Step 1

Cook sushi rice: Add the washed rice and water to the rice cooker, and cook according to the instruction. Once cooked, transfer the hot rice to a large bowl and let it cool down slightly. When it’s still very warm, stir in the sushi vinegar (or the mixture of rice vinegar, sugar and salt).

Step 2

Make crab salad topping: While the rice is cooking, preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).

Step 3

Cut imitation crab and shrimp into small chunks.

Step 4

Add them to a mixing bowl, and season with salt, pepper, and spicy mayo. (If you’d like to make a non-spicy version, you can use mayo only.)

Step 5

Place the mixture to a baking pan, and bake for 10-15 minutes until the top is slightly golden brown.

Step 6

Make volcano rolls: Lay out the bamboo mat with an optional piece of plastic wrap on top (this will prevent the rice from sticking to the mat).

Step 7

Fold the nori sheets in half and split them by hands or using a pair of scissors.

Step 8

Place half of the nori sheet on top of the bamboo.

Step 9

Take ¾ cup of cooked rice and evenly spread over nori. (You can dip your hands in vinegar water to prevent sticking.)

Step 10

Pat down the rice with your hands and sprinkle with optional sesame seeds.

Step 11

Flip the rice covered nori sheet so that the rice is facing down.

Step 12

Place imitation crab sticks, avocado, and cucumber on top of the nori.

Step 13

Place the thumbs underneath the bamboo mat and lift the edge up and over the filling.

Step 14

Roll the bamboo mat away from you and apply some pressure to tighten it up. Keep rolling until the ends meet.

Step 15

Once the roll is complete, move it to the cutting board and cut each roll into 8 pieces.

Step 16

Arrange about 8 pieces of sushi rolls on a plate, and top them with the freshly baked crab salad topping. You can drizzle some spicy mayo and sprinkle optional tobiko or masago on top. Serve immediately.