Lion King roll, even though catchy as the name may sound, is actually the baked salmon wrap around California inside-out roll (Uramaki). This roll, as the name implied, is rather invented from the West coast.
California roll is popular among the cook-sushi eaters, where consuming raw fish/seafood is a no question ask. It often contains kani (crab meat bar), cucumber and avocado. Some restaurants might add picked daikon, carrot or fruits like mango, banana to differentiate the flavor. There are many creations that used this roll [California], often in uramaki styles as base and add on a cook seafood (unagi, salmon, tuna, etc.) to develop variations. To name a few, this Lion King roll is where thinly slice Salmon sashimi wrap around, soaked in spicy mayo and then bake. Another is the infamous dragon roll, with added avocado and kabayaki eel.
The Lion King roll is not that hard to make, easy if you’re used to rolling the uramaki way. In this recipe, I just make it a bit more creamier by mixing extra Kewpie with shredded kani, instead of the usually whole surimi bar. The whole thing, after roll and pressed with Salmon is then bake within a folded foil container (to prevent sauce spilling over to my oven). Serve hot with a touch of tobiko, scallion, roasted sesame and pickle garnishment.
If you’re new to rolling sushi, don’t worry, just follow the following step-by-step guide on rolling this deliciously creamy treat. Don’t forget to read How to cook sushi rice and another guide on rolling uramaki dragon roll if you need more information.
Enjoy
- 8 Oz Salmon
- 5 Tbsp Spicy Mayo
- 1 Tbsp Kewpie Mayo
- 2 Tbsp Unagi sauce
- 2 Tbsp tobiko/masago (fish roe)
- 2 Tbsp scallion - chop
- 2 sheets nori
- ¼ medium avocado
- ½ mini/baby cucumber
- 2 -4 pieces kani/surimi or 4 oz cooked crab meat
- 1 cup cooked & seasoned sushi rice
- 1-2 Tbsp Vinegar (to wet your hand)
- Pickled ginger as garnishment
- Bamboo rolling mat
- Plastic wrapper
- Foil
- Avocado - slice along its length
- Cucumber - remove seed, thinly slice along its length
- Scallion - Finely chop
- Salmon - thinly slice in a slant 45 degree angle (if possible)
- Nori - fold and tear/cut if desire smaller bite-size roll
- Crab - shred into thin long strip and mix with 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
- If you're new to making sushi roll, read this post on how to roll inside out.
- Start out by wrapping the bamboo rolling mat with plastic wrapper.
- Prepare a small bowl fill with 2 Tbsp of vinegar and water so that you could wet your hand with to avoid stickiness.
- Place the nori, smooth side down, onto the covered bamboo mat.
- Wet your hand with the vinegar solution then pluck some rice balls onto the nori.
- Gently knead and spread the rice out to the entire nori surface, do not mush.
- Turn the nori upside down(i.e. rice covered side now facing down against the plastic).
- Swoop a spoonful of the mayo-crab onto the nori along its length, then add cucumber and avocado.
- Now roll with the rolling mat, this will make a spicy inside out California roll.
- Arrange salmon sashimi on the California roll so that they will cover the entire length.
- Gently roll the plastic wrap to shape them in place.
- Let stand for 2 minutes before proceeding.
- Preheat oven to 400F
- With the plastic still on, use a sharp knife to cut your rolls into even pieces.
- Carefully unwrap each piece and arrange them on a prepare foil wrap, salmon side up.
- Mix up spicy mayo, unagi sauce and 1 Tbsp tobiko.
- Pour enough spicy mayo and unagi sauce to cover the roll.
- Fold the foil 4 sides up around the roll to avoid sauce leaking out.
- Broil/bake for about 5 minutes then pour remaining sauce.
- Bake for another 3 minutes until mayo start bubbling again.
- Top with some tobiko, scallion and serve immediately with garnishment.
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