Rainbow Roll Recipe

Rinse the sushi rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain.

Combine rinsed rice and 2.2 cups water in a rice cooker or pot. Cook according to rice cooker instructions or bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes then rest 10 minutes off heat.

While rice cooks, heat rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan over low heat just until sugar dissolves. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Transfer cooked rice to a wide shallow bowl (a hangiri if available). Gently fold the vinegar mixture into the rice with a rice paddle in cutting motions to coat; fan or let cool to near room temperature. Keep covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.

If using whole avocado for inside: halve, remove pit, peel and slice into long 1/4-inch strips. Reserve extra avocado for outside slices.

Seed and cut the English cucumber into long, thin batons approximately 1/4 inch by 3 inches. Pat dry to remove excess moisture.

In a small bowl, gently toss blue crab meat with Japanese mayonnaise (if using), toasted sesame oil and 1/2 tsp soy sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning lightly. Keep chilled until assembly.

Using a very sharp knife, slice the maguro, sake (salmon), and hamachi into thin sashimi-style slices, roughly the length of the roll (about 3–4 inches) and 1/8 inch thick. Keep fish chilled and arranged by type on a chilled plate.

Thinly slice the reserved avocado half lengthwise into uniform thin slices for layering on the outside. To prevent browning, you can brush lightly with lemon juice (optional).

Place the bamboo mat on a flat surface and cover with plastic wrap to prevent sticking. Lay a full nori sheet shiny side down on the plastic-wrapped mat.

Wet your hands with a vinegar-water mixture (1 tbsp rice vinegar + 1/4 cup water) to prevent rice sticking. Spread about 1 1/2 cups of sushi rice evenly over the nori, leaving a 1/2-inch strip at the top edge free of rice. Press rice gently but firmly to form an even layer.

Flip the nori and rice so the rice is facing down on the plastic wrap (this is an inside-out roll technique). Arrange a line of crab mixture about 1 inch from the bottom edge across the nori. On top of the crab, lay cucumber batons and a couple of avocado strips in a line with the crab.

Use the bamboo mat to roll the nori away from you, tucking the filling tightly and rolling into a cylinder. Press gently to shape. Finish sealing by dampening the top bare edge of nori with a little water and completing the roll. Remove the plastic wrap from the outside of the roll if it’s between rice and mat.

Place the roll seam-side down. Lay overlapping slices of maguro, sake (salmon), hamachi and avocado across the top of the roll so their edges overlap and cover the roll from end to end, creating the rainbow effect. Arrange colors in your preferred order; typically tuna, salmon, yellowtail and avocado.

Wrap the bamboo mat loosely over the roll and press gently so the fish and avocado adhere to the rice. Chill the roll in the refrigerator for 5–10 minutes to help set slices for cleaner cutting (optional but recommended).

Using a very sharp, wet knife (dip in water between cuts), slice the roll into 8 equal pieces. Clean the knife with a damp towel between cuts to preserve clean edges.

Arrange slices on a serving platter. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, a small dab of wasabi and pickled ginger on the side. Serve with soy sauce for dipping.