California Roll Sushi Bowls (Printable)
Deconstructed California roll with seasoned rice, crab, avocado, and crisp vegetables. Ready in 35 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Sushi Rice
01 - 1 1/2 cups sushi rice
02 - 2 cups water
03 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
04 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Protein & Vegetables
06 - 7 oz imitation crab sticks, shredded (or real crab meat)
07 - 1 ripe avocado, diced
08 - 1 small cucumber, julienned
09 - 2 nori sheets, sliced into thin strips
10 - 2 tablespoons pickled ginger, chopped
→ Toppings & Garnishes
11 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
12 - 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
13 - 1 teaspoon sriracha (optional, for spicy mayo)
14 - 1 tablespoon soy sauce
15 - 1 green onion, thinly sliced
# How-To Steps:
01 - Place sushi rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water, gently swirling with your hand, until the water runs completely clear. Drain thoroughly.
02 - Transfer the rinsed rice and 2 cups of water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then cover tightly with a lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes without lifting the lid.
03 - While the rice rests, whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl until fully dissolved. Transfer the warm rice to a large mixing bowl, pour the vinegar mixture over it, and gently fold with a rice paddle using slicing motions. Fan the rice briefly to cool and achieve a glossy finish.
04 - Shred the imitation crab sticks into thin pieces. Dice the avocado, julienne the cucumber into matchstick strips, slice the nori sheets into thin strips, and finely chop the pickled ginger and green onion.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and sriracha until smooth and well combined. Adjust the sriracha quantity to your preferred spice level.
06 - Divide the seasoned sushi rice evenly among four serving bowls. Arrange the shredded crab, diced avocado, julienned cucumber, nori strips, and chopped pickled ginger in sections over the rice in each bowl.
07 - Drizzle each bowl with spicy mayo and soy sauce. Sprinkle generously with toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onion. Serve immediately with additional soy sauce on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- All the satisfaction of a California roll without the fussy rolling technique that makes your fingers sticky for hours.
- It comes together in about half an hour, which is faster than waiting for delivery on a busy night.
02 -
- Lifting the lid while the rice simmers lets steam escape and you will end up with crunchy undercooked grains that no amount of vinegar can save.
- Folding the vinegar mixture into hot rice rather than cold rice allows each grain to absorb the seasoning evenly without becoming clumpy or wet.
03 -
- Press the seasoned rice into the bowls using the back of a wet spoon so it forms a neat bed that the toppings can sit on without sliding around.
- Toasting the sesame seeds in a dry skillet for about two minutes until they start to smell fragrant takes the flavor from flat to genuinely restaurant quality.