California Roll Combination 1 Recipe

Rinse the 2 cups of short-grain sushi rice under cold water until the water runs almost clear (about 5–6 rinses). Drain well.

Combine rinsed rice and 2.4 cups water in a rice cooker or medium pot. If using a pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes.

While rice cooks, warm 4 tbs rice vinegar, 2 tbs sugar and 1 tsp salt in a small saucepan just until sugar dissolves. Do not boil. Cool slightly.

Transfer cooked rice to a wide shallow bowl (wooden Hangiri if available). Gently fold in the vinegar mixture with a rice paddle or spatula using cutting and fanning motions to cool and season rice. Cover with a damp towel and keep at room temperature until assembly (do not refrigerate).

Slice avocado into long thin slices (about 1/4-inch thick). Keep in a bowl with a few drops of lemon juice if not using immediately to prevent browning.

Cut the cucumber into long thin julienne strips, removing seeds to avoid excess moisture.

If using imitation crab sticks, shred or slice them lengthwise into strips appropriate for roll length (about 6–8 pieces per roll). For cooked shrimp for the shrimp roll: if whole shrimp are large, halve lengthwise; otherwise leave whole but trim to roll length.

Make the shrimp-mayo filling: in a small bowl combine 3 tbs mayonnaise and 1 tsp sriracha (optional). Toss 8 cooked shrimp with the mayo mixture until coated. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Lightly moisten a clean work surface. Have a bamboo mat wrapped in plastic ready. Cut nori sheets in half crosswise to make 6 half-sheets (each will make an inside-out roll).

With wet hands, take about 3/4 to 1 cup of seasoned rice and spread it evenly over the rough side of a half nori sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch strip of nori at the top edge. For the inside-out style (uramaki) used with California roll: place rice side up on the plastic-wrapped mat and press gently to a uniform 7 x 3-inch rectangle.

Sprinkle a thin layer of toasted sesame seeds over the rice (for the outer coating of rolls). Flip the nori and rice so the nori side faces up on the mat.

On the nori (now facing up), line cucumber strips, avocado slices, and 2–3 pieces of shredded crab per roll along the center horizontally. For a plain California roll (not tempura), proceed to roll (see rolling step).

To roll: lift the near edge of the mat, fold the nori over the filling and tuck tightly, then press and continue rolling to form a firm cylinder. Use the mat to shape and compress the roll gently. Seal the edge with a bit of water on the nori strip. Wipe your knife with a damp towel between cuts to keep clean slices.

Repeat to make one standard California roll (inside-out), and one shrimp roll using shrimp-mayo and cucumber as filling (place whole or halved shrimp lengthwise in the center). Reserve remaining fillings for the tempura roll or additional rolls.

Assemble the tempura California roll as described above (rice on outside with nori inside, fillings of crab, cucumber, avocado). Press rice firmly and shape into a tight roll.

Prepare tempura batter: in a bowl combine 1 cup all-purpose flour and 2 tbs cornstarch. Whisk the beaten egg into 1 cup ice-cold sparkling water, then gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined; batter should be slightly lumpy and cold. Do not overmix.

Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter — it should sizzle and rise quickly but not brown instantly.

Working quickly, hold the assembled roll with both hands or tongs and dip the entire roll into the tempura batter to coat evenly. Alternatively, brush batter onto rice surface. Immediately place the battered roll carefully into the hot oil.

Fry the roll, turning if needed, until the batter is golden and crisp, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Allow to cool slightly to firm up the crust.

After cooling 1–2 minutes, roll the tempura-crusted roll lightly in the toasted sesame seeds so seeds adhere to the warm batter. This creates the classic crunchy outer coating.

Using a very sharp, slightly dampened knife, slice the tempura roll into 8 pieces. Wipe the knife between cuts to keep slices clean.

You should now have: one tempura California roll (8 pieces), one shrimp-mayo roll (8 pieces — slice similarly), and one regular California roll (8 pieces). If you prefer smaller portions, slice each roll into 6 pieces instead; adjust servings accordingly.

Arrange on a serving platter: 8 pieces tempura California roll, 8 pieces shrimp roll, and 8 pieces California roll. Garnish the tempura roll with extra black sesame seeds if desired.

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