Eel Roll Recipe are made with BBQ eel and crunchy cucumber, all wrapped in a nori seaweed sheet and sushi rice. I like to add a drizzle of unagi sauce on top for extra flavor. This type of eel sushi is a popular Japanese dish and one of my personal favorites.
Unagi Sushi is a kind of Maki sushi, which means it’s a rolled sushi with ingredients wrapped in a nori seaweed sheet and seasoned rice. The star ingredient is unagi, or freshwater eel, known for its bold, rich, naturally sweet flavor and soft texture. It’s a staple in many Japanese dishes.
For this recipe, I made an inside-out roll, meaning the rice is on the outside and the nori wraps the filling on the inside. The key to a great sushi roll is good sushi rice, which should stay fluffy even when tightly rolled. So, make sure to use high-quality short-grain rice for your sushi rolls.
To keep your sushi rolls from falling apart, gently squeeze the roll as you make it. Once it’s rolled, place the bamboo mat over the sushi roll and give it another gentle squeeze to help it hold together.
Eel Roll Recipe
Equipment
- Bamboo Sushi Mat
- Plastic Wrap
Ingredients
For Sushi Rice:
- 1 cup Short-grain sushi rice
- 1 cup Water
- 1 ½ tbsp Sushi vinegar or mix 1 tbsp Rice vinegar, ½ tbsp Sugar, ½ tsp Salt
For Unagi Sushi:
- 4 Oz unagi or canned unagi
- ½ Cucumber cut into ½-inch strips
- 2 sheets Nori seaweed
- 2 Green onions
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
Make Sushi Rice:
- Rinse the rice and add it to a rice cooker with water. Cook according to the rice cooker or package instructions.
- Once cooked, transfer the rice to a large bowl and let it cool slightly. While still warm, mix in the sushi vinegar (or the vinegar, sugar, and salt mixture).
Cook Unagi:
- Remove the unagi from the package and bake at 360°F for 10-12 minutes or follow the package instructions.
- Cut the cooked unagi into ½-inch strips.
Make Unagi Sushi Rolls:
- Lay out the bamboo mat with a piece of plastic wrap on top (this makes cleanup easier and prevents the rice from sticking).
- Fold the nori sheets in half and cut them with scissors.
- Place half a nori sheet on the bamboo mat, shiny side down.
- Evenly spread about ¾ cup of rice over the nori. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. (Dip your hands in Tezu water* to prevent sticking.)
- Flip the nori sheet over and place unagi slices, cucumber, and green onions (or other fillings like avocado) in the center.
- Place your thumbs under the bamboo mat and lift the edge over the filling. Roll the mat away from you, pressing the rice and filling together. Continue rolling until the ends meet.
- Cut each roll into 8 pieces.
- Drizzle unagi sauce on top for extra flavor. Serve and enjoy immediately.
Notes
- To make Tezu water, mix together 1/4 cup water and 2 teaspoons rice vinegar. This helps prevent the rice from sticking to your hands while making the rolls.
- Avoid putting hot sushi rice in the fridge to cool down, as this can affect the taste and texture. Let it cool at room temperature instead.
Nutrition Facts:
| Nutrition | Value |
|---|---|
| Calories | 45 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 8g |
| Protein | 1g |
| Fat | 1g |
| Cholesterol | 7mg |
| Calcium | 4mg |
| Fibre | 1g |
| Iron | 1mg |
Can I Use Canned Inagi Instead of Fresh Unagi?
Yes, you can use canned unagi if fresh unagi is not available. Canned unagi is already cooked and flavored, making it a convenient option. Simply drain the unagi and cut it into strips before using it in your sushi rolls.
How Do I Keep the Sushi Rice From Sticking to My Hands?
To keep the sushi rice from sticking to your hands, use Tezu water. Mix 1/4 cup water with 2 teaspoons of rice vinegar. Dip your hands in this mixture before handling the rice. This will make it easier to spread the rice on the nori without it sticking to your fingers.