"CALIFORNIA ROLL"

I saw a friend of mine today and she told me she liked my recipes here on my site (salamat po!), but she was wondering how come I haven't posted the (California Roll) sushi recipe of the photo I have here yet.:-)

Sorry for the delay, and here it is - my version of the California Roll sushi.

The usual recipes of this roll doesn't really have mayonnaise, but when I started making California roll, I just thought of adding mayo over the layer of the rice before I lay the strips of veggies and crab meat on the rice. It helps the ingredients to stick together when I roll the mat. The mayo makes the roll taste more creamy too.

I think it's the avocado that makes it a "California" roll, but if you really do not enjoy avocado, then just don't use it, and just add whatever strips of vegetable you wish to add aside from what I have on my recipe here.

You can also make it a different kind of sushi roll, by replacing the veggies and the crab meat with whatever you like (think of them as different sandwich fillings!).

[CHICHAY TIP: maybe instead of crab meat, you can use salmon, or tuna, or sausage, or ham, or just plain cooked scrambled egg...and for the veggies, you can use carrots, or celery, or spinach, or "singkamas", or lettuce... just remember to cut them in strips, so you can nicely layer them on the rice.]

- Chichay


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"SUSHI RICE"


3 cups short-grain white rice
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt

- Before cooking the rice, rinse several times in running water until the water runs clear.
-Drain in a colander for about 1 hour.
-Cook on the stovetop or in an electric rice cooker according to package directions.
-In a small saucepan over low heat, combine vinegar, sugar and salt.
-Stir gently to dissolve salt and sugar. Cool to room temperature.

-While the rice is still warm, transfer to a large non-reactive bowl.
-Gradually drizzle the vinegar mixture over the rice, fanning the rice as you go.

-Use a rice paddle to mix gently without mashing the grains.
-Keep the rice covered with a damp cloth at room temperature until ready to make sushi. Do not refrigerate.

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"CALIFORNIA ROLL"

Nori seaweed
Prepared sushi rice
Crab meat, cut in pieces
Avocado, peeled and cut in fine pieces
Cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut in fine strips
Ripe mangoes, cut in fine strips
Sesame seeds, toasted
"light" mayonnaise (optional)


-Cut the nori sheet in half, then place it on bamboo mat, the nori's shiny side down.

-Dampen your fingers with water for easy handling of the rice.
- Spread a thin layer of the sushi rice over the nori, but leave a 1-inch margin at the ends of the nori sheets uncovered (for sealing of the roll).
- Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over the middle part of the rice layer

-Lay the crabmeat, avocado, ripe mangoes and cucumber lengthwise on the rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

How to roll:

- Gently fold the end of the mat closest to you over the filling and tuck it in. Again, handle gently but apply medium pressure to create a compact tube.
(don't worry if your first roll ain't pretty, it takes practice ok.)
-Remove the mat from around the roll and press in the loose ends.
-Place it on a cutting board with the seam side down.
-Using a wet, sharp knife, slice the roll in half and then into 6 equal pieces.
(again, don't worry if your first set of rolls are not as pretty as you expected them to be...as I said, it takes practice to make sushi.)

Serve with Kikkoman "low sodium" soy sauce, wasabi and a side of pickled ginger.