Recipe: Crab & Avocado Hand Rolls (Temaki)
Going Paleo doesn’t mean giving up sushi — especially if you make it yourself. Temaki (seaweed-wrapped hand rolls) make a regular appearance in our household because I usually have all the ingredients in my refrigerator and pantry. I simply chop up a few vegetables and make a simple crab salad before hollering at my family to assemble their own no-cook meal.
Feel free to substitute the crab with cooked shrimp, chicken, tuna, or any other protein you have on hand — even Kalua Pig.
Tester’s Notes
Simple, fresh, and delicious, these hand rolls were a hit when we made them, and tasted a bit like lighter California sushi rolls. These are fun for casual gatherings since everyone can jump in and help out, plus no special equipment like sushi mats are needed. Since they should be eaten immediately before the nori gets soggy, get everyone in on the rolling action!
– Christine, May 2015
Crab & Avocado Temaki
Makes 16 hand rolls
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons
Paleo mayonnaise (get the recipe)
- 2
scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 pound
cooked lump crab meat
- 1/2 teaspoon
red pepper flakes (optional)
Juice from 1/2 medium lime
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 sheets
toasted standard-size nori, cut in half width-wise
- 1
large Hass avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
- 2
small Japanese or Persian cucumbers, cut into matchsticks
Handful of radish sprouts or microgreens
Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, scallions, crab meat, red pepper flakes (if using), and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and mix well.
To assemble each roll, hold a piece of nori, shiny-side down, and scoop 2 tablespoons of the crab mixture onto the left side of the rectangle. The filling should be at a diagonal, running from the top left corner to the bottom center of the nori.
Top the crab with a slice of avocado, some cucumber, and sprouts. Fold the bottom-left corner of the nori over the filling before wrapping the long part of the nori around the crab and vegetables to form a cone.
Serve immediately — don’t let the nori get soft!