California Rolls

Courtesy of Alice Lee, Linja Gifts and Oriental Foods


Preparation time: 60 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Yield: 2 to 4 full servings


Ingredients for rolls:

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 medium, avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces

4 sheets, nori

1/3 cup, Sesame seeds, toasted

1 small, cucumber peeled, seeded and cut in match stick pieces

4 crab sticks, torn into pieces

1/2 batch, Sushi rice, recipe follows

Pickled ginger, for serving

Wasabi, for serving

Soy sauce, for serving


Ingredients for sushi rice:

2 cups, sushi or short grain rice

2 cups, water plus extra for rinsing rice

2 tbsp., rice vinegar

2 tbsp., sugar

1 tbsp., kosher salt


Preparation for sushi rice:

1. Rinse rice until water is clear

2. Add rice and 2 cups of water into medium saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover. Cook for 15 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and let stand, covered for 10 minutes.

4. Combine rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a bowl and heat in microwave on high for 35 seconds.

5. Transfer the rice into a large wooden or glass mixing bowl and add the vinegar mixture. Fold thoroughly to combine and coat each grain of rice with the mixture.

6. Allow to cool to room temperature before using.


Preparation for rolls:

1. Squeeze the lemon juice over the avocado to prevent browning.

2. Cover the bamboo rolling mat with plastic wrap.

3. Cut nori sheets in half crosswise. Lay one sheet of nori, shiny side down, on the plastic covered mat.

4. Wet you fingers with water and spread about ½ cup of the rice evenly onto the nori. Sprinkle the rice with the sesame seeds.

5. Turn the sheet of nori over so that the rice side is down. Place 1/8 of the cucumber, avocado, and crab sticks in the centre of the sheet.

6. Grab the edge of the mat closest to you, keeping the filling in place with your fingers, and roll it into a tight cylinder, using the mat to shape the cylinder.

7. Pull away the mat and set aside. Cover with a damp cloth, repeat process.

8. Uncover rolls, cut and serve.

Copyright 2013, Saint John City Market