Sushi Rice Hand Rolls (Printable)

Delicate sushi rice, creamy avocado, crisp cucumber, and sweet crab wrapped in nori sheets for a fresh treat.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sushi Rice

01 - 1 cup sushi rice, short-grain Japanese rice
02 - 1 1/4 cups water
03 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
04 - 1 tablespoon sugar
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Fillings

06 - 1 ripe avocado, sliced
07 - 1/2 English cucumber, julienned
08 - 4 ounces cooked crab meat, shredded
09 - 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, optional
10 - 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, optional

→ Wrapping

11 - 4 sheets nori, halved

→ Accompaniments

12 - Soy sauce, for serving
13 - Pickled ginger, for serving
14 - Wasabi, for serving

# How to Make It:

01 - Rinse sushi rice under cold running water until water runs clear. Drain thoroughly.
02 - Combine rice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes.
03 - Mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl until dissolved. Gently fold this mixture into cooked rice. Cool rice to room temperature.
04 - If desired, combine crab meat with mayonnaise for enhanced creaminess.
05 - Place half-sheet of nori with shiny side down on your palm or bamboo mat. Spread thin layer of sushi rice diagonally across one corner using approximately 2 to 3 tablespoons.
06 - Arrange avocado, cucumber, and crab meat on top of rice layer. Optionally sprinkle with sesame seeds.
07 - Roll nori into cone shape starting from rice-filled corner and rolling tightly. Seal edge with few grains of rice.
08 - Repeat assembly process with remaining ingredients to create 8 hand rolls total.
09 - Serve hand rolls immediately with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Hand rolls give you all the flavor of restaurant sushi without any fancy rolling skills or equipment.
  • Everyone can customize their own cone with exactly what they love inside.
  • The crunchy nori against creamy avocado and sweet crab creates the most satisfying texture contrast.
  • They come together fast enough for a weeknight but feel special enough for guests.
02 -
  • Too much rice will make your hand roll impossible to roll and even harder to eat, so use less than you think you need.
  • Wet hands prevent rice from sticking to your fingers, and I keep a small bowl of water nearby to dip into between rolls.
  • Nori softens fast once it touches moist ingredients, so don't assemble these more than a minute before eating.
03 -
  • Toast your nori sheets quickly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet for extra crispness and deeper flavor.
  • A tiny smear of wasabi directly on the rice before adding fillings distributes the heat better than mixing it into soy sauce.
  • Cut your cucumber julienne slightly thicker than you think, because too thin and they'll disappear into the other ingredients.
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