Alaskan Roll Recipe

Rinse rice

Place 2 cups short-grain sushi rice in a fine-mesh sieve or bowl and rinse under cold water, stirring with your hand, until the rinsing water runs nearly clear (about 3–5 minutes). Drain thoroughly.

Cook rice

Combine rinsed rice and 2.25 cups water in a rice cooker or medium saucepan. If using a saucepan, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 10 minutes.

Season rice

While rice rests, gently warm 3 tbs rice vinegar, 2 tbs sugar, and 1 tsp salt in a small saucepan (or microwave) until sugar dissolves; do not boil. Transfer cooked rice to a large shallow bowl or wooden hangiri. Pour vinegar mixture evenly over rice and fold gently with a rice paddle or wooden spoon to combine while fanning the rice to cool to near room temperature (this gives shine and the correct texture). Cover with a damp towel until assembly.

Prepare fillings

Tear or flake 8 oz imitation or cooked crab into bite-size strips. Julienne 1 cup cucumber (remove seeds), slice 1 ripe avocado thinly, and gently mix 8 oz crab with 2 tbs mayonnaise to bind; reserve 1 tbs masago for garnish and fold the remaining 2 tbs into the crab mixture if desired for flavor.

Lay out nori and rice

Place a bamboo mat covered with plastic wrap on the counter. Put one full nori sheet shiny-side down on the mat. Wet your fingers in the small bowl of water with a splash of rice vinegar to prevent sticking. Spread about 1/2 cup of seasoned sushi rice evenly over the nori, leaving a 1-inch strip at the far edge free of rice for sealing. Press rice gently to an even layer about 1/4-inch thick.

Add fillings and roll

Across the center of the rice, arrange a quarter of the crab-mayo mixture in a line, add a few cucumber julienne strips, and 3–4 avocado slices. Using the mat, lift the near edge of the nori and roll away from you, tucking the filling in tightly as you go, applying gentle pressure with the mat to form a firm roll. Seal the edge with the exposed nori strip by wetting it lightly with water.

Top with smoked salmon

Lay the roll seam-side down. Place thin slices of smoked salmon over the top of the roll, slightly overlapping, to cover the rice. If desired, press a spoon or the mat lightly so the salmon adheres to the rice.

Roll again (optional for tightly wrapped topping)

If you prefer the salmon wrapped into the roll edge-to-edge, place a second piece of plastic over the salmon-covered roll and rewrap gently with the bamboo mat to shape and adhere the salmon to the rice. Unwrap.

Coat with masago and garnish

Sprinkle remaining masago around the sides or over the top where desired so the roe adheres to the sticky rice and salmon. Sprinkle 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and 2 tbs thinly sliced scallions on top. Add a couple of lemon wedges alongside for optional brightening.

Slice the roll

Wet a sharp knife in the vinegar water and wipe between cuts. Slice the roll into 8 equal pieces by cutting in the center first, then quarters, then halves of each quarter, using a single smooth motion for each cut. Wipe and re-wet the knife between cuts to keep clean slices.

Serve

Arrange pieces on a platter and serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi on the side. Squeeze a touch of lemon on top of slices if desired.

Keep a small bowl of water with rice vinegar on hand to moisten your fingers and the knife. Work quickly once rice is seasoned—assemble rolls while rice is slightly warm but not hot. Leftover rice can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours; cover tightly to prevent drying.