Dynamite Scallop Martini from Sushi Secrets

Let’s make the world of dynamite sushi a better place.

One of the American sushi inventions that brings quite a bit of criticism from traditionalists is the ubiquitous “Dynamite” roll. I’m not a big fan either. When I see a sushi roll turned on it’s side and mounded nacho-style with a pile of spicy mayo laden seafood, it makes my blood broil. (See what I just did there?)

The Sushi Pro blog gives my favorite description on their Top Ten Worst Sushi Rolls List:

“Let’s face it, if you pile several times the volume of food contained in the actual sushi roll on top of the roll, the quality of the initial roll hardly matters. Same goes for the taste of the crab salad piled on so generously. This may have started life as a decent maki, yet due to the indiscretion of the sushi chef we’re calling this ill-conceived buffet atop a sushi roll a Hall of Shame inductee for 2011.” 

(See all of Sushi Pro’s ten offenders here.) 

When writing Sushi Secrets, I wanted to create a way to enjoy the dynamite experience without continuing to hinder the case for American style sushi. Not only is it much prettier, but it just makes more sense. Note: In Sushi Secrets, all recipes have metric equivalents and many of the preparations include step by step photos. 

Dynamite Scallop Sushi Bowl 

At sushi bars, dynamite sushi rolls are usually some variation of California Rolls topped with mixture of baked seafood and lots of Spicy Mayonnaise. If you’re making your own sushi, you probably don’t want to hide all of your handy work underneath a glop of seafood salad. Instead, try a dynamite bowl—or in this case a dynamite martini glass. The presentation is more elegant and you can pile as much seafood salad in it as you like. While you can’t stick the martini glass under the broiler, the effect will be just as dramatic when you use a cooking torch to sear the top.

Makes 4 Martini “Bowls”

2 teaspoons minced green onions (scallions), green parts only

2 cups (400 g) prepared sushi rice 

1⁄4 English cucumber (Japanese cucumber), seeded and diced into small cubes

2 imitation crabsticks, leg style, shredded

8 oz (250 g) bay scallops, cooked and kept warm

4 heaping tablespoons Spicy Mayonnaise or more to taste

2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Spicy Mayonnaise 

1 cup (250 ml) mayonnaise

3 teaspoons garlic chili sauce

2 teaspoons Sriracha chili sauce

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1⁄4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

Pinch of salt

Place all the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir together until well incorporated. Cover and refrigerate until ready for use.

1 Gather 4 martini glasses. Place 1⁄2 teaspoon of minced green onions in the bottom of each glass. Place the prepared sushi rice and diced cucumber in a small bowl. Mix well. Wet your fingertips before dividing the rice and cucumber mix between each glass. Gently flatten the surface of the rice.

2 Divide the shredded crabstick between the glasses. Add 1⁄4 of the warm bay scallops to each glass. Place a heaping table- spoon of Spicy Mayonnaise over the contents of each glass. Use a cooking torch to sear the Spicy Mayonnaise until it is bubbly, about 15 seconds. Sprinkle 1⁄2 teaspoon of the toasted sesame seeds over the top of each glass before serving.

Green onions in the bottom. I like to “discover” pleasant surprises in my chirashi.

Mix the sushi rice and chopped cucumber together.

Top the rice with shredded crab and cooked bay scallops. Add a little spicy mayo.

With a cooking torch, blast the top. Have fun with this…just don’t burn anything down.

What do you think of this dynamite roll alternative?