Are you a sushi addict, but don’t want to break the bank by going to your favorite sushi restaurant all the time?

As a sushi addict myself, I was searching for a way to get a regular fix of my favorite sushi roll, the dragon roll, without having to spend an excessive amount of time or money. Rather than spend a few hours making handmade sushi rolls, I came up with the idea of creating a “sushi bowl”, which is essentially a mix of all the ingredients that go into a dragon roll in a bowl.

A couple tips to mention for this recipe:

• If you want to make this recipe even simpler, you can skip the tempura batter for the shrimp and instead pan fry them with some cooking oil or butter, salt, and pepper. I do recommend trying the tempura if you have time though, because it’s REALLY good.
• Nori sheets, sriracha mayonnaise and eel sauce may not be easily found at a regular grocery store, but you can find them at Asian markets or online. Sriracha mayonnaise can also be made at home (it’s exactly what it sounds like).

The Ingredients

For the Rice

• 1.5 cups white rice (long grain, short grain, Jasmine, or Basmati)
• Rice vinegar and white granular sugar -OR- sushi rice sauce to taste

For the Shrimp

• 1.5 lbs shrimp (raw and peeled)
• Tempura batter (optional)
• Cooking oil

The Garnishes

• 2 avocados (diced)
• 1 lemon, cut into small wedges
• 1 bunch of green onions, diced
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 2 nori sheets, cut into bits (optional)
• Spicy (sriracha) mayonnaise
• Eel sauce
• Soy sauce (optional)

The Instructions

1. Cook the rice according to the directions, let cool for 15 minutes, then add either the vinegar/sugar combination or the sushi rice sauce to taste.
2. While the rice is cooking, prepare all the garnishes.
3. Prepare the tempura batter according to the instructions on its packaging, then add the peeled shrimp to the bowl and mix with the tempura batter until the shrimp are well coated. (Skip this step if you’re opting for the non-breaded shrimp).
4. Heat about an inch of oil in a deep pan at medium-low heat for at least 5 minutes, then add the battered shrimp in carefully one at a time, making sure the shrimp aren’t touching. Cook the shrimp for 3 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for 3 more minutes. Carefully remove the shrimp and place on a plate, making sure to not stack the shrimp. (If you skipped breading the shrimp, instead coat the pan with a tablespoon of oil or butter and season the non-breaded shrimp with salt and pepper, cooking the shrimp for 3 minutes on each side or until no longer clear).
5. Prepare the bowls by adding rice to the bottom, then a layer of shrimp, and all of the garnishes on top. Squeeze a wedge of lemon over the top of all the ingredients and enjoy!