Volcano Krab Poke Bowl Recipe

Rinse and cook rice

Rinse 1.5 cups sushi rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear to remove excess starch. Drain and place rice in a rice cooker or medium saucepan with 1.75 cups water. If using stovetop, bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit, covered, 10 minutes.

Season rice

While rice cooks, whisk together 3 tbs rice vinegar, 1 tbs sugar and 1/2 tsp salt until dissolved. Transfer hot cooked rice to a wide bowl, gently fold in the vinegar mixture with a rice paddle or wooden spoon to coat evenly. Fan or let cool to warm, cover with a damp towel to keep moist until serving.

Prepare krab mixture

Shred or flake 12 oz imitation crab into bite-sized pieces. In a bowl combine 4 tbs mayonnaise, 1.5 tbs sriracha, 1 tsp gochujang, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp rice vinegar, 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Mix until smooth.

Combine and rest

Toss shredded krab with the sauce until evenly coated. Fold in 2 tbs thinly sliced scallions and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds. Taste and adjust heat or salt. Cover and refrigerate 10–15 minutes to let flavors meld (can hold up to 2 hours).

Make volcano sauce

In a small bowl whisk together 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbs sriracha, 1.5 tbs gochujang, 1 tbs sweet chili sauce, 1 tsp rice vinegar and 1 tsp honey until smooth. Add 1–2 tbs water to reach a thick but pipeable consistency suitable for drizzling or torching. Taste and adjust sweetness or heat.

Optional torch preparation

If you plan to lightly brûlée the volcano topping: transfer sauce to an oven-safe small dish or pipe onto the krab after assembling bowls and have a kitchen blowtorch ready. Alternatively, reserve for a raw drizzle.

Prepare toppings

Dice 1/2 cup cucumber, slice 1 avocado, and have 1/2 cup cooked shelled edamame, pickled ginger and nori strips ready. Warm the seasoned rice to warm/warm-but-not-hot and divide evenly into two bowls (about 3/4 cup cooked rice per serving depending on appetite).

Arrange krab and toppings

Spoon half the marinated krab onto each bowl in a mound on top of the rice. Arrange cucumber, edamame, avocado slices, pickled ginger and nori strips around the krab. Sprinkle 1 tsp furikake and 1 tbsp crispy fried onions over each bowl. Add thin jalapeño slices if using and garnish with microgreens or cilantro. Place a lime wedge on the side.

Apply volcano sauce

Spoon or pipe the volcano sauce over the krab mounds. For the classic 'volcano' finish, use a small kitchen torch to gently brown the top of the sauce for 10–20 seconds until lightly blistered — hold the torch 3–4 inches away and move constantly to avoid burning. If you prefer not to torch, simply drizzle the sauce cold.

Drizzle 1 tbs eel sauce across the bowls and a few drops of toasted sesame oil for aroma. If desired, very lightly brush or mist the volcano area with 1 tsp hot chili oil or melted butter and quickly torch one more pass for dramatic sizzling (optional and be careful).

Serve immediately while the torched sauce is warm. Provide extra sriracha, soy sauce or lime on the side. Refrigerate leftovers (separate sauce and avocado) and consume within 24 hours for best quality.