Dragon Roll

What You’ll Need

With only 9 ingredients, sushi rolls don’t get much easier than this. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for exact ingredient amounts. 

• Nori – Don’t forget to cut it in half or you’ll end up with huge sushi rolls. Also, make sure it’s not snack-sized nori!
• Cooked sushi rice – If it’s not Japanese short-grain rice, it won’t work. 
• Shrimp tempura – You can also substitute it for panko or breaded shrimp as long as it’s crunchy!
• Cucumber – It doesn’t need to be peeled, but you will need to remove all the seeds to avoid excess moisture from seeping into your roll. 
• Avocados – For that fabulous creaminess.
• Lemon – Try not to substitute this for lime, which can have a more astringent, bitter flavor. 
• Spicy mayo – Sriracha mayo is most traditionally used, but you can mix your favorite hot sauce with mayo to make your own. 
• Toasted sesame seeds – Black or white sesame is fine. If you can’t find toasted sesame, make it yourself. Place the sesame seeds in a pan over low heat. Shake the pan continuously, toasting the seeds for 3-4 minutes. Let them cool and incorporate them into the recipe. 
• Unagi – Regular soy sauce, ponzu, or even teriyaki sauce are good options too. 

Is Sushi Rice the Same as White Rice?

No, it’s not. There are three kinds of grains for white rice: short, medium, and long. Sushi rice is a short-grain rice, but that’s pretty much the only similarity.

Sushi rice is Japanese short-grain rice. When cooked, it’s stickier, more compact, and keeps its bite. Once cooked, the flavor is also slightly tangy and sweet from the added vinegar and sugar. If you’re making sushi, sushi rice is the only kind you should be using. Medium and long-grained white rices are a lot lighter and fluffier. The grains also don’t stick at all, making it impossible to make sushi rolls with them. 

How to Make a Dragon Roll

Follow these simple steps to turn your kitchen into a sushi restaurant in less than an hour: 

• Cook the sushi rice. Here’s how: .
• Make the shrimp tempura. Follow this recipe: .
• Spread the rice. Line a bamboo mat with plastic wrap. Place a nori sheet, shiny side down, over the lined mat. Moisten your hands with water or grease them with cooking spray. Evenly spread 1/2 cup of sushi rice over the nori. 
• Add the fillings. Flip over the nori sheet so that the rice is facing down. You should now only be looking at nori. Leaving a 1-2″ edge, spread spicy mayo to taste. Then arrange cucumber strips and 2 pieces of shrimp tempura over the nori, lengthwise. 

• Roll it. Pull the 2″ nori edge upward and carefully roll it over the fillings. Use your hands to roll the sushi up tightly. Squeeze the roll through the mat. Don’t skip this step or your dragon roll will spread open later. 
• Prepare the avocado. Thinly slice the avocado and drizzle it with lemon juice. You don’t have to soak it. The lemon juice is just so the avocado doesn’t turn brown. 
• Top with avocado. Arrange half of the avocado slices on top of the roll to cover it. Use another piece of plastic wrap to cover the roll. 

• Tighten the roll. Place the bamboo mat on top, pressing gently on the mat to help the avocado stick to the rice. Don’t squeeze too tightly or it’ll turn into guacamole! Then use a sharp knife to cut the roll through the plastic wrap into 8 pieces. Do this for every roll. 
• Serve. Carefully remove the plastic wrap from each piece. Transfer the sushi to a serving plate and garnish with unagi, more spicy mayo, and toasted sesame seeds.

Tips for Success

Follow these tips for perfectly rolled and sliced sushi!

• Don’t forget to line the sushi mat. Once avocado and other soft ingredients get into the crevices, it’s impossible to get them out completely. Lining the sushi mat also helps prevent the transfer of odors and growth of bacteria over time. 
• Grease the knife. Lightly grease your knife with cooking spray to help keep the blade from sticking to the sushi. 
• Moisten your hands. Sprinkling your hands with water or even lightly greasing them before handling the rice will make a huge difference. It’ll barely stick to your hands and will make spreading the rice over the nori much easier. 
• Don’t pack it. When adding your fillings, make sure not to go overboard. The more you add, the harder it’ll be to roll. Larger rolls also tend to spread open. 

Variations

You’ll love how easy it is to spice up this dragon roll. Here are some changes you can make for a fruitier, crunchier, or spicier bite.

• Add mango. Thinly slice some mango and alternate it with the avocado that goes on top of the roll. It’s an unconventional flavor combo, but it’ll add an amazing tropical sweetness to your sushi! 
• Add carrot. Swap the cucumber for carrot matchsticks. It’ll add an earthy crunch and a pop of color. You could also use a mixture of cucumber and carrot for the filling. 
• Use chipotle mayo. Use it instead of regular Sriracha mayo for a different kind of heat. Make it by mixing 3 parts mayo to 1 part canned chipotles in adobo. You can use the adobo only or make it chunky by adding bits of chipotle. Mix well and then adjust the spiciness to taste. 
• Add imitation crab. Mix it with some mayo and make room for it among the fillings. It’ll add a nice texture and a kick of seafood flavor. (I also love imitation crab in this Surimi Salad.)
• Mix wasabi into the unagi. Tone down the unagi’s sweetness by whisking 1/8 teaspoon (or less) of wasabi into the sauce. Add more wasabi as needed to make it spicier. 
• Make spicy soy sauce. Take your dipping sauce to the next level by chopping some jalapeños and mixing them into soy sauce. Let the mixture rest for at least 30 minutes before using. If you’re brave enough, you can also add a piece of jalapeño on top of your sushi with every bite. 

Serving Suggestions

In addition to the ideas above, you can include tempura bits or deep-fried sliced leek for a garlicky, crunchy bite in your dragon roll. Pickled ginger is always delicious with sushi too!

How to Store

This dragon roll can be refrigerated for 3-4 days in an airtight container. It lasts longer than a typical sushi roll because the shrimp is fully cooked, meaning it will take longer to spoil.

More Japanese-Inspired Recipes

• Salmon Sushi Bake
• Kani Salad
• One-Pot Vegan Ramen
• Asian Cucumber Salad