Dragon Roll Recipe

Rinse rice

Place 1.5 cups short-grain sushi rice in a fine-mesh sieve or bowl and rinse under cold water, swirling and draining until the water runs almost clear (3–5 rinses) to remove surface starch.

Cook rice

Combine rinsed rice and 1.6 cups water in a rice cooker or small pot. If using a pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Season rice

While rice is cooking, warm 3 tbs rice vinegar, 1.5 tbs sugar and 0.5 tsp kosher salt in a small saucepan just until sugar dissolves (do not boil). Transfer cooked rice to a large shallow bowl or hangiri. Drizzle the vinegar mixture evenly over rice and gently cut/fold the rice with a wooden spatula or rice paddle to combine and fan to cool to roughly body temperature (5–8 minutes). Cover with a damp cloth to keep moist.

Prepare crab filling

Shred 3 oz imitation crab or real crab into small pieces. Mix with 1 tbs Japanese mayonnaise in a small bowl until evenly coated. Taste and adjust mayo if desired.

Prepare cucumber and avocado

Peel or leave skin on cucumber as preferred; remove seeds and cut into thin julienne strips so they fit inside the roll (about 1/4 cup). Halve and pit 1 ripe avocado, slice lengthwise into 4 even strips. To prevent browning, keep avocado covered until assembly.

Prepare eel

Slice 3 oz pre-cooked grilled eel (unagi) into 4 long thin strips roughly the length of the roll. If eel is cold, warm briefly in microwave (10–15 seconds) or steam to make it pliable; brush lightly with 1 tbs eel sauce if desired for shine.

Set up

Place a bamboo sushi mat on a flat surface and cover it with plastic wrap to prevent sticking. Have a small bowl of water nearby to wet your hands and knife.

Lay rice on nori

Place 1 full sheet of nori shiny side down on the plastic-wrapped mat. Wet your hands and take about 1 cup of prepared sushi rice (adjust to cover nori) and spread it evenly over the entire nori sheet. Press rice gently so it sticks, leaving a 1/2 inch (1–1.5 cm) uncovered strip along the far edge of the nori.

Flip nori

Carefully flip the nori so the rice is facing down on the plastic wrap and the dry nori sheet is facing up. This is the inside-out roll format with rice on the outside.

Add filling

On the nori (the dry side), arrange the crab-mayo mixture in a line across the center (about 3/4 inch thick). Place cucumber julienne alongside the crab. Position the 4 strips of eel on top of the crab/cucumber line (these will end up inside or partly exposed depending on roll style).

Roll tightly

Lift the edge of the mat nearest you and begin to roll away from you, pressing gently but firmly to form a tight cylinder. Use the mat to shape and compress the roll as you roll. Once sealed, press along the seam to close.

Top with avocado

Flip the roll so the rice side is up. Fan the 4 avocado slices and place them on top of the roll lengthwise, slightly overlapping to cover the rice. Using the bamboo mat and light pressure, press the avocado to adhere to the rice and shape the roll smoothly.

Apply eel and sauce

Place the warmed eel strips on top of the avocado, lengthwise. Drizzle approximately 2 tbs of eel sauce over the eel and avocado, reserving 1 tbs for serving if desired. Sprinkle 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds evenly over the top.

Slice

Wet a very sharp knife with water, then slice the roll into 8 equal pieces with a single smooth stroke. Wipe the knife clean and wet again between cuts to maintain clean edges.

Arrange the 8 pieces on a plate. Drizzle any remaining eel sauce if desired. Serve immediately with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi on the side.