Top these no-roll sushi with any seafood or vegetables that you like. In addition to the crab shown here, I tried smoked salmon, tiny-diced avocado, thin sliced steamed scallops, and shrimp.
No-Roll Crab Sushi
by: Three Many Cooks
Serves: Makes a generous 2 dozen
Ingredients
- 1 cup short-grain rice such as sushi or Arborio rice
- 1 tablespoon each: rice wine vinegar and sugar
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 2 to 3 sheets nori, cut with scissors into short thin strips (a generous ½ cup packed)
- 2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds*
- ½ cup pasteurized crab meat
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon wasabi paste, plus extra for garnish
- 24 slices pickled ginger
- Soy sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Rinse rice under cool running water until water runs more or less clear. Turn rice, along with 1½ cups of water, into a medium saucepan. Turn burner on medium-high and bring to a simmer. Cover pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to simmer until all the water has evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Let stand, covered, another 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix vinegar, sugar, and salt until almost dissolved. Microwave to warm vinegar so salt and sugar dissolve completely, 15 to 20 seconds. Turn rice until a small, rimmed cookie sheet and sprinkle with vinegar mixture, tossing rice lightly with 2 forks to coat. Sprinkle a little of the nori onto the rice and toss gently to prevent it from clumping. Continue to add nori and toss so that it is evenly distributed into the rice. Let cool to room temperature.
- Moistening hands with water as necessary throughout the shaping process, form rice mixture into generous tablespoon portions. Using your thumb and index finger in one hand and pressing on mixture with fingers from the other hand, form each portion of rice into a cylindrical drum shape. (Can be covered and refrigerated overnight)
- If sesame seeds are not toasted, heat a small skillet over medium-low heat and toast them, stirring continually, until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Set aside.
- When ready to serve, mix crab, mayonnaise, and 1 teaspoon of wasabi in a small bowl. Press the top of each rice cake into the sesame seeds, top with a pickled ginger slice, a portion of crab, and touch of wasabi. Serve with soy sauce.
Notes
I found toasted sesame seeds in the Asian section of my local grocery store. If not, follow the toasting instructions in the recipe
What an easy way to make something I wouldn’t normally try making at home. We have some great smoked fish in my area. May try this with my favorite – smoked trout.
Hey Janel, I love smoked trout too. Wish I lived near an area where it was abundant. It’s hard to find here in the Northeast and when you do find it, it’s in a small, pricey package.
I love sushi and this seems like a much simpler way to make it at home – I’ve never attempted it b/c it seemed complicated. I don’t care for the ginger, do you think I could use squares of nori on top of the rice and just leave it out of the rice mixture? Also, I’ve found nori sheets toasted or untoasted… which one would I want? Thanks!!
Hey Tara,
I don’t think you need anything to replace the pickled ginger. If I were you, I’d just leave it off. I used untoasted nori, so based on personal experience, that’s the only one I can recommend. Obviously you can top this with whatever seafood or veggies you like. Enjoy!