Spicy California Roll Recipe

Rinse the sushi rice under cold water until the water runs nearly clear to remove excess starch. Drain.

Combine rinsed rice and 240 ml 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 remove from heat and let steam, covered, 10 minutes.

While rice cooks, combine rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and stir until dissolved.

Transfer cooked rice to a wide shallow bowl (hangiri or baking sheet). Gently fold the vinegar mixture into the rice with a wooden paddle or spatula, fanning as you fold to cool the rice quickly. Rice should be sticky, glossy and slightly warm. Cover with a damp towel and set aside to cool to room temperature (about 20–30 minutes).

Flake the crab meat into small pieces. In a bowl combine crab, 2 tbs Japanese mayonnaise, 1 tbs yuzu juice and 1 tsp sriracha. Taste and adjust: add a little more mayonnaise if you want creamier, or more yuzu for brightness. Chill until assembly.

Slice the avocado in half, remove pit, peel, and cut into 1/4-inch strips lengthwise. Toss gently with a few drops of yuzu juice if desired to prevent browning.

Trim the cucumber, remove seeds if watery, and cut into long thin matchsticks (about 1/8–1/4-inch thick). Pat dry to remove excess moisture.

Whisk together 3 tbs Japanese mayonnaise, 1 tbs sriracha, 1/2 tsp yuzu juice and 1/4 tsp sesame oil until smooth. Transfer to a squeeze bottle or small zip-top bag and refrigerate until use.

Prepare your workspace: place the bamboo mat on a flat surface and cover with plastic wrap. Have a small bowl of water (with a splash of rice vinegar optional) to wet your hands and the knife between cuts.

Place one sheet of sesame soy paper on the plastic-covered bamboo mat, shiny side down. Wet your hands to prevent rice sticking. Spread about 3/4 cup of prepared sushi rice evenly over the soy paper in a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the far edge.

Across the center of the rice (closest to you or slightly off-center depending on desired roll shape), lay a strip of avocado (3–4 strips), a small handful of cucumber matchsticks, and about 2 tablespoons of the yuzu crab mixture in a line.

Lift the near edge of the mat, tuck the soy paper over the filling and roll firmly but gently, using the mat to shape the roll. Press along the seam to seal. For a tighter roll, pause and give an extra gentle squeeze with the mat.

Repeat to make 6 rolls total (use remaining rice and filling). Let rolls rest seam-side down for 2 minutes to set.

Using a very sharp knife dipped in water, trim the ends of each roll and slice each roll into 6–8 pieces (for a total of 36–48 pieces depending on slice size). Wipe knife clean and wet between cuts for clean edges.

Arrange roll pieces on a platter. Drizzle sriracha aioli over the top in a thin zig-zag or dot with a squeeze bottle. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the pieces.

Serve immediately with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi on the side.