Note: If you missed Class 1, click here. Printable Recipe – California Rolls Sushi rolls are all I ever want in a sushi restaurant, not that I ever go to sushi restaurants, but still. During the course of our sushi unit here on PW Cooks, we’re going to learn to make several different sushi rolls, each increasing in both complexity and decadence. But today we’re starting with one of the most basic sushi rolls: The California Roll. An essential tool used for making sushi rolls is a makisu, or bamboo rolling mat. These usually measure around 12 x 12 and can be purchased at any Asian market—or often in the Asian food aisle of larger supermarket chains. Cody the Sushi Chef has several makisu on hand, and (I thought this was brilliant) always wraps them neatly in plastic wrap before using them. This prevents rice from sticking and getting into the crevices of the mat, which has always been a challenge for me when I’ve tried to make sushi.Cody will show you what I mean.

He just rolled this up really quickly, but it shows how easily the rice will stick to the mat. Repeat this several times and you have a royal mess on your hands.Get a sushi chef to come to your cattle ranch and you learn all sorts of interesting tidbits. You also gain fifteen pounds. Another essential element when it comes to making sushi rolls is nori, or dried seaweed. Nori comes in sheets, and is sold in plastic packages. The best nori to use for sushi is a dark green shade. And please believe me: nori is extremely mild in flavor. Don’t let the word “seaweed” freak you out. To begin, fold the pieces of nori in half to split them. Nori is very delicate, so as soon as you press along the seam, it easily breaks in two. Next, lay the half-sheets of nori on the worksurface, then grab a handful of sushi rice, which we learned to make last week. I’d say this is a generous half-cup of cooked rice, and it’ll cover one side of a half-sheet of nori.

Did that even begin to make sense? First, set the rice on the end of the nori sheet closest to you. Then, working with your fingertips and/or knuckles, gently spread the rice over the surface of the nori. And remember, the sushi rice is sticky enough—both because of its natural starch and the su (vinegar/sugar mixture) we added to it—that if you were to pick up this sheet, it wouldn’t easily fall off. Not that you’d want to wave it around your head like a lasso or anything. On California Rolls, the rice is typically on the outside—not the inside, as is the case with many other sushi rolls. So to begin, Cody flips the rice-coated sheet of nori so that the rice side is down. He also positions it horizontally so it’ll roll lengthwise.The most common seafood ingredient in California Rolls is imitation crab—specifically the variety sold in small “sticks” or “logs”. Now, before you wig out, let me explain that imitation crab is made from real whitefish, then constructed in such a way so as to resemble flaky crabmeat.

It’s not fake fish. You can also call it “Krab” if you really want to ruffle some feathers. In any event, just place a single row of the crab (Krab) across the middle of the nori. (This will eventually be in the middle of the roll.) Next, and this is why I love California Rolls, place slices of avocado right against the crab. sushi eel sauce sweetIt’s best to use an avocado that’s ripe but still quite firm. how to buy sushi grade fishKeep the slices relatively thin, then you can always add a little more if you think the roll can HANDLE the avocado.where to buy sushi grade fish online I’ve got to stop watching A Few Good Men.can i buy sushi with my ebt card

The next ingredient in a California Roll is cucumber. You can certainly use a regular cucumber, but Japanese cucumbers are less watery and have softer skins. You’ll want a pretty thin slice (a little larger than a matchstick) of cucumber, so just keep halving slices until they get to the size you need. Lay slices end to end right alongside the crab and the avocado.online fish market chennai If you’ve ever tried to roll a sushi roll that has too much filling, you’ll realize the importance of having a light hand when it comes to adding the ingredients. sushi new york city upper east sideYou’ll feel as though you’re not adding much at all—but don’t worry. online sushi workshopOnce the sushi is rolled and sliced, it’ll be nice and filling.

Now it’s time to… Lifting the edge of the mat closest to you (Cody turned so I could photograph him more easily, but he’d normally be working straight ahead), begin rolling the mat away from you, pressing it lightly to keep it firm. At this point, the end of the roll has been rolled upward, and your very light pressure is ensuring that the roll will remain nice and tight. Note: Cody is not squeezing this at all—just applying slight pressure. Next, lift up the end of the rolling mat… And pull it away from you, allowing the roll to…well, ROLL the rest of the way. Sorry about the blur. I was a little excited at this point. Sushi rolls excite me. After that’s done, remove the roll from the mat… And place it on the cutting board. Lay the mat over the top of the roll and exert gentle pressure once more, just to secure it all together. Next, hold the roll on the mat and sprinkle the top with toasted sesame seeds. You can buy regular sesame seeds already toasted in some stores, or you can simply toast them yourself in a small skillet over medium heat—just shake the pan constantly so they don’t burn.