Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

Sushi rice

Short-grain Japanese sushi rice is used to make this recipe. The consistency and flavor are very different than long-grain rice and in this recipe long-grain rice won’t stick together enough to fry the pieces as the base. I season the rice with mirin for extra flavor though this step can be skipped.

Tuna

When eating raw fish it is so important to buy sushi grade and to make note of how long the store or fishmonger has had it. I buy the sushi-grade ahi tuna from my local seafood market the day of, or day before, making dinner as fresh as possible. Since you don’t need the highest quality of tuna since it will be ground up or finely chopped so if you can find it, pre-ground tuna is a great option. It’s often much less expensive. It can often be found pre-packed and frozen at grocery stores. Simply thaw before using in this recipe.

Kewpie mayonnaise

Kewpie is a type of Japanese mayonnaise that has added seasoning. If you cannot find Kewpie mayo then substitute regular mayonnaise with a ½ teaspoon of mirin. Specialty Japanese ingredients can be found at an Asian market, some gourmet markets or online.

Green onion

In this recipe I use both the white, more pungent bottom parts of the stalk as well as the more mild green tops. Fun fact: green onion is the same thing as scallions. It just depends on what the area you’re in calls it.

Chili sauce

The chili sauce is used to add the spice to the spicy tuna. I either use sambal, a chili garlic sauce that is a bit chunkier with more of a garlic flavor or sriracha.

Sesame oil

Adding toasted sesame oil gives the spicy tuna a hint of nutty sesame flavor.

Vegetable oil

Vegetable oil is a neutral oil meaning it doesn’t have it’s own flavor. As a result it doesn’t overpower the other flavors in this dish. It also has a higher smoking point than olive oil making it ideal for frying.

Butter lettuce

While not always a typical accompaniment to classic crispy rice with spicy tuna I love the texture it adds. It has delicate, sweet and almost velvety leaves. It’s typically found in whole heads – simply peel the leaves away and use as lettuce cups to hold the crispy rice.

Avocado

When shopping for avocados, look for ones that are firm but “give” slightly when gently squeezed in your hand. You can also remove the top stem, though I prefer to call it a nub, at the top of the avocado – if you remove it and it is green, it’s most likely ready to eat. If it’s brown then it’s probably overripe.

Jalapeño

Thin slices of jalapeño add just a bit more spice to this crispy rice spicy tuna recipe though it can be omitted for those who don’t like spicy foods. I recommend removing the seeds from the jalapeño slices prior to serving – it won’t be as spicy. Serrano can also be used in this recipe.

Eel sauce

The dark brown, syrupy sauce isn’t actually made with eel. It’s called that since it’s typically brushed or drizzled over pieces of barbecued eel sushi. Most are made from equal parts soy sauce, mirin and graulated sugar.

How to Make Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice

1. Make the rice. Place the short grain rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse until the water that runs out of the bottom is clear. This gets some of the starch out of the rice. In a medium saucepan, combine the rice with water mirin and vinegar and cook. Remove from the heat and fluff the rice with a fork.
2. Mince the tuna. Finely chop the tuna. While it can be chopped using a knife, the easiest way to do this is by using the pulse mode on a blender or food processor.
3. Make the spicy tuna. In a medium bowl mix the tuna, mayonnaise and chili sauce to make the tuna tartare. Stir in the green onions and sesame oil. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Fry the rice. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet to 375°F (190ºC). Wet your hands before working with the rice, it helps to keep the rice from sticking on your fingers. Scoop the rice into tightly packed balls. Press the rice ball down so it is shaped like a tightly packed patty. The rice can also be packed into a pan and cut into rectangles.
5. Fry the rice. Work in batches and fry only a few pieces of rice at a time in the pan. Cook the rice patties, rotating so that the rice is golden brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
6. Serve. Place each crispy rice on top of a leaf of butter lettuce (optional). Top each of the pieces of fried rice with a tablespoon size of the spicy tuna mixture. Top each crispy rice and spicy tuna with a slice of avocado, a slice of jalapeño and drizzle with eel sauce. Serve immediately.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

How to Make this Recipe Gluten free

All you celiacs out there can easily make this dish gluten free. Rice is naturally gluten free just make sure there is no cross-contamination in the oil when frying. Check the label of the mirin if using because some can be made with wheat. Also substitute the eel sauce for a gluten free Tamari or liquid aminos. I like to add the butter lettuce as a cup around the rice like it’s served at Nobu.

Other Ways to Shape the Rice

Make sure the rice is packed tightly into patties so it does not fall apart when it is fried. It helps to use a piece of cling wrap to mold it into a ball.

Once the rice is cooked you can shape it by hand or line a quarter sheet pan or 9×9″ cake pan with plastic wrap and evenly spread the rice, pressing it down gently so that it packed down. Let the rice cool completely like this then use a knife to cut it into even rectangles. This method makes it easier to shape into equal parts.

Serving Suggestions

• Add the spicy tuna mixture over pan-fried crispy rice rather than balls and butter lettuce for a crunchy deconstructed version – a spicy tuna salad! I love doing this with any leftovers!
• Try adding the spicy tuna tartare mixture over poke bowls. The tuna and spicy mayo mixture is great served simply over rice.
• Many sushi restaurants serve this recipe pared down to just the crispy rice and spicy tuna. Feel free to omit the butter lettuce, avocado, jalapeño and eel sauce as desired though I love the flavor combination those extra garnishes add!
• If you are avoiding raw fish try this similar version using spicy shrimp salad.

Other recipes you may enjoy

If you enjoy this spicy tuna crispy rice recipe, I recommend checking out these similar dishes:

• Ahi Tuna Tonton Nachos with Wasabi Mayo
• Yellowtail Sashimi with Serrano and Ponzu
• Baked Spicy Salmon Hand Rolls
• Spicy Shrimp Bowl with Crispy Rice and Kale