Tempura Roll

So the hubs and I usually go out to eat on the weekends, especially on Fridays. There is a good and a bad thing about that:
Good: I get a break from cooking! :)
Bad: There is never anything we want to eat in this town!

So last week we deliberated where to go and just ended up at a grocery store...we decided to just peruse and pick up random stuff that we wanted to eat lol. There is a small little sushi stand there that employs probably every Asian that lives in the town. I generally avoid it though because their Thai spring rolls are terrible and they are overpriced.
But this time they were handing out samples of a tempura roll and it was actually pretty good so I picked one up even though it was a ridiculous 8 bucks (I'm talking for imitation crab).

It was so yummy though and didn't have anything special in it so I vowed to find recipes for the topping sauces and make it. And I think I did pretty dang good! Here it is:

P.S. This is almost an exact likeness. The roll I had didn't have any actual tempura (fried food) IN the roll, it was just sprinkled on top. Also, I must be Hawaiian at heart because I happen to like Spam, but if you don't like it you can substitute imitation crab, smoked salmon, or shrimp, those would all be good.

Tempura Roll
Makes 3-4 rolls

• 3-4 sheets seaweed for sushi
• 2 cups short-grain sticky rice
• 1/2T rice vinegar
• pinch salt 
• pinch sugar
• 1 cucumber (a little longer than the seaweed), julienned
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 can Spam, julienned
• cream cheese, sliced thinly
• 1 avocado, sliced thinly (wait until the last minute to avoid oxidation)
• Panko bread crumbs

Eel Sauce: (recipe adapted from HERE)

• 1/2c soy sauce
• 1/2c sugar
• 1/2c mirin (sweet wine found in Asian cooking section)
• 4T cornstarch, dissolved in a bit of water

Spicy Mayonnaise:

• 1/4c Japanese mayo (if you can't find it, use normal mayo)
• 1tsp Sriracha sauce (Asian section)

Directions:

Let your rice cook normally while you prepare everything else.

Fry your eggs flat an season with a bit of salt and pepper. Cut into strips and set aside. Use the same pan to fry your Spam. I like it extra crispy, to the point that it's red all around.

For the eel sauce, place the soy sauce, sugar and mirin in a small saucepan. Cook on medium until the sauce is reduced to about 3/4 cup, stirring continuously. Add in the cornstarch/water mixture and let it boil for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside to let thicken.

For the spicy mayo, combine the mayo and Sriracha sauce in a small bowl. Add more sauce or may according to taste. Place in fridge.

Prep the rice by adding the rice vinegar, a pinch of salt and a pinch of sugar. Add more according to taste.

To Assemble:

Place a sheet of seaweed on your rolling mat (or if you don't have one, just a clean surface). Spread rice all over the seaweed, leaving about 2 inches at the top. Place strips of egg, Spam, cucumber, cream cheese and avocado in the middle of the rice, using two of some to make sure it reaches the length of the roll. Now roll, tightening as you go. Place the rolls seam-side down while you finish up.

Slice your rolls and drizzle the spicy mayo and eel sauce on top. Sprinkle with Panko.