California Recipe

Prepare crab filling

Shred or flake the crab meat into bite-size pieces. In a bowl, gently fold together crab, 2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon masago or a small pinch of tobiko until evenly coated. Be careful not to overmix—keep some texture. Taste and adjust mayo up to 1 tablespoon more if you prefer creamier filling.

Prepare cucumber and avocado

Peel (if desired) and remove seeds from the cucumber, then cut into julienne strips about 2.5 inches long and 1/8 inch thick (about 1 cup). Halve and pit the avocado, slice into 1/4-inch strips. Lightly toss avocado slices with 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice to prevent browning and keep them firm for rolling.

Season sushi rice

If rice is not already cooked: rinse 1 1/4 cups uncooked sushi rice until water runs clear, cook according to package (yields ~2 cups cooked). While rice is hot, combine 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until dissolved; gently fold this seasoning into the rice with a wooden spatula using cutting motions. Spread rice on a tray to cool to lukewarm; cover with a damp towel to avoid drying.

Prepare nori and mat

Place a bamboo sushi mat on a clean work surface and cover it with plastic wrap (this prevents rice from sticking to the mat). Place 1 sheet of nori, shiny side down, on top of the plastic-wrapped mat.

Lay rice on nori

Wet your hands with a mixture of water and a little rice vinegar to prevent sticking. Take about 1/2 cup of seasoned sushi rice and evenly spread it over the nori, leaving a 1-inch strip at the far edge without rice. Press rice gently and evenly to about 1/8–1/4 inch thickness. If making inside-out rolls (rice outside), flip the nori so rice is on the outside and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the rice; otherwise leave nori on top of rice for traditional inside roll.

Add fillings

At the near edge of the nori (closest to you), lay a thin line of the crab-mayo mixture (about 2–3 tablespoons per roll), a row of cucumber julienne, and 3–4 strips of avocado. Keep the filling centered and do not overstuff so the roll seals cleanly.

Roll the sushi

Lift the edge of the mat and begin to roll away from you, using the mat to apply even pressure. Tuck the filling in as you roll to make a firm cylinder. Squeeze gently with the mat to seal the roll and compact the rice. If you prepared an inside-out roll, finish with the seam side down and press to adhere.

Slice the roll

Using a very sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts, slice each roll into 6–8 equal pieces. Clean the knife between cuts to keep slices neat. For a 4-sheet batch with 1/2 cup rice each, expect 4 rolls yielding 24–32 pieces.

Finish with tobiko

Place a small spoonful (about 1/2 teaspoon) of tobiko on top of each sushi piece, or lightly sprinkle the 2 teaspoons across the cut rolls for a gentle orange sheen. If you used masago in the filling, you can still top with tobiko for contrast.

Serve

Arrange the sushi on a platter. Serve immediately with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi. Consume within 1–2 hours for best texture and freshness.