Inside-Out California Rolls
Like all other sushi variations, the California Rolls are essentially made of slightly acidified rice. The rice is rolled around an algae leaf (nori), in the middle cucumber, surimi and avocado come together. The fat of the avocado consists of healthy unsaturated fatty acids. These protect our cardiovascular system and can also lower cholesterol levels.
Is surimi crab meat? Surimi is a highly processed product made from fish protein, and since surimi is not a raw fish, it can be eaten during pregnancy, unlike other (non-vegetarian) sushi products. However, surimi is taboo for people allergic to fish or to molluscs and eggs.
Ingredients
- For the sushi rice
- 300 grams Sushi rice
- 450 milliliters water
- 1 pc Kombu seaweed (Seaweed, approximately 8 x 8 cm)
- 4 Tbsps Rice vinegar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- For the sushi
- 50 grams Sesame seeds
- 1 Cucumber
- salt
- 1 ripe Avocado
- 8 Tbsps lemon juice
- 300 grams Surimi
- 4 Nori seaweed
- soy sauce (for serving)
- Wasabi (for serving)
Preparation steps
For the sushi rice: Rinse the rice in a colander until the water runs clear.
Combine the rice with the water and kombu in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce heat to low, and allow to simmer until the rice is cooked, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let rest, covered, for 3 to 5 minutes.
Combine the rice vinegar with the salt and sugar in a saucepan, and heat. Remove the kombu from the rice and put the rice in a bowl. Using chopsticks, fluff the rice while pouring the rice vinegar mixture in slowly to coat. Cool to room temperature.
For the sushi: Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until golden. Peel the cucumber, halve it lengthwise, deseed, and cut the cucumber into strips. Season the cucumber with salt and let sit until it has released its water, about 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Peel, halve and remove the pit from the avocado. Cut into strips and drizzle with lemon juice.
To assemble, place 1 sheet of nori on a bamboo mat and spread the sushi rice in an even layer, leaving a 1 cm (approximately 1/4 inch border around the edges. Cover the rice with plastic wrap and flip it over so the rice is directly on the bamboo mat. On the lower third of nori, lay some avocado stips. Then add the surimi, followed by the cucumber. Using the bamboo mat, roll the sushi from the bottom into a tight roll. Gently remove the plastic wrap from the exterior. Remove the bamboo mat and roll the sushi in the toasted sesame seeds. using a sharp knife, cut the sushi into 6-8 pieces. Follow these instructions for the remaining three nori sheets. Serve with soy sauce and wasabi.