Sesame Shrimp Tempura Roll
Toasted sesame outside, crunchy shrimp inside. An inside-out roll that looks restaurant-made but uses a simple plastic-wrap trick.
- Prep
- 45 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Serves
- 3
- Level
- Advanced
Photo: Yang Hao / Pexels
Inside-out rolls look impressive, but the technique is mostly about a plastic-wrapped mat and patience. Shell-on shrimp stay juicier; peel them after cooking and they keep their curl and sweetness. An avocado that gives slightly under a gentle press slices cleanly without turning to mush. Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Method
Place 3 cups of rice in a large bowl, cover with cold water and stir with an open hand. Pour off the milky water, repeat until clear, then drain well.
Combine the drained rice with 3 1/4 cups of water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, turn the heat to low and cook 13 to 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it steam undisturbed for 10 minutes.
Warm 1/3 cup rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt just until dissolved. Spread the hot rice in a wide bowl, drizzle the vinegar over a paddle and fold with slicing motions while fanning, until glossy and body temperature.
While the rice cools, thread a skewer lengthwise through each shrimp so it stays straight, simmer 2 minutes, cool in ice water, then peel. Halve, pit and peel the avocado, then cut it into thin slices.
Heat oil to 350 F. Dip the shrimp in flour, then in the ice-cold tempura batter and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until crisp and pale gold. Drain and cool slightly.
Cover the bamboo mat with plastic wrap. Lay a half sheet of nori on it, spread rice evenly all the way to the edges, sprinkle with sesame seeds, then flip it over so the nori faces up.
Arrange shrimp and avocado in a line along the nori. Roll tightly with the mat, pressing into a neat square-edged log.
Cut into 8 even pieces using a long wet knife and a single back-and-forth stroke for each.
Finish with a little soy sauce and serve right away.
Chef's note
Use sesame seeds on the rice side to help the roll release cleanly.
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