Ingredients
For the Sushi Rice:
1 ½ cups sushi rice (uncooked short-grain sushi rice) 🍚
1 ½ cups water 💧
2 tablespoons sushi vinegar (or mix 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar and 1/2 tablespoon of sugar) 🍶
For the Tempura California Roll:
8 pre-cooked shrimp tempura (or substitute with cooked shrimp or imitation crab) 🍤
1 avocado (ripe but still firm, cut into thin slices; or substitute with sliced cucumber) 🥑
2 sheets nori (seaweed sheet) 🌿
For the Crunchy Topping:
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs 🍞
2 teaspoons olive oil 🫒
Optional for Serving:
Unagi sauce 🥢
Mayo 🍶
Instructions
Cook Sushi Rice & Prepare Other Ingredients:
1️⃣ Add the rinsed sushi rice and water to the rice cooker. Once cooked, transfer to a large bowl and let it cool down slightly. When it’s still very warm, stir in the sushi vinegar and mix gently. 🍚
2️⃣ Cook shrimp tempura. If you use premade frozen shrimp tempura, bake them at 450°F (230°C) for 10-15 minutes depending on the sizes of the shrimp. 🍤
Make the Crunchy Topping:
3️⃣ Add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. 🫒
4️⃣ Add panko breadcrumbs and mix them together. 🍞
5️⃣ Cook for a few minutes or until the panko turns golden brown, stirring constantly. 🌾
6️⃣ Let the toasted panko cool down. 🌬️
Make Tempura California Rolls:
7️⃣ Wrap the bamboo mat with a piece of plastic wrap on top (to prevent the rice from sticking to the bamboo). 🌿
8️⃣ Cut the nori sheet in half using a pair of scissors. ✂️
9️⃣ Place half of the nori sheet on top of the bamboo mat, the shiny side facing down. 🌿
🔟 Take about 3/4 cup of cooked rice and spread it over the nori sheet evenly. Dip your hands in vinegar water (Tezu water*) before handling the rice to prevent sticking. 🍚
1️⃣1️⃣ Flip everything so that rice is facing down. 🔄
1️⃣2️⃣ Place 2-3 pieces of shrimp tempura and 2 slices of avocado on top of the nori. 🍤🥑
1️⃣3️⃣ Place the thumbs underneath the bamboo mat and lift the edge up and over the filling. 🍣
1️⃣4️⃣ Roll the bamboo mat away from you and apply some pressure to tighten it up. Keep rolling until the ends meet. 🎋
1️⃣5️⃣ Peel off the plastic wrap. 🚮
Assemble the Roll:
1️⃣6️⃣ Spoon the toasted bread crumbs on top of the sushi roll. Then place a new piece of plastic wrap on top, and cover with the sushi mat. Squeeze gently to shape the bread crumbs around the roll. 🍞
1️⃣7️⃣ Remove the mat from the roll while keeping the plastic wrap. Slice the roll into bite-size pieces. Remove the plastic wrap. Drizzle with unagi sauce or mayo and enjoy! 🍣🍶