Crunchy rolls are a great way to combine two methods of Japanese cooking; tempura and sushi. Merging the delicate flavors of sushi with the savory flavors and light crunchy texture of tempura creates a roll that’s a must try for any sushi eater.
Being a cooked roll, this is a also great roll for beginners to the sushi world.
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What is a Crunchy California Roll?
Crunchy roll sushi combines crunchy tempura flakes with traditional sushi rolls. While crunchy rolls are not as common as traditional California rolls, they are definitely catching on. Most sushi restaurants in the US will offer some type of crunchy roll sushi.
Crunchy California rolls are considered an inside out sushi roll, or uramaki roll, where the rice is on the outside of nori wrap and the fillings are on the inside. The fillings consist of crab (usually imitation as it’s less expensive), cucumber, avocado and tempura batter flakes. The outside of the roll is also covered with tempura batter flakes.
What’s in a Crunchy California Roll?
The basic ingredients of crunchy California roll are the sushi rice, tempura flakes, nori sheets, and filling of crab and vegetables. Below is a brief description of each ingredient.
Sushi Rice:
Sushi rice is a basic, yet critical ingredient in any sushi dish. It’s a short-grained rice combined with Japanese vinegar that produces a sticky rice that holds the sushi together. As any sushi chef will tell you, if you don’t start with good rice, you won’t end up with good sushi.
Check this article out for a deeper dive into how to cook sushi rice: Sushi Rice: Easy Sushi Rice Recipe
Crab (Imitation or real):
Crab is an essential ingredient that makes a California roll a California roll. Imitation crab is more commonly used because it’s less expensive. However, real crab is a tastier alternative in my opinion.
While most sushi chefs use whole crab sticks, I prefer to shred the crab and mix with Japanese mayo and make a crab salad prior to adding to my roll. Both are good but I think the crab salad adds a fresher taste and a more moist texture to the roll that complements the crunch of the tempura flakes.
However, I only do this with imitation crab. If using real crab, I add crab without mixing with Japanese mayo as the real crab has a richer flavor and more moist texture than imitation.
Tempura Batter Flakes:
Also known as tanuki, tempura batter flakes give your roll its crunch and provide a savory tempura flavor.
I have also seen crunchy roll sushi recipes that use Panko bread crumbs instead of tempura flakes. While this would definitely be quicker, I don’t think it adds the same depth of flavor as the tempura flakes.
Nori Sheets
Nori sheets are dried seaweed sheets that are used as the wrapping for all rolled sushi and some other types sushi as well. It’s firm enough to not pull apart when wrapping sushi but soft enough to cut with a knife and eat without being chewy.
Cucumber and Avocado
Rounding out the list of ingredients are cucumber and avocado. These two ingredients are commonly used in a wide variety of sushi rolls. The cucumbers are cut into small sticks roughly 1/8 inch thick. This method of cutting vegetables to a matchstick appearance is called a julienne cut.
Avocados are cut into thin slices prior to being added to the roll. A whole avocado will yield around twelve equally sized slices.
How to Control the Thickness of Your Sushi Roll
You can control how thick your sushi rolls are by how much of the nori sheet you use. This recipe uses the entire nori sheet which makes thicker rolls.If you like smaller rolls, you can cut the nori sheet in half. This will definitely make the roll thinner and easier to eat with chopsticks but it can be trickier to roll. You can also cut off the top 1/4 of the nori sheet to reduce the thickness of the roll depending on your preference.
How do you Make a Crunchy California Roll?
While crunchy California rolls is a little more time consuming as it involves making tempura batter flakes, it is fairly simple to make and involves four main steps: cooking the sushi rice, making the tempura batter flakes, cutting the vegetables and assembling the ingredients and assembling the sushi roll. Below are step-by-step instructions with pictures outlining each step.
Cook Sushi Rice
1. Rinse 1 1/3 cup of sushi rice by placing it in a colander and running water through it until the water is clear.
2. After the rice is rinsed, add it to a sauce pan with 1 2/3 cups of water.
3. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let the rice simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is soft.
4. Remove the rice and place into a bowl or dish and let cool. I would line the dish with parchment paper prior to adding the rice to avoid sticking.
5. Mix 1/4 cup of sushi vinegar into your rice. Stir until it has absorbed into the rice. Once cooled and fully absorbed, your rice is ready to roll!
Prepare Tempura Batter Flakes
1. In a sauce pan, heat 2 cups of canola oil on medium heat to 375 degrees.
2. Assemble the ingredients and chill the water. You may need to add ice if you don’t have access to very cold water. However, make sure to remove ice cubes before combining with egg.
3. Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat until the yolk and white are combined.
4. Add cold water to the egg and mix well.
5. Sift flour into the egg and water combination.
6. Using a spoon or chopstick, lightly mix making sure not to over stir. The batter should be mixed but a little lumpy.
7. Using a chopstick or small spoon, sprinkle small amounts at a time of batter into the hot oil and fry for 20 to 30 seconds, or until light brown.
8. Once done, remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate covered with a few paper towels to absorb the oil.
9. Repeat the process until all the batter is cooked.
10. Discard the remaining oil when complete.
Prepare the Crab Salad Filling
1. To make the crab salad, start by shredding the crab into a bowl with two forks
2. Add the Japanese mayonnaise with a pinch of salt and gently mix together.
Assemble the Crunchy California Rolls
1. Cut the avocado and cucumber: Slice the avocado in half the long way. Remove the seed and cut each half into 6 slices. Each whole avocado should yield around 12 slices. Cut the cucumbers into strips that are as long as your nori wrapper and about 1/8 inch thick.
2. Prepare your bamboo sushi mat: Cover your bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap. This will help keep the rice from sticking to it.
3. Press rice onto nori sheets: Next, place the nori sheet onto the plastic wrap with the shiny side facing down. Then press around 1 cup of rice onto the nori sheet in an even layer. Tip: Mix a bowl of water with a splash of rice vinegar and wet your hands before touching the sushi rice to avoid it sticking to your hands.
4. Flip nori sheet over: Gently flip the nori sheet over so the rice is facing down. You will add the filling directly to the nori sheet with the rice on the outside.
5. Add the filling: Spoon about 1/8 of the crab salad mixture onto the nori sheet and spread evenly across the middle of the sheet. Then add the avocado slices and cucumber sticks horizontally along the nori sheet. In general, I add 2-3 avocado slices and 1-2 cucumber sticks depending on the size of each ingredient and how everything fits.
6. Add the tempura flakes: Sprinkle tempura mixture over the crab. I wouldn’t go too heavy with the tempura flakes as we will sprinkle on the outside of the roll as well.
7. Roll the sushi: Use the bamboo sushi mat to fold your roll until it is completely enclosed. Keep in mind that rolling sushi is an art that may take some practice so don’t get frustrated if it doesn’t look perfect your first time. It will get easier the more you do it.
8. Add tempura flakes to the outside of the roll: Sprinkle the tempura flakes over the roll and gently push the flakes onto the roll with the sushi mat, causing the tempura flakes to stick to the rice on your roll.
9. Cut the roll: Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into 8 pieces. I do this by first cutting the roll in half. Then cutting each half in half. Then cutting each fourth in half. Tip: Be sure to clean and wet the edge of your knife before cutting each roll.
10. Serve and enjoy: I usually serve with soy sauce and wasabi. Sushi rolls are traditionally served with pickled ginger as well.
Crunchy California Roll Recipe
Crunchy California Roll Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Bamboo Sushi Mat
- 1 Pot for cooking sushi rice
- 1 Pot for frying tempura batter
- 1 Sharp knife and cutting board
Ingredients
Sushi Rice
- 1 1/3 cups Sushi rice dried, will cook to 4 cups
- 1/4 cup Sushi vinegar
Tempura Batter Flakes
- 2 cups Vegetable oil
- 1 cup All purpose flour
- 1 Egg Large
- 1 cup Water Ice cold
Sushi Roll
- 4 Nori sheets
- 1 Ripe avocado
- 1 English cucumber Sliced into 1/8 sticks
- 8 oz Imitation crab or real crab
- 1 tbsp Japanese mayonaise
- 1 pinch Salt
- Lemon Juice
Instructions
Cook Sushi Rice
- Rinse 1 1/3 cup of sushi rice by placing it in a colander and running water through it until the water is clear.
- After the rice is rinsed, add it to a sauce pan with 1 2/3 cups of water.
- Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let the rice simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is soft.
- Remove the rice and place into a bowl or dish and let cool. I would line the dish with parchment paper prior to adding the rice to avoid sticking.
- Mix 1/4 cup of sushi vinegar into your rice. Stir until it has absorbed into the rice. Once cooled and fully absorbed, your rice is ready to roll!
Prepare Tempura Batter Flakes
- In a sauce pan, heat 2 cups of canola oil on medium heat to 375 degrees.
- Assemble the ingredients and chill the water. You may need to add ice if you don’t have access to very cold water. However, make sure to remove ice cubes before combining with egg.
- Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat until the yolk and white are combined.
