The Dragon Roll!!! Survey shows that this is hands down the best Americanized sushi roll ever!!* It is also known as the Caterpillar Roll. Why anyone would name this magnificent roll after a bug is beyond my realm of comprehension. The thinly sliced avocado is made to look like dragon scales or caterpillar leg segments, you can decide on what you want to call it.
Sushi in America has turned into an art form. Sushi chefs in America are channeling their inner Michelangelo Buonarroti when sculpting their rolls. At times, it makes you almost not want to eat it…almost. It’s different in Japan: sushi is simple and emphasizes the subtle flavors of the fish…often times in the form of nigiri (fish on a nugget of rice). In America, sushi is bold in flavor and often presented in uramaki form (rice on outside). I have never had the pleasure to try sushi in Japan, so I’m going to stick to the way we do it in the States. Enough said! Here is my shot at making the Dragon Roll. Grilled eel (unagi) and shredded cucumber rolled in sushi rice, finished off with avocado, masago and unagi sauce. Drool.
*Survey was meticulously created and done by me, a field of two individuals were surveyed (my brother and I). Yeah, this survey might seem slightly biased but give it a try and you’ll understand.
- 1 & 1/2 cup Cooked Sushi Rice
- 1 & 1/2 sheet Roasted Nori You need 3 half sheets
- 9 oz Unagi Heated up, cut into 1/2 inch strips
- 1 & 1/2 Avocado Peeled, halved and cored
- 5 oz Cucumber Cut into thin strips
- 1 tbsp Masago
- Unagi Sauce To taste
- Sriracha (Optional)
- Wrap your bamboo sushi mat in plastic wrap. This makes clean up so much easier.
- Place a half sheet of roasted nori (shiny side down) and cover with rice.
- Flip over and place the unagi and cucumber a little below the middle of the sheet. Drizzle some unagi sauce over the filling.
- Roll and squeeze, making a square shape with the hands.
- Slice your avocado as thin as you can.
- Lightly press down to fan the avocado out and place on top of your roll. Press down with plastic wrap and cut into 8 pieces.
- Garnish with masago, unagi sauce and sriracha (wouldn't be a dragon without a little bit of heat).
Sushi rice recipe and instructions can be found here.
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