California Rolls

Okay so I'm in class and I want to pass out.  I'm so tried and I'm gong to try attempt to write a blog post whilst watching this movie.  Okay so California Rolls.  Basically it's sushi with rice on the outside with toasted sesame on it and inside, Crab stick, cucumber, and avocado.

First you have to cook the rice.  With sushi rice you have to cook it and use it in a certain way.  First you use short-grain rice and wash it gently until the water runs clear.  Use about 2 cups per 1 1/2 cups of rice.  Then add a large pinch of salt.  Cook it on medium - Medium-low until the water is absorbed.  Don't let it crisp or burn on the bottom.  Let it sit for about 10 minutes until it has cooled and more of the water has been absorbed.

Mix together about 1/2 a tsp rice vinegar, 1/4 tsp sugar, pinch of salt.  Dissolve and add a small amount of water if necessary. Spread it little-by-little onto the rice and cut it into the rice using a cutting motion and a rice paddle.

Also fan the rice whilst it cools. When done cover it with seran wrap and set it aside.

Now prep the other ingredients.  Toast the nori (green-black sushi paper) over the eye of a stove.  Take out crab stick and set it aside.

Cut the cucumber by peeling the outside.  Slice it into quarters length-wise.  Now remove the soft seed part on the inside and cut into matchstick size pieces.  Set aside.

When you pick out an avocado choose one with firm but soft flesh.  I also smell them to make sure they don't smell too green nor too rotten smelling.  It should have a pleasant nutty-like smell.  It should also be a creamy yellow-white and bright green inside.

Now we need to cover the makisu (巻き簾)(Wiki) with seran wrap.

Now place a half-sheet of nori onto the makisu and cover the "rough side" of nori with sushi rice. Then sprinkle on toasted sesame seeds on one side.

Flip it over.

Place the ingredients on the maki.

Tightly roll the ingredients into the roll using the mat and your hands.  ingredients must be encapsulated entirely and cannot hang out of the side of the maki...they must be packed tightly.  Also watch the ends carefully. *It helps to dot the closing edge with small pieces of sushi rice to help it seal.

Cut it.  First cut the middle, then separate the pieces into 3 or 4. Hold it on each side with wet fingers while you cut.

You can also make the maki using a piece of seran wrap to hold the sushi together and cut it easier.Do the same thing with the roll until you roll it up, but this time use the seran wrap to roll up the maki and use the makisu to shape it when it's wrapped up.

Wrap it up and cut.  It's much easier to cut.

Also if you have a lot of left-over rice and ingredients you can make a giant maki with nori on the outside. Simply place it rough-side-up.  Spread rice up to about 1 - 1 1/2 inches up the nori.  Dot the edge with rice and place the ingredients inside.  Tightly roll and cut.

Now it's done.  Plate it with sushi ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce.

I plated it with some cucumber and garlic chive kimchi.

Om nom nom...yummy!

The End, Kyle