California rolls were first developed as a way of making sushi more American-friendly. California rolls eliminate the raw fish, which many Americans are unsure of. For this reason, it is not a traditional sushi recipe. However, California rolls are a favorite in the United States and these delicious rolls can be easily prepared at home. Cream cheese is an addition to the traditional California roll recipe which gives the rolls a sweeter taste and creamier texture.
Ingredients
California rolls traditionally contain cooked imitation crab, avocado, and cucumber. A thin spread of cream cheese will add a delicious, creamy texture to the roll. Have plenty of softened cream cheese on hand for this recipe to suit your taste. You will also need one sheet of nori, or seaweed, for each roll that you plan to make. The rice in the recipe must be sushi rice, which is intended for just this purpose as it sticks together well. Rice vinegar, water, sugar and salt are required for preparing the sushi rice. You will also need a bamboo rolling mat and rice paddle.
Preparing Sushi Rice
Preparing sushi rice is much more complicated than preparing regular rice. First, you must place the sushi rice in a bowl and cover it with cool water. Two cups of sushi rice will make about four California rolls. Roll the rice between your hands to remove the starch. The water will gradually become cloudy. Drain this water and replace it with clean water, repeating the process until the water is no longer cloudy. Allow the rice to soak for about 15 minutes in this last batch of cool water. Next, drain the rice and set it aside to dry for 15 minutes. Place the rice in a pot over medium heat with two cups of water and heat until boiling. Gently stir the rice with the rice paddle, making sure that no grains stick to the sides of the pan. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for five to eight minutes, or until the water is almost absorbed. Turn the heat to low and steam the rice for a final 10 minutes, until the water is absorbed completely. Turn off the heat and allow the rice to set for about 10 minutes.
Making California Rolls
Mix 4 1/2 tsp. of rice vinegar, 4 tsp. of sugar and 2 tsp. of salt. Then pour this mixture over the rice, stirring with the rice paddle to combine. Fan the rice with a magazine to cool it off as quickly as possible. Once the rice has reached room temperature, begin to make your California rolls. When handling the rice, dip both your hands and the rice paddle in a mixture of one part rice vinegar to three parts water to prevent the rice from sticking.
Lay a sheet of nori on the bamboo rolling mat. Spread about half a cup of rice over the nori. Leave the last inch of the nori uncovered, but work to the edges on the other three sides. The rice should be about 1/4-inch thick. Peel the cucumber and avocado and cut them into long thin pieces. Cut the crab into similarly shaped pieces. Pile these together in the middle of the rice. One piece each of avocado and cucumber with two pieces of crab will make a medium-sized roll. Depending on the size of your vegetables and imitation crab meat, you may need to lay several pieces end to end to get the equivalent of one or two pieces of each in every slice of the roll. This will be the center of the California roll. Spread a thin layer of softened cream cheese on top of the vegetables and crab. If you have difficulty spreading the cream cheese, pick up a firm piece of cucumber and focus on spreading it on that. Fans of cream cheese who want to add a bit more to their California roll may also consider using a block of cream cheese, and slicing off long, 1/4-inch-thick pieces to add to the sushi roll as thick sticks of cheese rather than a thin spread.
When you have assembled the ingredients for the California roll neatly on top of the rice, you can roll it together. Begin with the side that is opposite the empty inch of nori. Use the bamboo mat to guide the nori, slowly turning up the edge and folding it over to make a roll. When the mat reaches the roll, lift it up so that it does not get rolled into the rice. Continue rolling until the California roll is complete and the empty inch of nori is pressed firmly to the outside of the roll. Repeat this process for each subsequent roll. Cut the California roll into six even pieces and serve with wasabi, pickled ginger and soy sauce to taste.
Tags: California rolls, cream cheese, California roll, rice paddle, sushi rice, inch nori, until water