California Roll Casserole (Sushi Bake)
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I haven't hit y'all with a recipe in a minute, and I'm honestly embarrassed that my comeback is influenced by viral videos. Living with my family, I took a step back from the kitchen to observe and learn from my elders. Being in New York City, there's such an abundance of foods and cuisines from any culture and combination you can imagine. And this recipe is my navigating the space in between.
California Roll Casserole is the more accurate description. As sushi is typically not baked, the concept of a "sushi bake" sounds abstract and perhaps sacrilegious. But, trust - it's a crowd pleaser. Rice and seaweed will always be a hit. Imagine warm rice layered with a spicy mayo crab salad, topped with fresh avocado and scallion, wrapped in crunchy salty seaweed. I'm all about the textures. And the layers get you there.
In preparing the rice for the California Roll Casserole, I had so many questions arise regarding what type of rice, how to properly season, and I realized there was so much left to learn regarding my staple food. I eat a lot of rice. But I am not knowledgeable at all about the preparation methods for different varieties. Years of wisdom and experience from the elders and ancestors completely lost upon me. It's just always prepared by the time I arrive. Well, well. There's always something left to explore :)
I've watched this TikTok trend too many times and have been curious for way too long. My friends hosted a board game party, which was a the perfect opportunity to trial this recipe. There were a few vegetarians / shellfish allergy friends at the gathering, so I made sure the kani had no fish/shellfish ingredients (its main ingredient was egg white), and made this recipe with no salmon. Though I'm sure a buttery flaky salmon will be a very tasty addition to the topping.
As for the Hot Cheetos Poppers, I've made the OG recipe before when it was first circulating, but I decided to make an elevated nostalgia hors d'oeuvres version for the party. You're welcome.
California Roll Casserole (Sushi Bake) (serves 8-12)
Seasoned Rice
3 cups medium grain rice, cooked
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp sugar*
2 tbsp furikake (rice seasoning)
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp salt
*can substitute with mirin
Kani topping
1 lb kani (imitation crab), shredded
8 oz oyster mushrooms, sliced thin
4 oz cream cheese
4 oz Kewpie mayo
4 scallions, chopped and separated (white vs. green)
2 nori sheets (large seaweed)
1 cup panko crumbs
1 avocado
1-2 tbsp Sriracha
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp Cajun spice
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
Nori squares, Kewpie, Sriracha to serve
1. Fluff and season cooked rice with rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and salt
2. In a skillet over medium/low heat, cook sliced oyster mushrooms to remove moisture
3. Preheat oven to 450F
4. In a large bowl, mix kani, cooked oyster mushrooms, cream cheese, Kewpie mayo, white ends of scallions, sriracha, and all seasoning
5. Spread seasoned rice in a large deep baking tray**
6. Layer rice layer with furikake and sesame seeds, layer sheets of nori on top
7. Spread kani mixture over nori, top with generous drizzles of Kewpie and Sriracha
8. Top with panko crumbs and bake at 450F for 20 minutes, then broil for 2 minutes
9. Slice avocado
10. Safely remove baking tray from oven and line California Roll Casserole with sliced avocado
11. Drizzle additional layer of Kewpie and Sriracha and generously sprinkle tobiko and green ends of scallion
To serve: scoop California Roll Casserole into a sheet of nori and enjoy
**I used a 13"x18" deep baking tray
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Hot Cheetos Poppers (serves 12)
1 dz jalapeños, washed
2 oz cream cheese
2 tbsp Kewpie mayo
1 tsp sriracha
1 scallion, chopped and separated (white vs. green)
Hot Cheetos to serve
1. Cut jalapeños in half and scoop out the core and remove all seeds*
2. Mix cream cheese, Kewpie, sriracha, and white ends of scallion
3. Fill jalapeño halves with mixture
4. Top with green ends of scallion
To serve: Place Hot Cheetos on top of filled jalapeño and enjoy the crunch!
*Seeds are VERY spicy, do NOT touch your face/eyes throughout this entire process and at least an hour after
