Springfield Roll Recipe

Rinse and cook rice

Rinse 1 cup short-grain sushi rice under cold water until the water runs clear (3–4 rinses). Drain and place rice in a small pot with 1.1 cups water. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Season rice

While rice cooks, mix 2 tbs rice vinegar, 1 tbs sugar, and 1/2 tsp salt in a small bowl until dissolved. Transfer cooked rice to a wide shallow bowl or hangiri. Gently fold the vinegar mixture into the hot rice using a rice paddle or wooden spoon using cutting-and-fan motions to cool quickly until rice is slightly warm. Cover with a damp towel to keep moist while preparing fillings.

Prepare crab and shrimp

If using imitation crab sticks, shred or thinly slice into strips totaling about 4 oz. Chop 4 oz cooked shrimp into small bite-sized pieces. In a small bowl combine shredded crab, chopped shrimp, 1 tbs mayonnaise, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil. Mix gently to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning; set aside.

Prep avocado and cucumber

Peel and thinly slice half an avocado lengthwise into 4–6 long strips. Cut 1/4 English cucumber into long, thin matchsticks (remove seeds if watery). Pat cucumber dry with paper towel to avoid excess moisture.

Lay nori and rice

Place a bamboo mat on work surface and wrap with plastic. Place 1 full nori sheet shiny side down. Wet your hands with water to prevent rice sticking. Spread a thin, even layer of seasoned sushi rice over the nori leaving a 1-inch strip at the top edge free of rice for sealing. Aim for about 3/4 cup rice distributed evenly (adjust to cover sheet).

Flip and add fillings (inside-out style optional)

If making a traditional roll with nori inside: place fillings (a line of crab/shrimp mixture, avocado slices, and cucumber matchsticks) about 1 inch from the bottom edge of the rice-covered nori. If you prefer an inside-out roll (rice outside), place plastic-wrapped mat rice-side down and peel nori from the mat before adding fillings on the nori side. This recipe uses nori inside: proceed with nori under rice.

Roll tightly

Using the bamboo mat, lift the edge closest to you and roll forward, tucking the filling in as you go, applying gentle but firm pressure to form a tight cylinder. Continue rolling until sealed; wet the top edge of the nori strip with a little water to seal the roll. Let seam rest seam-side down for 1 minute.

Top with masago and slice

If you made an inside-out roll and have rice outside, press 1.5 tbs masago gently over the seam/rice on top before slicing. If nori is outside, you can still press masago onto the rice after slicing. Wet a very sharp knife with water, wipe dry between cuts. Slice the roll into 8 equal pieces by cutting in half, then each half into quarters, using a single clean stroke per cut. Wipe and wet the knife between cuts to keep clean edges. Arrange pieces on a plate seam up.

Garnish and serve

Sprinkle optional 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds over the roll and place pickled ginger and wasabi alongside. Serve with soy sauce (about 2 tbs) for dipping. Each roll yields 8 pieces.