
Sushi rolls have evolved massively in the last decades. People now bread them and deep-fry them or top them with mango. Sushi just stimulates our creativity!
There’s nothing wrong with a traditional Japanese maki roll, but sometimes we’re all into something more exciting, and that’s where this crab salad sushi roll comes in. It’s unusually comforting and rewarding; it tastes so familiar! It’s still always something new and exciting. That’s what happens when you put together two classic dishes.
This recipe will show you how to make a traditional crab salad first and then use it to fill a sushi roll. It’s two recipes in one! So, if you’re craving a bowl of crab salad, this recipe works for you too. Of course, you might want to try the creamy salad inside a sushi roll; it’s a whole other beast.
For this recipe, we need to make sushi rice but don’t worry. This type of rice is incredibly easy to make. It basically cooks itself, and seasoned with rice vinegar, a pinch of salt and another one of sugar, it will taste like restaurant sushi rice.
Then there’s the filling. It all starts with crab meat or crab substitute (surimi), chopped celery, mayo, celery seeds, paprika and the world-famous Old Bay Seasoning — that’s what makes this crab salad taste like home!
For the crab salad, in a mixing bowl, combine the crab meat or imitation crab meat, celery, mayo, celery seeds, paprika and old bay. Set aside.
Rinse and drain the sushi rice, then add it with the water in a pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the flame to low and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes until fully cooked, and the water absorbed. Let it cool until warm to the touch.
In a small bowl, combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Combine the mixture with the rice and throw in the sesame seeds. Incorporate.
Peel and cut the cucumber into strips.
Using a bamboo sushi mat inside a plastic bag, place a nori seaweed, cover it with an even layer of rice and place a few cucumber sticks. Spoon the crab salad and roll tightly. You should be able to make between 3 and 4 sushi rolls.
Cut the sushi with a sharp knife into bite-sized slices and serve.