Crab and Egg Maki with Tobiko

ingredients

• 1/2 pound lump crab meat (about 1 packed cup)
• 1 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar
• nori egg sheets:
• 1 1/2 cups lightly beaten eggs (6 large)
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• vegetable oil for brushing skillet
• 3 8x7.5 inch sheets toasted nori
• dipping sauce:
• 1/3 cup Japanese soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/3 cup (total) plain tobiko, flavored/seasoned tobiko, and/or golden whitefish caviar*

directions

Pick over crab meat to remove any bits of cartilage and shell and stir together with vinegar and salt to taste. Chill crab, covered.

Make nori egg sheets:

In a 2 cups measure stir together eggs, mirin, water, and salt until just combined. Lightly brush a 12-inch nonstick skillet with oil and heat over moderately low heat until just hot. (A drop of egg mixture should set without sizzling or browning.) Pour 1/2 cup egg mixture into skillet, tilting to coat bottom evenly. Cook egg mixture until set on underside but still slightly wet on top, about 1 minute, and center 1 nori sheet on top, pressing gently with fingers to adhere nori to egg. Cook sheet until egg under nori is set, about 30 seconds more (egg not covered by nori may not be completely set) and invert onto a sheet of wax paper. Invert nori egg sheet onto a cutting board and discard wax paper. Trim egg even with nori, discarding excess, and halve sheet crosswise. Stack halves and cover with a damp paper towel. Make and halve 2 more nori egg sheets in same manner, using a fresh sheet of wax paper for each.

Have ready 6 rinsed and squeezed-dry paper towels. On a work surface put 1 nori egg sheet half, nori side up and with a long side close to you. Spread 2 1/2 tablespoons crab mixture over nori, leaving a 0.75-inch wide nori border along far edge of sheet. Beginning with long side closest to you, tightly roll up sheet and wrap in 1 damp paper towel. Make 5 more rolls in same manner. Rolls may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, wrapped in damp paper towels in a sealable plastic bag.

Make dipping sauce:

In a small bowl stir together soy sauce, mirin, and water.

Gently unwrap rolls from paper towels and put, seam sides down, on cutting board. With a sharp knife trim ends and halve rolls crosswise. Cut each half into 3 pieces and top each piece with a small mound of tobiko and/or caviar. Serve rolls with dipping sauce.