California Rolls 101

Today I made my first attempt at California Rolls. On Monday I went to my friend Lynn's place and she taught me. I was going to take pictures then but got so involved with learning that I totally forgot. So here is my pictures from this afternoon, thanks to my lovely husband for being the photographer, I think they turned out pretty well for our first attempt at food journalism.

These are all the component needed for California Rolls. I used Nori, sticky rice, imitation crab meat, mayo, cucumber and avocado. I also used the all important bamboo rolling mat. Frugally stored and used in a zip lock baggie for ease of cleaning.
The ingredients prepped and read for assembly. The 'crab' meat had been shredded in the food processor, the avocado and cucumber julienned and the sticky rice cooked to the packages directions.

Here I lay the sheet of Nori on the bamboo mat.

Here we spread the sticky rice evenly over the Nori. You need to leave a small margin of the Nori showing, aids in neat rolling later.

Here is the 'crab' meat and the julienned cucumber and avocado neatly piled at one end of the sticky rice. Once again we need to leave a margin at each end.

Here I am starting the roll, lifting the back of the bamboo mat and tucking the ingredients in.
Making the first roll. Placing even and firm pressure across the roll.

This is what it looks like after the first turn.
The complete roll.

With a wet serrated knife slice the roll in half and then in half again and finally in half again.

Lay them nicely on a plate and serve with soy sauce. YUMMY!