- Add cold water to the egg and mix well.
- Sift flour into the egg and water combination.
- Using a spoon or chopstick, lightly mix making sure not to over stir. The batter should be mixed but a little lumpy.
- Using a chopstick or a small spoon, sprinkle small amounts at a time of batter into the hot oil and fry for 20 to 30 seconds, or until light brown. Once done, remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate covered with a few paper towels to absorb the oil.
- Repeat the process until all the batter is cooked.
- Discard the remaining oil when complete.
Prepare the Crab Salad Filling
- Note: If you are using real crab you can skip this step and add the crab directly to the sushi roll without mixing with Japanese mayo.To make the crab salad, start by shredding the imitation crab into a bowl with two forks
- Add the Japanese mayonnaise with a pinch of salt and gently mix together.
Assemble the Crunchy California Rolls
- Cut the avocado and cucumber: Slice the avocado in half the long way. Remove the seed and cut each half into 6 slices. Each whole avocado should yield around 12 slices. You can also drizzle a little lemon juice over your cut avocado to prevent it from browning in your roll. You will then need to cut the nori sheets in half so they will fit onto your sushi mat and be the proper size for your rolls. Finally, cut the cucumbers into strips that are as long as your nori sheet and about 1/8 inch thick.
- Prepare your bamboo sushi mat: Cover your bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap. This will help keep the rice from sticking to it.
- Press rice onto nori sheets: Next, place the nori sheet onto the plastic wrap with the shiny side facing down. Then press around 1 cup of rice onto the nori sheet in an even layer. Tip: Wet your hands prior to handling the sushi rice. This will prevent the rice from sticking to your hands.
- Flip nori sheet over: Gently flip the nori sheet over so the rice is facing down. You will add the filling directly to the nori sheet with the rice on the outside.
- Add the crab: Spoon about 1/8 of the crab salad mixture onto the nori sheet and spread evenly across the middle of the sheet.
- Add the avocado and cucumber: Add the avocado slices and cucumber sticks horizontally along the nori sheet. In general, I add 2-3 avocado slices and 1-2 cucumber sticks depending on the size of each ingredient and how everything fits.
- Add the tempura flakes: Sprinkle tempura mixture over the crab. I wouldn't go too heavy with the tempura flakes as we will add to the outside of the roll as well.
- Roll the sushi: Use the bamboo sushi mat to fold your roll until it is completely enclosed. Once the rice is making contact with the nori roll, pull back the sushi mat so it doesn't get caught in the sushi. Still using the sushi mat as your guide, finish rolling until the roll is completely wrapped. Then wrap the sushi mat around the roll and gently press, tightening the roll together.Keep in mind that rolling sushi is an art that may take some practice so don’t get frustrated if it doesn’t look perfect your first time. It will get easier the more you do it.
- Add tempura flakes to outside of roll: Sprinkle the tempura flakes over the roll and gently push the flakes onto the roll with the sushi mat, causing the tempura flakes to stick to the rice on your roll.
- Cut the roll: Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into 8 pieces. I do this by first cutting the roll in half. Then cutting each half in half. Then cutting each fourth in half. Tip: Be sure to clean and wet the edge of your knife before cutting each roll.
- Serve and enjoy: I usually serve with soy sauce and wasabi. Sushi rolls are traditionally served with pickled ginger as well.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Are crunchy California rolls gluten free?
While California rolls by themselves can be gluten free depending on the type of crab used, the tempura batter often contains gluten as it uses all purpose flour. However, you can make crunchy California rolls gluten free by substituting the all purpose flour with a gluten free one to one substitute and making sure you use either real crab or an imitation crab that is gluten free.
Are crunchy California rolls healthy for you?
While avocados and cucumber are great for you and imitation crab is not bad for you, sushi rice and the tempura batter is not very good for you as they are both higher in calories and lower in nutrients.
Can the tempura batter be substituted for something else in crunchy rolls?
Yes. Though tempura batter is my favorite way to add crunch to sushi rolls, you can also use Panko bread crumbs, tobiko or masago to give it a crunch.
Final Thoughts on Making Crunchy Roll Sushi
Crunchy sushi rolls are a delicious way to taste two Japanese cooking methods in one meal. And while it may seem a little intimidating at first with the preparing of the tempura batter and rolling of the sushi, it’s pretty simple once you dive into it. We hope you enjoy this delicious meal! Happy cooking!
Check out the below articles for more great sushi recipes:
How to Prepare Boston Roll Sushi
Ebi Sushi: What it is and How to Make it
Easy and Delicious Unagi Sauce (Eel Sauce) Recipe
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