Dragon Roll

Prepare the cucumber. Cut two cucumber sticks, each about ½ inch thick and 4 inches long.

Prepare the rolling mat. Wrap a bamboo sushi rolling mat (makisu) in plastic wrap. Place half a sheet of nori horizontally on the mat, rough side facing up.

Spread the sushi rice. Lightly wet your hands with cold water and spread about ½ cup of sushi rice evenly over the nori, all the way to the edges. Avoid pressing the rice down too firmly.

Flip the nori. Carefully flip the nori over so the rice is facing down, leaving about a 1-inch gap between the bottom edge of the nori and the bottom edge of the rolling mat.

Add the fillings. Arrange the two cucumber sticks across the center of the nori, end to end. Place the two shrimp tempura alongside them, also end to end, with the tails pointing out from opposite ends of the roll.

Roll the sushi. Lift the bottom edge of the rolling mat and fold the nori over the fillings. Continue rolling until the nori wraps around the fillings, then pull the far end of the mat away while holding the roll in place to tighten it. Gently shape the roll and press in the ends if needed.

Slice the avocado. Cut the avocado in half lengthwise. Remove the skin from one half and place it flat-side down on a cutting board. Starting at one end, slice crosswise into 6-9 thin pieces, about ⅛ inch thick. Leave the remaining avocado unsliced and save it for another use.

Arrange the toppings. Place the four slices of broiled unagi evenly along the top of the sushi roll, skin-side down, with one piece at each end. Fill the three spaces between the unagi with 2-3 avocado slices each, alternating between unagi and avocado along the length of the roll.

Shape the toppings. Cover the roll tightly with plastic wrap, leaving a few extra inches extending past the far side of the roll (away from you). Make sure the plastic is snug against the toppings with as little air space as possible. Place the bamboo rolling mat over the plastic and gently press to shape the toppings around the roll. Keep the plastic wrap in place for cutting.

Cut the roll. With the plastic wrap still in place, use a sharp knife to cut the roll in half, then into quarters, and finally into eight even pieces. Wipe and lightly wet the blade between cuts to prevent sticking. Avoid cutting through the extra plastic extending beyond the far side of the roll so it stays connected and can be removed in one piece.

Finish shaping. With the plastic wrap still covering the roll, gently press and shape the pieces with the bamboo rolling mat if needed. Carefully remove the plastic wrap.

Add the finishing touches. Arrange the eight pieces on a serving plate. Drizzle with unagi sauce and spicy mayo (if using), then sprinkle with ground toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately while the shrimp tempura is still crispy and the unagi is warm, with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger on the side if desired.