Spicy Tuna Roll
Standard · 50 min · Serves 2 · Japanese
Dietary: pescatarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free
Inside-out rolls of sesame-coated sushi rice filled with sriracha-dressed tuna, topped with spicy mayo and scallion.
Ingredients
For 2 servings
Sushi rice
- 300 g sushi rice, Japanese short-grain
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
Spicy tuna
- 115 g sushi-grade tuna, cut into 5 mm (¼ inch) cubes
- 2.5 tsp sriracha
- 0.5 tsp sesame oil, toasted
- 2 scallion, thinly sliced, a little kept for garnish
Spicy mayo
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 0.5 tsp sriracha
Rolling
- 1 sheet nori, cut in half crosswise
- 2 tbsp sesame seed, toasted
Steps
Sushi rice
- Rinse the rice in a bowl of cold water, swishing it with your hand and pouring off the cloudy water, 3 to 4 times, until the water runs almost clear. Drain well, then cook it according to the packet or in a rice cooker.
- While the rice cooks, stir the rice vinegar, sugar and salt together until the sugar and salt dissolve. Spread the hot rice in a large, wide bowl, pour the seasoning over, and fold it through with a rice paddle using a slicing motion, so the grains stay whole rather than mashing.
- Cover the rice with a damp towel and let it cool to room temperature, 20 to 30 minutes. Season it hot, so it soaks up the vinegar, but roll it cool, or it softens the nori.
Spicy tuna
- Use only sashimi-grade tuna, sold for eating raw, and keep it in the fridge until you cut it. Mix the tuna with the sriracha, sesame oil and most of the scallion in a bowl.
Spicy mayo
- Stir the mayonnaise and sriracha together until smooth and evenly pink.
Rolling
- Set a bamboo mat on the counter with the slats running sideways and cover it with plastic wrap. Lay a half sheet of nori on top, shiny side down. Wet your fingers with water and spread about ¾ cup (110 g) of the rice evenly over the nori, then sprinkle with half the sesame seeds.
- Flip the sheet so the rice faces down on the plastic, and line the nori up with the edge of the mat nearest you. Lay half the spicy tuna in a thin row along that edge.
- Holding the filling in place with your fingers, lift the mat with your thumbs and roll the nori tightly over the tuna. Tuck the edge in, pull the far end of the mat to keep the pressure on, and keep rolling into a firm cylinder. If it falls apart, it needs rolling tighter.
- Lay the mat over the roll and squeeze gently to set the shape, then make the second roll the same way.
To serve
- With a very sharp knife, cut each roll in half, then each half into 3 pieces, wiping the blade with a damp cloth every few cuts. Top each piece with a dab of spicy mayo and the reserved scallion. Eat the same day: the rice turns hard and dry in the fridge.