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Dragon Roll

Learn how to make the extremely popular Dragon Roll with my step-by-step recipe. Dragon rolls are often made differently depending on the restaurant. In my version, I combine shrimp tempura, broiled unagi (freshwater eel), avocado, and cucumber slices. It's enjoyable for sushi beginners as well as connoisseurs making it a crowd favorite for sure!
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VIDEO

Prep Time40 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course Sushi
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 1
Calories 579

EQUIPMENT

  • 1 Makisu (bamboo mat)
  • 1 Cutting board
  • 1 Knife
  • 1 Bowl For cold water to wet hands
  • 1 Serving plate
  • 1 Pot For deep frying
  • 1 Chopsticks

INGREDIENTS
 

  • ½ cup sushi rice (make ahead)
  • 1 half sheet dried seaweed (nori)
  • ¼ avocado
  • 4 inches cucumber English or Japanese
  • 3-4 ounces unagi freshwater eel
  • 2 shrimp size between 16-30
  • spicy mayo (drizzle)
  • unagi sauce (drizzle)
  • toasted sesame seeds
  • wasabi
  • pickled ginger
  • soy sauce
  • ½ cup tempurako tempura flour
  • 4 cups neutral oil for deep frying

INSTRUCTIONS

Preparation

  • Gather all ingredients.
  • Prepare the cucumber by cutting it into half-inch wide sticks or peel it using the katsuramuki technique (refer to above).

Shrimp Tempura

  • Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on.
  • Scrape the shrimp tails with the tip of your knife to remove moisture and dirt. This is an IMPORTANT STEP to prevent the tails from exploding in hot oil.
  • On the shrimp’s belly side, make shallow cuts cross-wise along it's length.
  • Gently flatten and straighten the shrimp by laying the belly side onto the cutting board and applying pressure from the top.
  • Make tempura batter by adding ½ cup of tempurako with ½ cup of ice cold water (follow directions on package because every brand is a bit different).
  • If making tempura batter from scratch follow this recipe:
    - All-purpose flour: ½ cup
    - Ice cold water: ½ cup
    - Egg (small): 1
  • Mix the tempura batter with chopsticks (do not use a whisk). Try no to overmix the batter, it's best to keep some of the small clumps in there which gives it a lighter and airy texture.
  • Lightly dust the shrimp with flour, then dip into tempura batter.
  • Fry in oil heated to 340-350°F for about 2–2.5 minutes, flipping once halfway through.

Unagi (Freshwater Eel)

  • Slice unagi into roughly 1.5 inches wide by 2 inches long pieces (slightly smaller than a nigiri-sized portion).
  • Broil on high for 5-6 minutes (skin side up) with the heat source roughly 6 inches away.

Avocado

  • Cut the avocado in half and use the side without the seed. We won't be using the other half so wrap it in plastic and store in the fridge (leaving the seed intact will help keep the avocado fresh).
  • Peel the skin and from the remaining half and place onto cutting board with the flat side down.
  • Starting from one end, cut thin slices crosswise at about ⅛ inch thickness, total of about 6-8 slices. It's best to do this after the roll is made to help minimize discoloration of the avocado. Tutorial video here.

Preparing the Roll

  • Prepare the makisu (bamboo rolling mat) by wrapping it with plastic.
  • Lay the makisu down onto a cutting board with the bamboo sticks running horizontally.
  • Place a sheet of nori onto the makisu with the rough side up.
  • Wet both hands lightly and grab a ball of sushi rice about the size of an apple.
  • Spread it across evenly on the nori, making sure to get all the way to the edges and corners.
  • Flip the nori over so that the rice side is down. Leave about an inch of space from the bottom of the makisu to the bottom of the nori (this makes it easier to roll).

Adding Fillings

  • Add cucumber slices evenly across the middle of the nori, from one end to the other.
  • Place the shrimp tempura pieces across the middle with the tails sticking outwards.

Rolling

  • Lift the bottom end of the makisu with your thumbs while holding the fillings in place with your forefingers.
  • Bring the mat up and over the fillings until the nori wraps around them completely.
  • Pull the makisu from the top (far) end with one hand, while holding the roll in place with the other. This helps tighten the roll so the fillings don't fall out.
  • Continue rolling the mat until the nori overlaps onto itself, and then gently apply pressure from all sides using the makisu.
  • Press in on the ends of the roll to clean the edges.

Toppings

  • Add the broiled unagi pieces on top of the roll, leaving even spaces in between (skin side down).
  • Layer a couple slices of avocado in between each unagi piece so that it alternates and covers the entire roll.
  • Gently shape the roll again using the plastic-wrapped makisu.
  • Wrap in plastic if not cutting right away.

Cutting and Plating

  • Place roll onto the cutting board without the makisu.
  • Keep the plastic wrap on while cutting rolls with toppings (like the dragon or caterpillar rolls). Leave the top section of the plastic still intact so it can easily be removed in one piece.
  • Make sure knife is clean and wet it right before you start cutting.
  • Cut the roll right down the center in half first, and then each half into halves again, and now each quarter into halves again. This should total 8 even pieces.
  • Arrange the rolls neatly on a plate and add a drizzle of spicy mayo, unagi sauce, and sprinkle on some toasted sesame seeds (optional).
  • Serve with some wasabi, pickled ginger, and soy sauce on the side.

NUTRITION

Calories: 579kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 30gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 158mgSodium: 280mgPotassium: 613mgFiber: 6gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 3162IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 58mgIron: 4mg
Keyword Dragon roll
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