California Rolls

1 cup sushi rice, rinsed
1-1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

4 dried seaweed squares
16 pieces of crab meat, sliced into strips
1/2 medium avocado, peeled and sliced into 8 strips
1/2 small cucumber, seeded and sliced into 8 strips
4 teaspoons mayonnaise, (with wasabi, if desired)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (optional)

1. Rinse the rice and place in a pot with water. Cover.
2. Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer until all of the water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes.
3. Remove the pot from the heat. Take off the lid and cover with a tea towel and let cool for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat vinegar in a small sauce pan over low heat with sugar and salt until they dissolve into the vinegar. Cool.
5. Transfer the rice to a large bowl and spread out evenly with a wooden spoon.
6. Gently cut, rather than stir, the vinegar into the rice. Fan rice to bring it to room temperature.
7. Lay out a seaweed square on a bamboo sushi mat.
8. Place approximately a cup of prepared rice on to the surface of the seaweed, pressing to approximately 1/2" thickness and staying about 1/4" from the sides.
9. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of toasted sesame seeds over rice, if desired.
10. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the rice, then flip the seaweed so that the plastic wrap covered rice is now on the bamboo and the plain seaweed is facing up.
11. About 1/2" from the bottom, start by placing a strip of cucumber, followed by crab, then mayonnaise, and finally the avocado.
12. Carefully lift the mat and roll the bottom edge of the seaweed underneath the crab, cucumber, avocado and mayonnaise.
13. Gently roll upwards, pulling away the plastic wrap as the roll takes its shape.
14. Unroll the mat and remove the plastic wrap. Cut into 6 pieces and serve with wasabi, tamari and pickled ginger.

Makes 4 rolls