Spicy California Sushi Bake

I’ve been seeing the Sushi Bake trend all over Insta and TikTok and HAD to try this one out - with my own spin of course. I can defs see why it went viral. Dare I say it was more satisfying than going out for sushi? Maybe because it was warm. The key to this easy recipe is making sure the rice is good, so follow my instructions below for perfect sushi rice and you’ll be making this recipe every week.

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Spicy California Sushi Bake

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Yield: 4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

For the Rice

• 1 & 1/2 cups ncooked sushi/calrose rice

• 2 cups water

• 3 tbs rice vinegar

• 1 tbs sugar

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tbs olive oil (to brush the baking dish with)

For the Filling

• 1/3 cup kewpie mayonnaise

• 1 pack (227g) imitation crab

• 1 tbs sriracha hot sauce (optional)

• 1-2 tsp furikake or togarashi (optional)

• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

For Topping

• Avocado

• Cucumber

• Green onion

• Tobiko/flying fish roe (optional)

• Kewpie mayonnaise

• Sriracha hot sauce

• Toasted sesame seeds

• Nori squares to serve

• Soy sauce to serve

DIRECTIONS

1. Start by washing your rice 3-4 times. You can do this in a colander, but I usually just put the rice in the bowl of my rice cooker, add enough cold water to cover the rice, stir it around really well with my hand until the water is super starchy, then drain and repeat 2-3 times. Once you’ve washed the rice, add it to the bowl of the rice cooker (if you haven’t already) with 2 cups of cold water. Put it in the rice cooker and turn it on. Once the rice cooker is done, unplug it and let it sit for 5-8 minutes with the lid on. While it’s sitting, combine the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl. When the rice has cooled slightly (don’t let it cool down completely, it should still be warm), add the vinegar mixture, making sure to scrape in any sugar that hasn’t melted. Using a rubber spatula or rice paddle, gently mix the vinegar mixture into the rice.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a separate bowl, combine the imitation crab, kewpie mayonnaise and Sriracha hot sauce. Mix well and set aside until ready to use.

3. Brush a baking dish with olive oil. Scoop the rice into the baking dish and use a rubber spatula to press it tightly into the dish. Spread the crab mixture over top, and then drizzle with more kewpie and sriracha; bake for 15 minutes. Broil for an additional 3-5 minutes (keep a close eye on it so it doesn't burn) until golden and bubbly.

4. Top the sushi bake with the cucumber, avocado, green onion, Tobiko (1 used about 2 tsp), and sesame seeds. You can use as much as you'd like for these toppings. Using clean scissors, cut the nori sheets into 4 squares each. Serve by scooping some rice with all the toppings onto a nori square. Enjoy warm with soy sauce.