Classic Holy Roller Recipe

Rinse the 2 cups sushi rice under cold water until the rinse runs mostly clear (about 3–4 rinses). Drain.

Combine rinsed rice and 2.25 cups water in a rice cooker or pot. If using a pot, bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer, cover, and cook 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes.

While rice cooks, warm the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan or microwave until sugar dissolves. Let cool slightly.

Transfer cooked rice to a large shallow bowl. Gently fold the vinegar mixture into the rice with a wooden spatula or rice paddle, using a slicing motion to avoid crushing grains. Fan the rice slightly while folding to glossy cool it to near-room temperature (about 10 minutes).

Cover rice with a damp towel to keep it moist while you prepare fillings.

California (Roll A): Shred or flake the imitation crab into 1 cup. Slice 1 avocado into thin strips and julienne ½ cup cucumber (remove seeds). Toss crab lightly with 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise if you like for texture (optional).

Spicy Tuna (Roll B): Finely dice ½ cup sushi-grade tuna. Mix with 2 tablespoons spicy mayo (from the condiments section) and 1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onion. Taste and adjust heat with extra sriracha if desired.

Salmon & Cucumber (Roll C): Slice ½ cup sushi-grade salmon into thin batonnet strips. Julienne ½ cup cucumber and cut cream cheese into 2 thin strips (optional) for a creamier texture.

Spicy mayo

Combine ¼ cup mayonnaise with 1 teaspoon sriracha (adjust to taste). Stir until smooth. Reserve 2 tablespoons for the spicy tuna filling and the rest for serving or drizzling.

Set a bamboo mat on a work surface and cover it with plastic wrap to prevent sticking. Place a full nori sheet shiny side down on the mat (or soy paper if using).

With wet hands, take about ⅔ cup of prepared sushi rice and evenly spread it over the nori, leaving a 1-inch strip at the far edge free of rice. Lightly brush rice with a few drops of sesame oil if desired and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the rice.

Flip the nori so the rice is facing down on the mat (for inside-out rolls). Place the chosen filling ingredients in a line across the nori about 1 inch from the near edge. For roll A: crab, avocado, cucumber. For roll B: spicy tuna mixture. For roll C: salmon, cucumber, cream cheese strip.

Using the mat, roll the nori away from you, tucking the filling in as you go, and press gently to form a tight cylinder. Continue rolling until sealed. Repeat to make the remaining two rolls. You should have three rolls total.

Let rolls rest seam-side down for 2 minutes to set.

Wet a very sharp knife (dip in water and wipe between cuts) and slice each roll into 6–8 pieces, cutting with a single decisive pull rather than a sawing motion to keep fillings neat.

Arrange roll pieces on a serving platter. Garnish with pickled ginger, a small mound of wasabi paste, and a pouring bowl of soy sauce. Drizzle remaining spicy mayo over the spicy tuna roll if desired and sprinkle additional toasted sesame seeds.

Serve immediately with wasabi, pickled ginger, and soy sauce on the side. Each roll is best eaten fresh within 30 minutes of slicing.