California Maki

Created in the 1960s by a Japanese chef in Los Angeles, California Maki has become a favourite of sushi lovers around the globe. Banyan Tree Phuket’s Japanese Master Chef Shiraishi revealed that the secret to his celebrated sushi rolls lies in the correct preparation of the sushi rice and the freshness of all ingredients.

Ingredient

For 8 California Maki pieces

• 1 Nori (dried seaweed)
• 2 slices of ripe avocado
• Thin cucumber slices
• 2 pieces of prawn
• 1 crab stick
• 60g cooked sushi rice
• 20g spicy mayonnaise
• 10g shrimp eggs
• 15ml soy sauce
• 10g wasabi
• Pickled ginger

For 1 cup Sushi rice

• 1 cup sushi rice
• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons rice wine
• vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt

Method : Sushi Rice

Wash the sushi rice thoroughly five times before cooking. While the rice is cooking, blend the rice wine vinegar with sugar and salt and stir it until the sugar dissolves.

Mix your cooked sushi rice with the freshly prepared vinegar blend and continue stirring until the rice has cooled down.

Method : California Maki

California Maki gets rolled inside out, so you first have to cover your Sushi rolling mat with plastic wrap. Next, carefully break the Nori seaweed into half and place it towards the bottom of the Sushi mat.

Spread a handful of cooked Sushi rice evenly onto the Nori, making sure all the edges are covered with a thin layer. Then flip the Nori over so that the rice is at the bottom facing down and the Nori is facing up.

Next, lay out all the ingredients, including crab stick, prawn, avocado and cucumber strips along the bottom edge of the Nori, side by side and lengthwise. Top them with spicy mayonnaise.

To form the California roll, use your bamboo mat and roll the bottom edge of the Nori over the filling in the center. Gently apply pressure and tuck the filling in firmly as you shape and seal the sushi roll. To finish, cover your sushi roll with orange shrimp roe and cut it into eight pieces.

When serving, be sure to add a little spice to your California roll with wasabi, soy sauce and pickled ginger as garnish.