Homemade Sushi: Volcano Roll

Step 1

Pre-heat your oven or toaster oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2

Cook your sushi rice and allow to stand, covered for 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add seasoned rice vinegar. Fluff with a fork and allow to cool.

Step 3

While the rice cooks, I like to start on the spicy volcano topping.

Step 4

Chop your raw shrimp, scallops, or salmon (or combination of the three!) into small pieces and toss in volcano sauce.

Step 5

Pour the mixture onto a medium-large square of aluminum foil and roll up the edges a bit to prevent spillage.

Step 6

Bake for approximatley 15 minutes or until the seafood is opaque and fully cooked. Oven times may vary a tad but it won't take super long. Since shrimp takes a bit longer to cook, I suggest sauteeing it on the stovetop until it's almost fully cooked and then finishing it off in the oven with the sauce. Total time-saver!

Step 7

While your seafood bakes, line a bamboo mat with plastic wrap and top with a sheet of nori.

Step 8

Slice cucumber into thin strips (I like to remove the seeds from the middle before slicing), roll the cream cheese into two thin strips, and chop the ends off the green onion.

Step 9

Using a spoon or other utensil, spread rice thinly on the seaweed sheet and then place your cucumber, cream cheese, and green onion in three compact rows at the end of the seaweed square, atop the rice. Since this will make two rolls split your toppings and do the same for each. First time rolling sushi? [click here] for a photo tutorial of the entire process.

Step 10

Roll, slice, and sprinkle with sesame seeds!

Step 11

By now your fiery orange volcano topping should be ready. If you'd like, you can add a bit more sauce on top of the seafood and switch the oven to BROIL for 1-2 minutes. I LOVE doing this since it most closely resembles the golden topping my hometown sushi restaurant serves up. This can be done without the extra spoonful of sauce if needed; it's super flexible. Pour the volcano topping over your cucumber roll and top with an additional stalk or two of chopped green onion.