This sushi bake is essentially a deconstructed sushi roll, specifically a spicy crab roll. Everything is layered in a pan (rice, seafood, toppings), baked, and enjoyed with nori. Although the exact origin of the dish is unclear, it is believed to have come from Hawaii, whose cuisine has deep ties with Japan’s.
Typically served as a main dish since it is pretty hearty, baked sushi has recently become a fixture in Filipino cuisine as well and had a significant moment as a social media trend during lockdown.
Pepper.ph’s recipe inspired my version of this casserole. It starts with homemade sushi rice layered with imitation crab fish roe, then tossed in a bit of Kewpie mayo and finished with furikake for added texture and flavor.
How Does it Taste?
Baked sushi reminds me of a hot bowl of rice with seafood and tasty toppings. The rice is sticky and perfectly vinegared, giving it a nice complexity. The imitation crab layer is rich and creamy, providing that seafood flavor accompanied by mayonnaise’s eggy, tangy, and sweet taste.
As for the toppings, the furikake and roe enhance the baked sushi in both flavor and texture. The furikake brings a nice umami flavor and a light crispness. At the same time, the roe is slightly salty with a hint of smokiness and some accompanying sweetness, along with a super satisfying crunch. And let’s not forget the nori, which acts as a light, crispy shell adding a pleasant brininess — and making your baked sushi waaaay more fun to eat!
Sushi Bake
Equipment
- 1 baking pan 9 x 13 inch rectangular
Ingredients
Rice
- 3 cups sushi rice, cooked 555g
- 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar 45mL
- 3 tbsp sugar granulated, 40g
- 1 tbsp salt 15g
Topping
- 12 oz imitation crab 340g
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise Kewpie brand, or whatever brand you have on hand ~ 140g
- 1/4 cup cream cheese room temperature, 60g
- Sriracha to taste
- 1/4 cup fish roe (tobiko) 55g
- furikake sprinkled to taste
- nori sheets one or two small packs for serving
Instructions
Rice
- If you don’t have cooked sushi rice, it is easy to make. First, measure 3 cups of short grain rice, add rice to a bowl, and wash it three times. For each wash, rinse it with cool water, drain, and repeat. The water will get clearer with each subsequent wash.
- Add the washed rice to the rice cooker’s bowl, add enough water to fill the bowl to the sushi rice or sweet rice line, set the rice cooker to the corresponding mode, and hit start. Meanwhile, combine the rice wine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a bowl to make the seasoning for the rice. If you buy pre-seasoned rice wine vinegar instead of unseasoned, only add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar, taste, and adjust if needed.
- Add the cooked rice to the bowl and gently toss to distribute the vinegar, salt, and sugar evenly.
Topping
- Tear the imitation crab by hand, then give it a rough chop to break it into smaller pieces. Add it to a bowl with Kewpie mayo (a Japanese-style mayo that's creamier and richer than regular mayonnaise) and cream cheese. Stir as you break up the cream cheese until the mixture resembles potato salad. Add some sriracha for spice, and stir; use as much or as little as you like. Follow with tobiko fish roe and stir again.
Assembly
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Oil a 9 x 13 baking pan, removing excess with a paper towel. The oil will prevent the rice from sticking. Scoop the rice into the prepared pan and press it into the bottom until you have an even layer. Sprinkle furikake over the rice layer. Top with the crab mixture, then place it in the oven for 20 minutes to warm everything up and caramelize the top. Dust the sushi bake with a bit more furikake once done.
How To Eat
- Cut the baked sushi into bite-sized portions, scoop into pieces of nori, and eat with your hands.
