Eel Recipe

Prepare eel

Pat the eel fillets dry with paper towel. Lightly sprinkle both sides with 1 tsp salt and let rest 5 minutes, then wipe off excess moisture with paper towel.

Preheat grill or broiler

Heat a grill or broiler to medium-high (about 425–450°F / 220–230°C). Brush the eel flesh lightly with 1 tsp vegetable oil to prevent sticking.

Initial cook

Place eel skin-side down and grill/broil for 3–4 minutes until slightly charred at the edges and the flesh begins to firm. Flip and cook flesh-side 2 minutes. Remove from heat—eel should be mostly cooked through but will finish glazing.

Combine ingredients

In a small saucepan combine 6 tbsp soy sauce, 6 tbsp mirin, 3 tbsp sake, and 2 tbsp granulated sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar.

Simmer to glaze consistency

Bring mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and syrupy (about 8–10 minutes). Sauce will coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and set aside. If too thick when cooled, warm slightly before glazing.

Glaze eel

Brush a generous layer of kabayaki sauce over the grilled eel, then return to the grill/broiler for 1–2 minutes to caramelize the glaze. Flip and glaze the other side if desired and heat 30–60 seconds more. Repeat once more for a glossy, layered glaze. Remove and let rest 1–2 minutes.

Slice eel

Using a sharp knife, cut each glazed eel fillet into 8 long strips roughly 1/2" wide so each hand roll gets 1 strip. Keep warm.

Prepare rice

If not already seasoned, mix cooked short-grain sushi rice (3 cups cooked) with 2–3 tbsp sushi vinegar to taste and fan to cool until slightly warm. Keep a small bowl of water with a little rice vinegar to wet hands and prevent sticking.

Assemble hand rolls

Place one nori sheet shiny side down on your palm or work surface. With wet hands, place about 1/3 cup of sushi rice on the left edge of the nori (for a cone-style hand roll) and spread into a small triangular shape. Lay 1 strip of glazed eel across the rice, add a few julienne cucumber pieces (about 1 tbsp), a small piece of shiso leaf (optional), and a pinch of sliced green onion and toasted sesame seeds. Add a small dab of wasabi if desired.

Roll

Fold the bottom left corner of the nori over the filling and roll into a cone, sealing the edge with a little water. Repeat to make 8 hand rolls. Serve immediately with extra kabayaki sauce on the side for dipping or drizzling.