Boston roll sushi recipe is very easy to learn. First, Boston rolls are loaded with creamy avocado, poached shrimp, and cucumber. Then they are rolled in nori sheets and sushi rice with the garnish of masago (Caplin Roe) or tobiko (Flying fish roe).
What is Boston Roll?
Origin: Not a fan of raw fish? Don’t worry! Cooked shrimp is used to make Boston roll, not the raw fish. Boston Roll is the adapted Japanese sushi recipe with American food culture in Boston, while the celebration of shrimp fishery. The difference from Sushi is simply replacing the raw fish with cooked shrimp.
Boston roll is an inside-out sushi roll, meaning the rice is outside while nori is inside with the garnishing of Masago or tobiko having bright orange color. It is similar to California Roll, but in Boston roll poached shrimp is used instead of imitation crab.
What is Boston Roll Made of?
As mentioned above, Boston Roll is loaded with avocado, cooked shrimp, and crunchy cucumber. Some people like extra crunch; you can use tempura shrimp for that. All you need to do is dip shrimp in tempura batter and deep fry it in oil. For an easier method and healthier rolls, I would prefer the poached shrimp.
Typically, after rolling Sushi in rice and seaweed sheet, tobiko or masago is applied to make it crunchier. However, keeping in mind that tobiko is much more expensive, masago is used as a substitute.
How to make Boston Roll Sushi
Sushi Rice
The most important ingredient in any sushi is rice. Preferably it would be best if you had high-quality short-grain rice for Boston rolls. Sushi should be fluffy, not mashed, so make sure you use the right amount of water. The normal rice to water ratio is 1:1 for most brands. If you need the softer rice, the ratio can be 1:1.2 rice to water.
Once the rice is cooked, let it cool, stir the sushi vinegar and salt, and mix gently while rice is still warm.
How to make Poached Shrimp?
Pour water into the pot to boil, add salt and let it boil. You can add other seasonings, i.e., lemon juice or wine, etc. Once water is boiling, add the shrimp into the water, cover the pot and remove the heat. Let the shrimp cook through, about 3-5 minutes.
Now, get the bowl of ice water and transfer the poached shrimp into ice water to stop the cooking process. Next, drain, peel and remove the tails.
How to Make Sushi Roll
Once all your ingredients are ready, it’s time to make the rolls.
First, lay out the bamboo mat and cover it with a plastic sheet. A plastic sheet will keep the mat clean and prevent the rice from sticking to the mat. You will need half a nori sheet for one roll.
Put the half nori sheet on a bamboo mat with the shiny side facing down. Evenly spread ¾ cup of rice over the nori sheet. Next, spread the thin layer of tobiko or masago and flip the sheet.
Horizontally place the shrimp, cucumber, and avocado slices in the middle of the sheet.
Lift the bamboo mat from the edges to roll the Sushi and roll it away from you. While rolling, press the rice and filing together. Roll it until the ends meet, and it’s completely enclosed.
Cut the roll into appropriate pieces with a wet knife.
Don’t worry about the shape of the Boston rolls, and it will get better with more practice. The more you make it, the better you get. Of course, the better shape comes with more tries, but they will be delicious for sure!
Also Read: Difference between Sushi and Sashimi
FAQs
Which Nori sheets are better?
Best and recommended sheets come in black color having greenish shade. Sheets have no holes and are evenly thick. Fresh sheets are crispy and easily broken in half while folding.
What kind of Shrimp to use?
You can use any shrimp, i.e., Frozen, thawed, or fresh. The smaller the size of the shrimp better it works.
How to select avocado?
An avocado must be ripe because it’s firm when ripe. Two things to keep in mind when checking avocado. One, if it’s dark in color, it means it is ripe. Second, try to remove the stem; if it is hard to remove, it is not ripe.