Dragon Roll Recipe

Rinse the short-grain rice under cold water until the water runs nearly clear. Cook according to package directions to yield about 2 cups cooked rice (typically 1 cup uncooked).

While the rice cooks, warm the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan or microwave just until the sugar dissolves. Do not boil. Set aside to cool slightly.

Transfer cooked rice to a large shallow bowl. Gently fold the vinegar mixture into the rice using a cutting motion with a rice paddle or spatula until combined and slightly glossy. Fan the rice while folding to help it cool to near body temperature. Cover with a damp towel to keep moist.

Prepare asparagus: trim woody ends from the 8 spears and blanch in boiling water for 30–45 seconds until bright green and just tender. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry.

Combine the picked snow crab with Japanese mayo and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning; set aside.

If using real crab with larger pieces, flake into bite-sized strands so it will evenly distribute inside the roll.

Lightly brush asparagus with toasted sesame oil and season with a tiny pinch of salt so they have a little flavor when rolled.

Prepare eel and avocado

If the unagi is cold from refrigeration, gently warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–7 minutes or microwave briefly (10–15 seconds) until slightly warm. Slice the unagi into long thin strips approx. 1/4–1/2 inch wide. Slice the avocado in half, remove pit, thinly slice lengthwise and fan slices so they will cover the roll.

Lay out nori and rice

Place a bamboo mat on a work surface and cover with plastic wrap. Place one full nori sheet shiny side down on the plastic. With wet hands, spread a thin even layer of sushi rice over the entire nori sheet (for an inside-out roll variation: spread rice on plastic side, then flip nori so rice faces down; if making traditional roll, keep rice on nori). For a Dragon Roll (often inside-out), place rice on the nori and flip so nori faces up before adding fillings.

Sprinkle a few toasted sesame seeds over the rice if desired. Flip the nori (rice side down) so the nori faces up on the mat if you spread rice on the outside. If you prefer a classic inside-out Dragon Roll, continue with rice on outside; otherwise adjust accordingly.

Add fillings and roll

About 1–1.5 inches from the near edge of the nori, spread an even line of the crab-mayo mixture lengthwise. Lay 3–4 asparagus spears on top of the crab. Place a thin smear of wasabi along the nori edge if using. Use the bamboo mat to press and roll the nori tightly over the fillings to form a compact cylinder. Apply gentle pressure to shape the roll. Seal the edge with a dab of water.

If you made an inside-out roll (rice outside), proceed; if rice is inside, you can skip the next transfer step. For rice-outside assembly: Once the roll is formed with nori inside, transfer to the mat, and place slices of avocado overlapping along the top of the roll. Lay slices of warmed unagi on top of the avocado (overlapping to create the ‘dragon’ look).

Place the roll on a cutting board. Using a very sharp, slightly wet knife, slice the roll into 8 even pieces. Wipe the knife between cuts to keep clean slices.

Arrange pieces on a serving plate with the avocado and eel side up. Warm the unagi (eel) sauce slightly if thick; drizzle 1–2 tablespoons over the top of the sliced roll pieces and then finish with a second drizzle for presentation (total about 2–3 tbs per roll depending on preference).

Garnish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced scallions. Serve immediately with soy sauce and pickled ginger on the side; additional eel sauce may be served in a small dish for dipping.