Spearo, fisherman, and passionate home cook. I enjoy harvesting my food from the ocean and sharing it with my friends and family. Follow along as I use species local to Florida to make incredible meals you can make at home.
Real Crab California Roll
Unlike most California Roll recipes that are made using Imitation Crab, this recipe uses fresh caught Channel Clinging Crab that is native to South Florida. To be honest, California Rolls aren’t something that I usually order at sushi restaurants, but I do get variations of them from time to time.
Channel Clinging Crab California Roll
I’ve been wanting to make some Sushi out of one of these crabs for awhile, I’ve done some rolls with Stone Crab before, but never Channel Clinging Crabs. Crab meat has such a sweet, delicate flavor that goes great in sushi rolls! I would probably make this recipe more often if the crabs themselves weren’t so hard to come by.
How I Got This Channel Clinging Crab
I actually got this particular crab while out spearfishing off of Dania Beach. I had already secured a big Mutton Snapper, and didn’t necessarily need anymore fish. My dive buddy had spotted a Black Grouper, however, and in the process of trying to him locate him I came across this crab.
Channel Clinging Crab
At first he was way back in a hole and I could barely reach him with my speargun. I tried to see if I could tickle him out, but was unsuccessful. I kind of wrote him off as a lost cause and then to my surprise the next time I went down he was sitting out in the open. I quickly grabbed him and after wrestling him for a second I was able to secure him. He was able to get a nice pinch on me, though! It wasn’t as bad as a Stone Crab, but still didn’t feel great!
I hope you enjoy this Real Crab California Roll Recipe:
10ozCooked Channel Clinging Crab Meat(or other crab meat)
Cucumber(cut longways)
Avocado(cut longways)
Other Ingredients For The Real Crab California Roll
Nori Sheets
Sesame Seeds
Soy Sauce(for dipping)
Ginger(optional)
Instructions
For The Sushi Rice
Measure out 1 cup of rice, rinse thoroughly, and add to your small pot.
1 cup Short Grain Sushi Rice
Measure out 1 ½ cups of water and add to your small pot.
1 ½ cups Water
Bring your rice to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover.
Once your water level gets below the rice remove from heat.
Keep covered for 20 minutes.
Remove lid, fluff with a spoon, and transfer to a large bowl.
In a separate small bowl, add your rice wine vinegar, white sugar, and salt.
1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
½ tbsp White Sugar
½ tsp Salt
Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Make sure the sugar is melted. Microwave longer if needed.
Add this mixture to your rice, doing your best to spread it around evenly.
Set aside.
For The Real Crab California Roll
Wrap your sushi mat with plastic wrap so the rice doesn't stick.
Place your nori on your mat smooth side down.
Nori Sheets
Add rice evenly onto the ¾ of the Nori Sheet closest to you. Sprinkle Sesame Seeds on the rice.
Sesame Seeds
Flip over so the end that doesn't have rice on it is facing you.
Add your Cucumber and Avocado, followed by a generous amount of Crab Meat.
10 oz Cooked Channel Clinging Crab Meat
Cucumber
Avocado
Roll your your sushi while applying pressure evenly with your mat. Make sure the roll seals properly.
Cut into 8-10 pieces and plate. Repeat this process until you run out of ingredients.NOTE: I was able to make 5 larger sized sushi rolls using the 10oz of Crab Meat. If you want to make more rolls, just use less ingredients in each roll.
10ozCooked Channel Clinging Crab Meat (or other crab meat)
Cucumber (cut longways)
Avocado (cut longways)
Other Ingredients For The Real Crab California Roll
Nori Sheets
Sesame Seeds
Soy Sauce (for dipping)
Ginger (optional)
Equipment
Measuring Cup
Small Pot With Lid
Spoon
Sushi Mat
Kitchen Shears
Plastic Wrap
9" Shun Classic Slicing Knife
8" Shun Classic Chef Knife
Shun Large Cutting Board
Small Bowl
Medium Bowl
Large Bowl
1cupShort Grain Sushi Rice (rinsed)
1
Measure out 1 cup of rice, rinse thoroughly, and add to your small pot.
1 ½cupsWater
2
Measure out 1 ½ cups of water and add to your small pot.
3
Bring your rice to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover.
4
Once your water level gets below the rice remove from heat.
5
Keep covered for 20 minutes.
6
Remove lid, fluff with a spoon, and transfer to a large bowl.
1tbspRice Wine Vinegar
½tbspWhite Sugar
½tspSalt
7
In a separate small bowl, add your rice wine vinegar, white sugar, and salt.
8
Microwave for 30 seconds and stir. Make sure the sugar is melted. Microwave longer if needed.
9
Add this mixture to your rice, doing your best to spread it around evenly.
10
Set aside.
11
Wrap your sushi mat with plastic wrap so the rice doesn't stick.
Nori Sheets
12
Place your nori on your mat smooth side down.
Sesame Seeds
13
Add rice evenly onto the ¾ of the Nori Sheet closest to you. Sprinkle Sesame Seeds on the rice.
14
Flip over so the end that doesn't have rice on it is facing you.
10ozCooked Channel Clinging Crab Meat (or other crab meat)
Cucumber (cut longways)
Avocado (cut longways)
15
Add your Cucumber and Avocado, followed by a generous amount of Crab Meat.
16
Roll your your sushi while applying pressure evenly with your mat. Make sure the roll seals properly.
17
Cut into 8-10 pieces and plate. Repeat this process until you run out of ingredients.NOTE: I was able to make 5 larger sized sushi rolls using the 10oz of Crab Meat. If you want to make more rolls, just use less ingredients in each roll.
