Soul Roll Recipe

Prepare crab mixture

Dry the cooked Alaskan king crab meat gently with paper towels and flake into bite-sized pieces. In a medium bowl, combine the crab, softened cream cheese, diced jalapeño, julienned carrots, sliced green onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, kosher salt, and black pepper. Fold gently until evenly mixed but still slightly chunky. Taste and adjust seasoning; set aside in the refrigerator while you prepare rice and sheets.

Prep rice and nori

If rice is freshly cooked, allow to cool to warm (not hot). Season with sushi vinegar (or rice vinegar + a pinch of sugar and salt) and fold gently. Lay a bamboo rolling mat on a work surface and cover it with plastic wrap to prevent sticking. Place one nori sheet shiny side down on the plastic-wrapped mat. With wet hands, spread about 1 cup of sushi rice evenly over the nori, leaving a 1-inch border at the far edge.

Add filling and roll

Sprinkle a teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds across the rice. Flip the nori so rice is facing down on the plastic wrap (this makes a tempura-battered roll where nori is on outside). Place half of the crab-cream filling in a log along the near edge of the nori. Use the mat to tightly roll the nori away from you, pressing to form a compact cylinder. Wrap the rolled log in plastic wrap tightly and repeat with the second nori sheet and remaining rice and filling. Chill the wrapped rolls in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up before battering.

Make batter

Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan or skillet to 350°F (175°C) or medium-high heat; you should have about 1"–1.5" of oil for shallow deep-frying, or more for deep frying. In a bowl, whisk together 3 tbsp flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and the lightly beaten egg. Add the ice-cold sparkling water and stir just a few times — batter should be lumpy and cold. Keep batter chilled until ready to fry (set the bowl in an ice bath if needed). Lightly dust each wrapped roll in the 2 tbsp flour to help batter adhere, then shake off excess flour.

Fry the rolls

Unwrap the plastic briefly, keeping the roll mostly intact, and dip the roll into the cold tempura batter to coat evenly. Quickly transfer to the hot oil and fry for about 1.5–2 minutes per side until golden and crisp. If using a whole roll, carefully turn to brown evenly; if you prefer, you can fry shorter then finish in an oven at 375°F for 5 minutes. Remove roll and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Repeat with second roll. Let rest 2–3 minutes before slicing.

Slice and plate

Using a very sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts, slice each roll into 6–8 pieces. Arrange on a platter. Drizzle sriracha mayo and eel sauce over the top or serve on the side. Garnish with pickled ginger, a small smear of wasabi, and extra thinly sliced jalapeño or cilantro if desired.

Serve immediately while hot and crispy. Leftovers can be refrigerated (not recommended to refry) and are best eaten within 24 hours.