutes.
2. Cook the rice with 1 3/4 cups cold water in a rice cooker on the white-rice setting, or in a small heavy pot: bring to a boil uncovered over medium-high, then cover, drop to the lowest heat, and cook 15 minutes. Off heat, leave the lid on and steam 10 more minutes.
3. While the rice cooks, make the sushi vinegar: warm the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan or in the microwave for 30 seconds, stirring until the sugar and salt fully dissolve. Let cool to room temperature.
4. Turn the hot rice into a wide non-metal bowl or sheet pan. Drizzle the vinegar mixture over it and use a rice paddle or silicone spatula to cut and fold — slicing motions, never stirring — until every grain is glossy and no liquid pools at the bottom. Fan it or let it sit uncovered 10 minutes until just above body temperature, then cover with a damp towel. Do not refrigerate.
5. Make the crab salad: shred the crab sticks lengthwise into fine threads with your fingers (or flake the lump crab). Fold in the mayonnaise, sesame oil, and cayenne. Chill until you're ready to roll.
6. Prep the vegetables: peel and pit the avocado, slice it into 1/4-inch planks, and toss gently with the lemon juice. Cut the cucumber into 1/4-inch batons about 4 inches long, discarding the seedy core so the roll doesn't get watery. Pat the batons dry with a paper towel.
7. Wrap your bamboo rolling mat tightly in plastic wrap, tucking the ends underneath — this is the difference between a clean inside-out roll and a sticky mess. Set out a small bowl of water with a splash of rice vinegar (tezu) for your hands, and pour the sesame seeds onto a plate.
8. Cut each nori sheet in half crosswise along the grain lines; you'll use half a sheet per roll for 8 rolls total, or full halves for 4 fat rolls. Lay one half-sheet shiny side down on the mat, positioned about 1 inch from the near edge.
9. Dampen your hands with tezu and spread about 3/4 cup of rice over the nori in an even 1/4-inch layer, going right to the left and right edges and leaving no border. Press lightly — compacting the rice makes it gummy. Sprinkle the rice generously with sesame seeds.
10. Flip the whole sheet over so the rice faces down onto the mat and the bare nori faces up. Across the lower third of the nori, lay a line of crab salad (about 3 tablespoons), then a row of avocado planks and 2 cucumber batons.
11. Roll it: lift the near edge of the mat with your thumbs, fold it up and over the filling, and press gently along the length to seal the nori against itself. Pull the mat back, then continue rolling forward, squeezing the mat around the finished log twice to square it up. Set the roll aside seam-down and repeat with the rest.
12. Wipe a sharp knife with a damp cloth, then cut each roll in half, and each half into 3 or 4 pieces, re-wetting the blade between every cut and using one long draw stroke rather than sawing. Serve within an hour with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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