Inside-Out California Rolls with Crab Sticks and Avocado

Linh Tran @bitter-chiveSep 13, 2026

13 ingredients

13 steps

Inside-Out California Rolls with Crab Sticks and Avocado, illustrated

What you need

400 g (2 cups) Japanese short-grain rice
600 ml (2 1/2 cups) water, for cooking the rice
4 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
3 sheets nori, cut in half
3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
225 g (8 oz) imitation crab sticks, split lengthwise
1 ripe avocado, cut into 12 slices
1/2 English cucumber, cut into 6 long batons
soy sauce, for serving
wasabi, for serving
pickled ginger, for serving

Method

Restated from the original video

1
Wash the rice in several changes of cold water, rubbing the grains gently, until the water runs nearly clear. Drain for 15 min.
2
Cook the rice with the measured water in a rice cooker, or bring it to a boil in a covered pan and cook over low heat, 15-18 min. Leave it covered off the heat for 10 min.
3
Warm the rice vinegar with the sugar and salt just until both dissolve, then cool it.
4
Spread the hot rice in a wide bowl, sprinkle over the vinegar mixture and fold it through with a paddle in slicing strokes, taking care not to mash the grains.
5
Fan the rice until it stops steaming and feels about body temperature, then cover it with a damp cloth.
6
Wrap a bamboo rolling mat in cling film and lay a half sheet of nori on it, shiny side down.
7
Wet your fingertips and press one sixth of the rice over the nori in a thin, even layer that reaches every edge.
8
Scatter about 1/2 tbsp sesame over the rice, then flip the sheet so the rice faces the mat.
9
Lay a line of crab, 2 slices of avocado and a cucumber baton along the edge of the nori nearest to you.
10
Lift the near edge of the mat and roll it over the filling, tucking it in, then keep rolling and pressing gently into a firm cylinder.
11
Set the roll aside under a damp cloth and repeat to make 6 rolls.
12
Wipe a sharp knife with a wet cloth and cut each roll into 6-8 pieces, wetting the blade between cuts.
13
Serve with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger on the side.

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About california roll

A sushi roll with rice on the outside and imitation crab, avocado, and cucumber rolled inside, made without raw fish.

What cooks argue about

Cooks argue over real crab meat versus imitation, and over hiding the nori entirely inside the rice rather than leaving it exposed, since exposed nori turns chewy once refrigerated.

What usually goes in

Every version of california roll

More from Linh Tran

Everything by Linh Tran

Imported from san-j.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.

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