Learn how to make California Rolls at home with this step-by-step tutorial and California roll recipe!
Today has been filled with random odds and ends, highlighted by homemade California Rolls for dinner!
My older brother and I have had our own competition looming between the two of us for months – an eating competition. He thinks he can down more than me (HA!) so we’ve been trying to agree on what food we should compete with.
Neither of us want to eat something super disgusting like cheeseburgers or chicken nuggets, so inspired by last week’s wraps, I shouted out CALIFORNIA ROLLS when we were discussing it at dinner Friday night!
The competition date is still TBD, but all that talk gave me a craving that last week’s wraps just hadn’t satisfied, so I took some time to whip up a few actual California Rolls today. It wasn’t nearly as messy or hard as I remembered!
First I laid out all the soft and hardware.
Software:
Nori, aka sheets of roasted seaweed.
You can find nori in some grocery stores, all Asian food stores, and someone mentioned that Trader Joe’s might have it too.
Sushi rice. Sushi rice is short grain rice that has been cooked then seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar and a dash of salt. You can find it in any grocery store.
Sliced imitation crab and cucumber,
and avocado.
Hardware:
Sushi mat. You can get these at Williams-Sonoma/any specialty kitchen store, or any Asian Grocery store. You don’t need a mat to make homemade sushi, it just makes it a little bit easier.
Cup of water. I use the water to wet my hands to make it easier to spread the sushi rice on the nori. I also use it to seal the end of the roll. You’ll see!
Software: check. Hardware: check. We’re ready to roll!
Step 1: Lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the sushi mat, then lay down a sheet of nori. Wet your hands with water and press down 1 cup cooked sushi rice, leaving a 1″ section clear at the top.
Step 2: Place 2 slices each avocado, cucumber and crab on the bottom third portion of the rice.
Step 3: Using the sushi mat, make one full roll, pulling back firmly on the mat to tighten the filling inside.
See?
Step 4: Continue rolling, pulling back firmly on the mat to compress the filling, until you come to the end of the nori.
Step 5: Wet the clear section of nori at the top, then make the final roll and press down to seal.
Whee!
1 cup un-cooked rice makes 3 cups cooked rice – which yields 3 large rolls.
Step 6: After you have all three rolls made, cut them into 1/2″ slices using a sharp knife.
If you’re having trouble cutting, it may help to dip the knife in warm water in between slices.
Step 7: Rejoice over the fact that you’ll never have to pay $6 per California Roll at a restaurant ever again!
These are sooo refreshing!
I could seriously pop piece after piece forever.
Actually, my brother and I decided to shout out at the same time how many pieces of California Roll we thought we could eat in one sitting. Him: 30. Me: 68. BAHAHAHA! This one’s in the bag. ;)
Amber 12.13.2011
I am completely in LOVE with sushi. Can’t get enough of it and want to eat it everyday. But I sure can get enough of the bill. I wish I could make all the tasty rolls!
Danielle 09.10.2011
FYI you can also find the nori at world market!
Hana 09.04.2011
Sushi is so great! Have you tried it with a sriracha aioli? It adds an extra kick but is sooooo delicious!
Christine 09.01.2011
Thanks for posting the sushi how-to! I just got done eating my very first home-made sushi roll and LOVED it! Also made your chocolate chip cookie dough balls and loved them too :)
Rachel 08.31.2011
Definitely going to try this! My step-mom re-gifted a sushi set to me because she thought the likelihood of me enjoying it was much more likely than her ever using it! Haha
I love anything with salmon or spicy tuna! No cream cheese though– i like to taste the fish!
Allison 08.29.2011
So cool! You make it look easy but I know there’s no way I could do it! I guess I’ll have to stick with the sushi masters at the restaurants :P
I love sushi- favorite is shrimp + real crab + cucumber :D
Laura 08.29.2011
This is so crazy to see a post about my tiny hometown and funny to see someone I went to high school and college with on a blog I follow! What a small world. It is true what they say about That Place, it really is great; also the only restaurant near Conrad for MILES!
Lindsey 08.29.2011
I love sushi. My favorite is always spicy tuna with crab meat and avocado. Delicious. The bbq looks amazing in your post!
dawn 08.29.2011
This is great!!! I want to make some soon!
I love yellow tail sushi, but I also enjoy all sashimi. I love it with Ponzu.
I don’t like Uni, I won’t eat a sea urchins reproduction system, thank you very much! ;-)
But yellow tail is my fave!
Sarah 08.29.2011
What a fun day, I can’t believe you were a judge…that kind of makes you a celebrity in my book ;)
dawn 08.29.2011
Def. a celebrity, at least in Iowa! ;-) Pretty darn good! Someday we are gonna be buying her books or see her on the Food network, Like Pioneer Woman!
Lisa @ Life in Green 08.29.2011
I’m a big fan of sushi and haven’t came across a roll I didn’t like. Love anything with avocado or any simple sashimi.
Happy to see you show small town Iowa stuff…it’s not a lame as people think :)
Elyse 08.29.2011
I LOVE sushi, but am not big on seafood so I stick with cucumber avocado rolls, or veggie rolls. Tofu rolls are also killer! Sometimes for a quick lunch I will pick up the premade sushi at Whole Foods where they have a brown rice and avocado one that is amazing. Your rolls look great!
Betsey 08.29.2011
I actually just tried my first piece of sushi on Friday. I’m not sure I liked it, but my husband gave me mad props for actually trying it (I’m normally not that daring!). I think I’ll end up sticking to egg rolls :)
Iowamom 08.29.2011
What a fun day judging at that adorable little fair! I’m all over small town festivals like that. There’s some type of “days” in every little town here in northern Iowa during the summer weekends. If you’re ever thinking of coming more north I’ll hook you up with some fun times and good food!
I love how you just blew by your brother with 68 pieces of sushi. Own it!
My fave are the California rolls. Can’t go wrong with a good roll!
Kelly 08.29.2011
Seriously! You make it look really easy! I am going to have to try this out…I imagine after mastering the technique, the fillings can be swapped…I am thinking cooked shrimp would be delish!
Iowa Girl Eats 08.29.2011
Oh totally! The possibilities are endless!
Emily @ A Cambridge Story 08.29.2011
How perfect is this sushi?! I’ve made it a couple times but find it a little labor intensive. You make it look like a synch!
Hope 08.29.2011
I love that you made your own sushi! It looks like it’s not as hard as I originally thought! I love california rolls, avocado and cucumber rolls. I also really like coconut shrimp rolls. Yum!
Sara @ Real Fun Food 08.29.2011
Thanks for posting! I had no idea making sushi could be so easy! :)
Cristy 08.29.2011
Do I like sushi? HA! I AM sushi! I love sashimi, and prefer to leave the mackerel (ew) on the plate. Otherwise eel is great, but tuna takes the cake. Yum!
Katie @ Plates and Paste 08.28.2011
Lucky! I’d love to judge a BBQ contest…yum!
Would love to try and make sushi sometime.