Sasha's Kitchen: Sushi Part II - Crab, Portobello & Asparagus Rolls

I think I have already established my love for making homemade sushi rolls, ever since the night my husband proposed to me after homemade sushi.  However, until last night, I had only prepared my sushi rolls with salmon, tuna, shrimp, in addition to various vegetables.  I had never so much as made a homemade California roll because I didn't have access to high quality, sushi grade crabsticks.  Until now!  I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that my local asian fish market, Ocean Market, in Park Slope carried sushi grade crab sticks for a mere $8 a package.  I immediately purchased the ingredients to make a new roll with crabsticks (in addition to California rolls).  This one is very easy, as long as you roll the sushi properly, and is meant as a follow up to yesterday's post about rolling your own sushi at home.

For instructions on making your own sushi and for my Salmon, Asparagus & Pesto sushi rolls, click here.  If you want to substitute and prepare more traditional California rolls, use cucumber and avocado instead of the portobello and asparagus.

Sasha's Crab, Portobello & Asparagus Rolls (makes 4 rolls)
1 1/2 cup of sushi rice
3 T seasoned rice wine vinegar
8 crabsticks (2 for each roll)
4 stalks of asparagus
1 portobello mushroom, sliced
2 sheets of sushi nori
soy sauce and wasabi for dipping

My inside-out classic California roll, pictured above.

First prepare the rice as instructed in my earlier sushi recipe.  Once the rice is cool, spread it on the sushi nori, leaving two inches at the top.  If you want to make an inside out roll, spread the rice on the entire sheet of nori and flip it over on your sushi mat before rolling the sushi.

To prepare the vegetables, slice the portobello mushrooms and steam or boil the mushrooms and asparagus.  Lay the vegetables on the rice horizontally on the side of the rice nearest to you, and lay the crabstick next to them.  Roll the sushi away from you into a roll.  If you are not doing the roll inside out, you will need to use a bit of water to seal the nori on the edge of the roll.  The combination of the asparagus and portobello went very nicely with the crabsticks (which I believe are imitation crab, as commonly used by sushi restaurants in California rolls).  It was another enjoyable night of sushi in my house.