Ebi Tempura Rolls

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather all your ingredients. Since tempura is a cooking method, the word "ebi" tells you what's being battered — in this case, "ebi" means shrimp. Buy large shrimp; jumbo or tiger shrimp work well. I decided to use langoustines instead, since they taste very close to shrimp.

2. Step 2:

   

   Tip the rice into a bowl, add cold running water, and rinse it gently — being careful not to crush the grains — then pour off the cloudy water and add fresh cold water again. Rinse the rice at least 4 times, until the water runs clean and clear. Drain the rinsed rice in a colander and let it sit for 10 minutes so all the extra water drains off.

3. Step 3:

   

   Tip the rice into a saucepan, add the water, and set it over the heat. The rice-to-water ratio is crucial — it should be 1:1. Once the water boils, cover the pan with a clear lid, turn the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes, until all the water has absorbed. Don't lift the lid while it cooks — a clear lid lets you keep an eye on things.

4. Step 4:

   

   After the 15 minutes, take the pan off the heat and let the rice steam, still covered, for another 10 minutes. Keep the lid on — the rice needs this time to finish cooking.

5. Step 5:

   

   Meanwhile, make the seasoning. Pour the rice vinegar into a small pot and add the sugar and salt. Set it over low heat and stir until the dry ingredients dissolve. As soon as they do, take it off the heat right away. The seasoning must never boil, so don't cook it over high heat.

6. Step 6:

   

   Transfer the cooked rice to a wooden bowl wiped with a damp towel, so the rice won't stick. A traditional cypress hangiri tub is ideal, but I don't have one, so I used what I had. Wooden vessels keep the rice vinegar from reacting with the dish, and they also wick away the rice's excess moisture as you mix.

7. Step 7:

   

   Hold a wooden paddle over the rice and pour the vinegar seasoning onto the paddle so it spreads gently over the rice. Break up the rice with a smooth folding motion, mixing carefully so you don't mash the grains. Cover with a damp, clean towel and let the rice cool. Once it's cooled, you can start shaping sushi and rolls.

8. Step 8:

   

   Clean the thawed langoustines: remove the head, peel off the shell and legs, leaving just the tip of the tail. Using sharp scissors or a knife, make a cut down the length of the back and carefully pull out the digestive tract. If you prefer, you can remove the tail too.

9. Step 9:

   

   Make the batter. Pour cold water into a rectangular dish and add the salt and flour. Whisk thoroughly until the batter is smooth.

10. Step 10:

    

    Thread the prepared langoustines onto wooden skewers, dip them into the batter, then into the panko, pressing them firmly into the crumbs so they're fully coated.

11. Step 11:

    

    Pour the vegetable oil into a wide skillet and heat it up. The oil needs to be really hot so the coating sets well. Once it's hot, lower in the breaded langoustines and fry on both sides until golden.

12. Step 12:

    

    Wrap the rolling mat in plastic wrap a few times and brush it lightly with oil. Cut the nori sheets in half. Lay the first half-sheet on the mat, glossy side down. In a small bowl, stir rice vinegar and water in a 1:3 ratio. Wet your hands with it, take about 145 g of cooked rice, and spread it over the nori, leaving 1 cm bare along the top edge while letting it hang 1 cm past the bottom edge.

13. Step 13:

    

    Now flip the nori so the rice faces the mat, positioning it so 1 cm of bare rice stays at the top. Lay the filling down the center of the nori: first pipe a line of cream cheese, then set the breaded fried langoustines beside it with the tails pointing outward, and add strips of lettuce next to the cream cheese.

14. Step 14:

    

    Holding the filling in place, gently roll it up with the mat. Once it's formed, press it on all sides with the mat to shape it into a round or square log.

15. Step 15:

    

    Take one finished roll and dip first its ends, then the whole roll, into the batter. Do the same with the panko: coat the ends first, then all the sides.

16. Step 16:

    

    Lower the breaded roll into the hot oil and fry on all sides until golden. This takes a few minutes.

17. Step 17:

    

    Set the finished roll on paper towels first to drain off the excess oil, then move it to a board. Wetting the knife in the vinegar solution, cut the roll in half. Put the two halves together and cut in half again, then cut each piece once more — you should end up with 8 pieces. Always wet the knife: it keeps the rice from sticking and the rolls from getting squashed.