California Roll

Ingredients

• •1 cup short-grain sushi rice, uncooked
• •1 1/4 cups water
• •3 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• •4 sheets nori (seaweed)
• •8 oz imitation crab sticks or cooked crab meat, shredded
• •1 large ripe avocado, pitted and sliced thin
• •1/2 medium English cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks
• •3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. 1Rinse the sushi rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then combine with 1 1/4 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 10 minutes.
2. 2Transfer the cooked rice to a wide bowl, drizzle with seasoned rice vinegar, and fold gently with a wooden spatula until the vinegar is absorbed and the rice is glossy. Fan the rice as you fold to cool it; it should reach room temperature before rolling, about 10 minutes.
3. 3Place a bamboo sushi mat on a flat surface and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. Lay one nori sheet, shiny side down, on the mat.
4. 4With wet hands, spread roughly one-quarter of the seasoned rice in an even layer over the entire nori sheet. Sprinkle the rice surface with about 3/4 tablespoon of sesame seeds, then carefully flip the nori over so the rice faces the mat.
5. 5Arrange one-quarter each of the crab, avocado slices, and cucumber sticks in a horizontal line across the lower third of the nori.
6. 6Using the mat, roll the nori tightly up and over the filling, pressing gently but firmly as you go to form a compact cylinder. Squeeze the mat around the roll to shape it, then set aside. Repeat with the remaining three sheets.
7. 7With a sharp knife wiped damp between each cut, slice each roll into 8 even pieces. Serve immediately or refrigerate uncovered for up to 2 hours before serving.

💡 Keep a bowl of cold water with a splash of rice vinegar nearby to wet your hands and the knife blade, which prevents the rice from sticking.

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