Dragon Roll Recipe

Rinse and Cook Rice

Rinse 2 cups short-grain sushi rice under cold water until the runoff is nearly clear. Drain and combine with 2.25 cups water in a rice cooker or saucepan. Cook according to rice cooker instructions or bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes.

Season Rice

While the rice cooks, warm 3 tbs rice vinegar, 2 tbs sugar and 1 tsp kosher salt in a small saucepan or microwave until sugar dissolves. Transfer cooked rice to a large shallow bowl, gently fold in the vinegar mixture with a rice paddle or spatula, fanning the rice to cool for glossy grains. Cover with a damp towel and keep at room temperature until use.

Prepare Fillings

If using frozen or packaged unagi, heat according to package directions and flake or slice into strips. Shred 4 oz crab and mix with 1 tbs mayonnaise; season lightly with a pinch of salt. Julienne 1/4 cup cucumber and slice 1/2 avocado for the interior.

Set the prepared fillings within easy reach for assembly.

Prepare Nori and Rice

Lay a bamboo mat on a flat surface and place a sheet of plastic wrap over it (optional). Place one full nori sheet shiny side down on the mat. With wet hands, evenly spread about 1 cup of prepared sushi rice over the entire nori sheet for an inside-out style (rice on outside). Sprinkle a few sesame seeds on the rice if desired and gently press to adhere.

Flip Nori

Carefully flip the rice-covered nori so the rice faces down on the plastic wrap/mat and the nori side faces up. This creates an inside-out roll (uramaki) with nori against the fillings.

Add Fillings

Along the edge of the nori closest to you, place a strip of unagi (or substitute), a line of the crab-mayo mixture, a few cucumber julienne pieces, and a couple slices of avocado. Leave about 1/2 inch clear at the far edge for sealing.

Roll the Sushi

Using the mat, lift the near edge and roll tightly away from you, tucking the filling in as you go. Press firmly but gently to shape a compact roll. Continue rolling until sealed; give a gentle squeeze along the roll to compact it evenly.

Top with Avocado and Eel

Place the roll seam-side down. Fan thin slices of avocado across the top of the roll so they overlap slightly, covering the rice. Lay thin slices of grilled eel over the avocado (you can briefly heat the eel under a broiler or torch to warm and glaze), or arrange eel slices along the top if you prefer the eel as the primary topping.

Press and Set

Cover the roll with plastic wrap and press gently with the bamboo mat to set the avocado and eel into the rice for 30–60 seconds. Remove plastic wrap.

Slice the Roll

Using a very sharp knife dipped in warm water and wiped dry between cuts, slice the roll into 8 equal pieces. Clean the knife between cuts to maintain neat slices.

Finish and Garnish

Drizzle 0.25 cup eel sauce over the top of the sliced roll. Sprinkle 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds. Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi on the side.

Eel Sauce (if making homemade)

If you prefer homemade eel sauce: combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup mirin and 2 tbs sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer gently until slightly thickened (about 6–8 minutes). Cool to thicken further. Use 1/4 cup total to finish the rolls as above.

Arrange pickled ginger and wasabi on the plate and provide soy sauce for dipping.

Keep any leftover rice tightly covered in the refrigerator up to 24 hours (best same day). Use a very sharp knife for clean cuts. All components used (rice, fillings, toppings, sauces) are addressed above and correspond to the ingredient sections.