B.c. Roll Recipe

Rinse and cook rice

Place 2 cups short-grain sushi rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water, stirring with your hand, until the water runs mostly clear (3–5 minutes). Drain 10–15 minutes. Transfer rice to a rice cooker or medium pot with 2 1/4 cups water. If using a pot, bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer 12–14 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes.

Season rice

While rice rests, warm 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp salt in a small saucepan or microwave just until sugar dissolves; do not boil. Transfer cooked rice to a wooden or wide shallow bowl (or large mixing bowl). Pour vinegar mixture evenly over rice. Using a cutting/slicing motion with a rice paddle or spatula, fold the rice to mix while fanning or letting it cool to room temperature—this gives glossy, properly seasoned sushi rice. Cover with a damp towel until assembly to keep moist (no refrigeration).

Prepare fillings: shred or flake 6 oz cooked/imitation crab and combine with 3 tbsp mayonnaise and 2 tbsp thinly sliced green onion in a small bowl. Taste and adjust mayo to bind but keep light. Julienne 1/2 cup cucumber (seeded) and slice 1 avocado. Lay out 8 oz thinly sliced smoked salmon in a single layer on a plate—this will be used to top the roll.

Set up: place a bamboo sushi mat on a work surface and cover with plastic wrap. Lightly brush the mat/plastic with 1 tsp neutral oil to keep smoked salmon from sticking. Have a small bowl of water nearby to wet your hands (prevents rice sticking). Divide rice into 4 equal portions (about 1/2 cup each).

Lay out smoked salmon

On the plastic-covered mat, arrange two slices of smoked salmon side-by-side and overlapping slightly to form a rectangle roughly the width of a nori sheet. Repeat for each roll (you'll make 4 rolls total).

Place nori: Lay one full nori sheet shiny side down on the smoked salmon rectangle. With wet hands, grab one rice portion and evenly spread it over the nori, covering the entire surface in a thin, even layer (about 1/4–1/2 inch). Leave a 1/2-inch strip at the far edge of the nori without rice to seal the roll.

Add fillings: Along the near edge of the rice (closest to you), place a line of the crab-mayo mixture (about 1.5 tbsp across the length), a few julienned cucumber sticks (about 1–2 tbsp), and 2–3 slices of avocado. Do not overfill; keep a straight even line.

Roll

Using the mat, lift the near edge and begin to roll away from you, tucking the filling as you go and keeping firm, even pressure so the smoked-salmon-covered nori forms the outer layer. Roll until you reach the far edge and seal the rice-free strip of nori with a little water to close the seam. Press gently along the length to compress into a neat cylinder.

Finish and garnish: Lightly sprinkle 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds evenly over the roll's seam or entire surface. Repeat steps for remaining portions to make 4 rolls.

Slice the rolls: Using a very sharp knife, wet the blade and wipe it dry between cuts to prevent sticking. For each roll, cut into 8 equal pieces: trim ends if desired, then slice in half lengthwise and then into 4 crosswise pieces, or make 8 straight pieces. Clean and re-wet the blade between slices for clean cuts.

Plate and serve: Arrange pieces on a platter. Serve immediately with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger. Leftover sushi rice and fillings should be consumed the same day for best quality.