Unagi Maki

Ingredients

• 10½ ozsushi ricecooked and seasoned with the vinegar mixture
• 8¾ ozeelgrilled or smoked, cut into strips
• 4noriwhole or halved lengthwise
• 3 tbspVinegarfor seasoning the rice
• 1 tbspsugarfor seasoning the rice
• 1 tspsaltfor seasoning the rice
• 3 tbspunagi saucethick teriyaki-style glaze for drizzling and filling
• 1avocadothinly sliced or cut into strips
• 1cucumbersmall, cut into sticks
• sesame seedstoasted, for sprinkling
• wasabispread thinly on the rice or served alongside
• soy saucefor seasoning and dipping
• pickled gingerserved alongside
• 1 tbspmayonnaiseplain or spiced, used as filling (optional)
• 1 tspsesame oilfor marinating the eel or drizzling (optional)
• 6shiso leaveshalved lengthwise, as a fresh layer in the roll (optional)

Method

1. Cook the sushi rice. Stir the rice vinegar, sugar and salt together until the sugar and salt have dissolved, fold the mixture through the hot rice, then let it cool to body temperature.
2. Warm the eel briefly or crisp it up on the grill, then cut it lengthwise into strips. If you like, toss it with a little sesame oil at this point.
3. Cut the cucumber into sticks and slice the avocado thinly or cut it into strips.
4. Dampen the bamboo mat or wrap it in cling film and lay a sheet of nori on top, rough side up.
5. With wet hands, spread the rice thinly and evenly over the nori, leaving about 2 cm clear along the top edge.
6. Spread a thin line of wasabi across the rice. Arrange the eel, cucumber and avocado along the front third, draw a little unagi sauce over them and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Add a spoonful of mayonnaise if you like.
7. Using the mat, roll up firmly from the front, brush the bare strip of nori with a little water and seal the roll. Shape it briefly inside the mat.
8. Cut into bite-sized pieces with a sharp knife wiped damp, re-wetting the blade between cuts.
9. Drizzle the pieces with unagi sauce, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger.

Tips and variations

Smoked eel works in place of grilled. For uramaki the rice goes on the outside; slices of eel or avocado are then laid over the finished roll like roof tiles and pressed on with cling film and the mat — filled with tempura prawns and tobiko, that becomes a dragon roll. A filling of shiso, bell pepper and a mixture of mayonnaise and soy sauce also works well; halve the nori lengthwise for it. If you toss the eel beforehand with sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar and salt, serve spicy mayonnaise, spring onions and daikon alongside. Without a bamboo mat you can roll with your hands alone. Best brought to the table straight after slicing.