【Reading】てんぷらろーる

【English Name】Tempura Roll

Tempura roll is a general term for makizushi (rolled sushi) with tempura-fried ingredients wrapped at its core. The "shrimp tempura roll" using fried shrimp is the representative type, and it is a popular menu item widely served at sushi restaurants overseas, including in the United States.

In a typical preparation, shrimp tempura or soft-shell crab tempura is combined with vegetables such as cucumber and avocado and wrapped in nori and vinegared rice. It is not uncommon to finish it as an uramaki (inside-out roll, with the rice on the outside). Its appeal lies in the exquisite interplay between the crispness of the batter and the tartness of the vinegared rice, and it is sometimes served with tentsuyu (tempura dipping sauce) or spicy mayonnaise.

Within Japan, its presence has been growing at conveyor-belt sushi chains and casual sushi shops, where it has come to be known as "ebiten-maki" (shrimp tempura roll). In the United States it enjoys deep-rooted popularity as a standard introduction to sushi, and since it uses no raw fish, it is well regarded as a dish that even sushi beginners can easily try.

Because the flavor changes greatly depending on whether freshly fried tempura is used, shops that serve it freshly made tend to attract many fans.