With crunchy shrimp tempura, creamy avocado wedges, and crisp lettuce rolled with sushi rice and nori, this tempura shrimp roll has a mouthwatering combination of textures and flavors that makes these as fun to eat as they are delicious.
Why This Recipe Works
Although tempura is meant to be enjoyed with a light coating of crispy batter, this goes soft too quickly for sushi. That’s why I use a thicker batter when making my ebi tempura sushi. Double frying the tempura shrimp creates a crunchy crust that lasts longer. A spicy mayonnaise mixture with hot Japanese mustard adds flavor and mild heat to this sushi roll. Avocado and lettuce add creamy and crispy textures while giving the roll a beautiful green accent.
Ingredients for Shrimp Tempura Roll
Sushi rice - Sushi rice is Japanese short-grain rice that has been cooked using less water than normal and then mixed with seasoned sushi vinegar (a mixture of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt). This step is very important to achieve the balance of flavors in tempura prawn sushi. Check out my how to make sushi ricerecipe to watch a detailed video of each step. Nori - Nori is a dried seaweed sheet that holds sushi rolls together. When selecting nori sheets, try and choose one with a smooth surface and nearly black color. Nori that appears green is thinner (an indicator of low quality), and nori that is reddish is old. Shrimp - I recommend using 13/15-count shrimp or prawns, sometimes called “colossal.” The count just means there are 13 to 15 shrimp per pound. This is the perfect size to ensure that two pieces of tempura will reach from one end of the roll to the other and still have a bit of the tail sticking out of the ends. It creates an appealing presentation for this shrimp sushi. Flour - To make a light crispy tempura batter, it’s important to use a low-gluten flour like pastry flour or cake flour. If you can’t find either, you can use all-purpose flour, but it becomes even more important not to over-mix it, or your tempura will end up dense and hard. Avocado - The avocado lends creamy richness to the roll, which is a nice contrast to the crunchy tempura. Lettuce - Lettuce is a common addition to shrimp tempura rolls in Japan. It adds a nice texture, but more importantly, it adds a splash of color, especially when the leaves peak out the ends of the roll. Cucumber would also be a good choice here. Mayonnaise - Japanese people love the combination of shrimp and mayonnaise. I recommend using Japanese-style mayo such as “Kewpie,” which tends to be tangier and a little sweeter than its Western counterpart. I’ve also seen some people use cream cheese. Mustard - Japanese mustard, or Karashi, is a spicy condiment used in Japanese cuisine. When combined with mayonnaise it’s known as karashimayo. It’s used in sandwiches, as a topping for okonomiyaki and is fantastic in this sushi roll. Look for it sold in tubes near the wasabi. Tobiko—Tobiko is flying fish roe. The small eggs have a fun, poppy texture and add a splash of color when applied to the outside of the roll. If fish roe isn’t your thing, you can skip it or substitute toasted sesame seeds.
How to Make Shrimp Tempura for Sushi
Since tempura shrimp needs to stay crunchy when rolled with rice and other ingredients, there are a few key differences in its preparation that you usually wouldn’t do for tempura.
Thicker batter - This is undesirable for tempura because it obscures the ingredients inside the batter but helps ensure the crust stays crunchy for sushi. Double fry - For tempura you eat right away, it’s best to fry it only enough to crisp the batter so the shrimp stays plump and juicy. However, when you’re rolling it into sushi, it’s best to double-fry the shrimp for a lasting crunch.
To make the shrimp tempura, you first need to clean and devein the shrimp. Then you want to cut shallow slits into the stomach side of the shrimp (inside of the curl). Next, you can flip the shrimp over and use your thumbs to press on the backside of the shrimp to straighten it out. This keeps the shrimp from curling when fried. I also recommend removing the sharp spike on the tail, called the telson. Then, you want to use a knife to squeeze the water out of the tail. These steps will prevent the tail from popping, which can send hot oil flying all over the place when you fry it. Preheat a deep pot with a few inches of vegetable oil to 360°F (180°C). Line a wire rack with a few sheets of paper towels. Now, dust the shrimp meat with a generous flour coating. Try to avoid getting too much flour on the tails. To make the batter, add the ice water to the cake flour and use a whisk to quickly mix the two together. You want to stop when the batter is barely mixed, and there are still some small lumps. To fry the shrimp, grab each one by the tail and dip the body into the batter to coat it evenly (don’t coat the tail). Lower the shrimp into the oil as you shake and pull it. This ensures the shrimp ends up as long as possible with frilly batter. Fry the shrimp until crisp (about two minutes). When the tempura is crispy, transfer it to the prepared rack to drain, and repeat with the remaining shrimp. If you want your shrimp to be juicy and don’t mind the batter losing its crunch, you can proceed to make the roll. However, if you want the shrimp crunchy, fry the shrimp again for an additional two minutes.
How to Roll Shrimp Tempura Sushi
To make the spicy mayo, add the mayonnaise and mustard into a small bowl and stir together. Line a makisu (bamboo mat) with plastic wrap. (I also have instructions on how to roll sushi without a mat in my California Roll recipe.) Prepare a bowl of tezu by mixing a tablespoon of rice vinegar into a cup of water. Lay a sheet of nori on the prepared sushi mat. Since the nori will be inside the roll, it doesn’t matter which side is facing up, but you do want to place the nori so the long edge is facing you and the short edges are to the sides. Wet your hands with the tezu and grab a handful of sushi rice. Spread the rice in a log at the top of the nori, from one side to the other. Keeping your fingers wet, pick and place the rice to spread it towards you in a thin, even layer. Repeat with another handful of rice if needed. Spread some tobiko on the lower half of the rice. Then, grab the two corners of nori and rice closest to you and flip the sheet away from you so the two corners you were holding are furthest from you. Place two strips of lettuce just below the midline of the nori. Stagger a few slices of avocado on top of the lettuce, then top with two pieces of crispy shrimp tempura with the tails sticking out the sides of the roll. Finally, top the tempura with some of the mustard mayonnaise. Grab the edge of the makisu closest to you and roll it up and over the fillings so the edge of the rice makes contact with the nori on the other side. Give this a firm even squeeze to compress the fillings and set the shape of the roll. Now, pull the edge of the mat up and use it to roll the roll the rest of the way. Wrap the roll with the makisu with the seam facing down. Then, apply even pressure to the mat to finalize the shape of the roll. To cut the sushi, use a wet paper towel to wipe down a long sharp knife and cut both ends off the roll. You want to cut these thick enough so they don’t fall apart. Be sure to wipe the blade after each slice. Cut the remaining roll in half and line the two halves up. Slice the halves into thirds and stagger each piece of sushi so you can see the fillings. Plate and serve with soy sauce and sushi ginger.
Other Sushi Recipes
California Roll Spicy Tuna Roll Caterpillar Roll Chirashi Sushi Oshinko Roll Kappa Maki (Cucumber Roll)
Serve it With
Complement your Shrimp Tempura Sushi experience with these delectable side dishes that perfectly accentuate the flavors and textures of your main dish. Kick off your meal with a vibrant and nutty Seaweed Salad or light and tangy Sunomono, a Japanese cucumber salad. A soul-soothing bowl of Miso Soup is a perennial favorite. If you like a little heat, consider serving my Spicy Edamame.
📖 Recipe
