The dragon roll — sometimes called a caterpillar roll — is an inside-out uramaki roll built around shrimp tempura and cucumber, with thin slices of avocado pressed across the outside to mimic scales. Unagi and tobiko are the traditional additions. It takes practice to get the shaping right, but the ingredients are straightforward.
The rice matters more than anything else. Japanese short-grain sushi rice, seasoned with rice vinegar while still warm, gives the roll its structure. Use the wrong rice and the roll falls apart.
Avocado ripeness is the other variable. Darker skin, slight give under pressure — not soft. Too ripe and the slices tear when you press them over the roll.
How to make a dragon roll
Ingredients
- 1/2 cucumber
- 1 avocado
- 1/4 lemon (optional)
- 1 sheet nori, cut in half
- 180g sushi rice, cooked and seasoned
- 4 pieces shrimp tempura
- 10g tobiko
- Unagi (eel) — we don't sell this, but we have our own eel sauce recipe
Toppings
Vinegar water for hands
- 10ml rice vinegar
- 60ml water
Instructions
1. Cut the cucumber lengthways into quarters. Remove any seeds. Cut each quarter in half again lengthways.
2. Halve the avocado lengthways and remove the pit. Peel and slice widthways.
3. Use the side of a knife to press the avocado slices until they are roughly the length of the nori. Squeeze lemon over to prevent discolouration.
4. Wrap a bamboo mat in plastic wrap. Place half a nori sheet, shiny side down, on the mat. Wet your hands in the vinegar water and spread 90g of rice across the nori.
5. Flip the nori so the rice is against the mat. Lay the cucumber, shrimp tempura and tobiko along the bottom edge. Add unagi now if using.
6. Roll from the bottom edge, keeping it tight. Squeeze gently with the mat.
7. Lay the avocado slices along the top of the roll. Cover with plastic wrap and press with the mat so the avocado adheres.
8. Remove the plastic wrap. Cut into 8 pieces with a sharp knife. Top with tobiko and sesame seeds. Serve with unagi sauce for dipping.
