Avocado Ball Recipe

Prepare krab

Finely chop or shred 8 oz imitation crab into small, bite-sized pieces. Place in a medium mixing bowl.

Combine salad ingredients

Add 3 tbs Japanese mayonnaise, 1 tbsp thinly sliced green onion, 2 tbsp finely diced cucumber, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper to the bowl with the krab. Mix gently until evenly combined. Taste and adjust salt if necessary. Chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the other components (at least 10 minutes).

In a small bowl combine 4 tbs Japanese mayonnaise, 1 tsp sriracha, 1/2 tsp gochujang (optional) and 1/2 tsp lime juice. Whisk until smooth and uniform. Adjust heat by adding more sriracha if desired. Transfer to a squeeze bottle or small piping bag for easy drizzling.

In a small saucepan combine 3 tbs soy sauce, 2 tbs mirin, 2 tbs sugar and 1 tbs water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly into a glossy syrup (about 5–7 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool; it will thicken more as it cools. Transfer to a small squeeze bottle.

Prepare avocados

Cut each avocado in half, remove the pit, and carefully scoop the flesh out of the skin, keeping halves intact. Lightly brush or sprinkle the cut sides with 1 tsp lime juice to prevent browning.

Form avocado balls

Working with one avocado half at a time, lay the flesh cut-side down on a clean sheet of plastic wrap. Using a sharp knife, slice the avocado flesh lengthwise into 1/8- to 1/4-inch slices without cutting through the skin (if keeping in skin) or into a fan if you detached the flesh. If you removed the flesh, re-form a half-oval shape by pressing the slices together. For a spherical 'ball' shape: place about 2–3 tablespoons of chilled krab salad in the center of the avocado half, then use the plastic wrap to gently enclose and mold the avocado around the filling into a compact round/oval ball. Twist the plastic wrap to seal and shape. Repeat for remaining halves, dividing the krab salad evenly to make 4 avocado balls (about 2 balls per avocado). Chill wrapped balls in the fridge for 10 minutes to set the shape.

Unwrap and finish

Unwrap each avocado ball carefully and place on a serving plate. Drizzle each ball with spicy mayo and eel sauce in a decorative pattern (use squeeze bottles or spoons). Sprinkle black sesame seeds and microgreens or shiso leaves on top. Serve with pickled ginger on the side.

Portioning note

This recipe yields approximately 4 avocado balls (serves 2–4 depending on portion size). Each ball contains the krab salad center wrapped in avocado and finished with sauces and garnishes.