California Maki / Rolls

Sushi rolls is a very popular Japanese dish all over the world.  I did the traditional sushi rolls earlier in this foodblog.  Back then, I did not have my sushi rollers with me yet that's why I had to roll it using foil.  Good thing I was able to find one at Woolworths in Warwick for just $2.  I have made some at my in laws house last Easter and everyone loved the sushi rolls.

This time I am going to make California Rolls or Makisushi which is actually the sushi rolls in reverse.  Instead of rolling the rice inside the seaweed, this type of sushi rolls is rolled inside out and a certain type of mixed herbs are sprinkled on the rice.

As I have said before, you can be as adventurous as you like when it comes to the filling of the rolls.  Normally, avocados are used.  Some would use bananas, mangoes and apricots.  Tuna or salmon, crab meat or imitation crab meat are also used.  Toasted sesame seeds are sometimes sprinkled too on the rice.  This time I would use peaches with crab meat though.

California rolls or maki is actually a product of the experimentation by a well known Japanese chef who decided to find his fortune in the US in the Ichito Mashita.  Officially this type of rolls was born in the early 1970s.  They started doing the inside out rolls because the Americans did not want to see or taste the nori seaweed outside the rolls. So to suit to their liking, the Sushi chef devised this new way.

Ingredients
1 c arborio rice
1 1/2 water
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 c crab meat
2 tbsp mayonnaise + 1/2 tsp
1 c peaches
8 pcs nori seaweed
toasted sasame seeds and the mixture that comes with the seaweed

You also need:
Sushi mat
foil

Procedure

 Place the sushi mat in a flat surface.  Place the a foil similar to its size on top of the mat.  Sprinkle with sushi rice seasoning and toasted sesame seeds.

 Put some rice on top of the sprinkled foil.  Flatten using hands.

 Place the fillings -- eggs, peaches and crab meat on top of the rice (an inch from the edge of the rice
on your side)

 Place the seaweed on top of the sushi.

 Start rolling tightly going to the other side. 

 As you roll, pull the foil up until the sushi is fully rolled up tightly. 

Slice the sushi rolls with a wet sharp knife.  Serve with sushi soy sauce and wasabi.

A comment or two will be appreciated...