There is no shortage of hole in the wall sushi spots in Studio City, CA, where I grew up. There is a sushi restaurant in just about every strip mall on Ventura blvd spanning from Studio City up to Tarzana. And everyone in L.A. has their spot, which has “the best toro or uni in the city.” I remember waiting an hour the very first time I went to eat at the original Katsuya when I was 11 years old and never looking back. I was hooked. I decided then that Sushi was going to be my favorite food. And to this day, I think it is the only thing that I’m always craving.
There is a tiny sushi spot in Studio City called Midori where I had my first spicy baby shrimp hand roll. And then I had about 4 more. In one sitting. It was simple. Very little rice. Creamy spicy shrimp salad with tobiko. A few daikon radish sprouts or a wedge of avocado. And topped with toasted sesame seeds. Delicious. I had to be able to make these. And eat them alone in mass quantities. Standing at my kitchen counter. Where there is zero judgement.
And so I did. This recipe is so easy to make and absolutely delicious. Serve them as an appetizer for guests. Eat them while standing at your kitchen counter as quickly as you can make them. Or use the spicy shrimp salad to make your own poke bowl. If you are watching your carbs or don’t have the time to make sushi rice, these are equally amazing with no rice.
In order to make this recipe you may need to go to your nearest asian grocery store. My go-to in Chicago is Joong Boo Market on Kimball, right off the expressway. Here you will be able to buy kewpie mayo, sushi rice, nori, Sriracha, shrimp, and tobiko. Let’s roll.
Step one: Big Shrimpin’ Add 8 cups water and bring to a boil over med/high heat. Once water boils, add the peeled and deveined shrimp and simmer until pink, about 2-3 minutes depending on size of the shrimp. Drain and transfer cooked shrimp to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process and let cool.
Step 2: Spice up your life. Chop the cooked shrimp into small pieces and transfer to a mixing bowl. Combine the chopped shrimp with kewpie mayo, sriracha, and tobiko and mix. Refrigerate.
Step 3: Rice rice baby. If using rice in hand rolls, make the sushi rice according to instructions on package. As the rice cooks cut nori seaweed paper in half using scissors.
Step 4: Stop, drop, and roll. Assemble hand roll by spooning around 2-3 tablespoons spicy shrimp mixture into the right corner of seaweed. If you are using sushi rice, put that down and cover about half of the seaweed with a thin layer. Then, add the spicy shrimp mixture. Top with avocado and cucumber. Roll into a cone shape. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. (I did not use sushi rice in the roll shown below!)
Step 5: Devour, roll more, repeat.
Let me see that sushi roll {creamy spicy shrimp handrolls}
Ingredients
- 1 lb raw shrimp
- 3 tbsp kewpie mayo (or more to taste)
- 1-2 tbsp sriracha (or more to taste)
- 1 tbsp tobiko
- 1/2 seedless cucumber cut into 4 inch sticks
- 3 cups prepared sushi rice
- 4 sheets nori seaweed
- 1 sliced avocado
- Toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Add 8 cups water and bring to a boil over med/high heat. Once water boils, add the peeled and deveined shrimp and simmer until pink, about 2-3 minutes depending on size of the shrimp. Drain and transfer cooked shrimp to a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process and let cool.
- Chop the cooked shrimp into small pieces
- Combine the chopped shrimp with kewpie mayo, sriracha, and tobiko and mix
- If using rice in hand rolls, make sushi rice according to instructions on package
- Cut nori seaweed paper in half using scissors
- Assemble hand roll by spooning around 3-4 tbsp spicy shrimp mixture into the right corner of seaweed. If you are using sushi rice, put that down first and then top with spicy shrimp mixture. Top with avocado and cucumber.
- Roll into a cone shape.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds.