Rolling Into Boat Life, One Sushi Bazooka at a Time

My mother-in-law, Terri, gave me a sushi bazooka for Christmas (this one on Amazon), and I've finally put it to work. Learning to make sushi has been on my to-do list for a while as I get ready for life on the boat, and hopefully we'll catch fish out there to use, too! I've made sushi twice now, and I'm hooked. It's fun, it looks impressive on the plate, and it's the kind of meal I can see us making aboard Neverland.

Attempt #1

For my first go, I kept it simple: shrimp tempura, cucumber, avocado and spicy mayo. It turned out really well! I also picked up powdered wasabi, which you mix 1:1 with water. It's shelf stable, so it will be perfect on the boat.

Attempt #2

The second time I got a bit more adventurous and tried rice paper too. That was harder, and I need more practice: the paper stuck to the cutting board, but it still looked lovely on the plate. I also tried eel sauce for the first time, and it was delicious. One lesson learned: if you don't wrap the fillings in nori, it's hard to keep the rice together. Still, everything turned out great.

Here's how I made the second round, in case you'd like to try it.

Step 1: Set up before you roll

• Sushi rice, cooled to room temperature
• Nori sheets
• Smoked ahi tuna, sliced into strips
• Tempura shrimp (air-fry it close to assembly time)
• Mango, cut into thin strips, plus thin slices for topping
• Avocado, sliced into strips
• Carrots, cut into matchsticks
• Lettuce, washed and completely dried
• Sesame seeds
• Sauces: eel sauce, Nando's spicy mayo, soy sauce, wasabi, and sweet-and-sour sauce
• A small bowl of water for your hands and knife

Step 2: Smoked Ahi Tuna & Avocado Roll (nori outside)

1. Fill the sushi bazooka with a layer of sushi rice and make a groove down the middle.
2. Add strips of smoked ahi tuna, avocado and a little mango.
3. Close the bazooka and press gently.
4. Release the rice cylinder onto a nori sheet and wrap the nori tightly around it, sealing the edge with a little water.
5. Let it rest seam-side down for a minute, then slice into 8 pieces.

Finish: sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with soy sauce and wasabi. A very light drizzle of eel sauce is optional.

Step 3: Fresh Tropical Shrimp & Mango Spring Rolls (rice paper outside)

1. Dip a rice paper wrapper in lukewarm water for 3–5 seconds.
2. Lay it flat on a lightly damp cutting board.
3. Place lettuce across the lower third, then add mango, avocado and carrot strips.
4. Add 2–3 cooked shrimp halves, pink side down so they show through.
5. Fold the bottom over the filling, tuck in both sides, and roll firmly.
6. Place seam-side down on a lightly damp plate.

Finish: cut diagonally just before serving, with sweet-and-sour sauce for dipping.

Step 4: Crispy Shrimp Tempura Crunch Roll (rice outside)

1. Air-fry the tempura shrimp until hot and crispy (follow the package).
2. Line the sushi bazooka with plastic wrap if it sticks.
3. Add sushi rice, make a groove, and add tempura shrimp, avocado and a few carrot strips.
4. Close the bazooka and gently compress.
5. Release the rice cylinder onto a plate sprinkled with sesame seeds and roll it gently to coat.
6. Slice into 8 pieces.

Finish: drizzle with eel sauce and Nando's spicy mayo.

Step 5: Tropical Mango Dragon Roll (rice outside, mango on top)

1. Use the bazooka to make a rice cylinder filled with tempura shrimp, avocado and a little lettuce.
2. Release it onto a clean cutting board.
3. Arrange very thin mango slices across the top, slightly overlapping.
4. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and gently press the mango onto the rice so it sticks.
5. Remove the wrap and slice carefully into 8 pieces.

Finish: drizzle eel sauce in one direction and spicy mayo in the other, then sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Next up: more rice paper practice! And I'm already dreaming about sushi night in Neverland's galley. 🍣⛵

— Kelly