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Side shot of Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice on a plate

Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice

4.24 from 50 votes
Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice are bites of heaven that are easy to make. Great as an appetizer to serve at a party, which will impress everyone!
Author: Ayeh Manfre
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Japanese
Servings: 10 pieces
Calories: 170kcal
Print
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Rice Cooling3 hours
Total Time3 hours 40 minutes

Video

Ingredients 

Crispy Rice

  • 1 cup Japanese sushi rice
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 4 tablespoons neutral oil such as canola oil

Spicy Tuna Mixture

  • 7 oz / 200 g fresh sushi grade ahi tuna
  • 2 tablespoons Japanese kewpie mayonaise (preferred but you can also use regular mayonnaise)
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha (can be reduced or increased depending how spicy you like it)
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • Small drizzle of sesame oil

Garnish

  • Furikake, jalapeño slices, avocado slices or smashed avocado
  • Dipping sauce - recipe below

Instructions

Crispy Rice

  • Rinse sushi rice well under water about 5 times until it’s almost clear and not murky
    If using a rice cooker skip to step 3. If cooking rice using a pot over the stove, continue to step 2
  • Add rice to a pot with the water and place on the stove over medium - high heat. Bring to a boil then reduce to a low- medium heat, place the lid on and simmer for 15 minutes
    Remove from the heat, however leave the lid on to allow it to steam for 5 minutes
  • To a small ramekin add sugar, rice vinegar and a pinch of salt, stir or whisk to combine
    Transfer the cooked sushi rice to a large bowl and pour over the rice vinegar mixture. Using a wooden paddle or spatula, gently mix into the rice so its all coated and seasoned well
  • Line a tray or container with plastic wrap and transfer the rice into the tray.
    Flatten and press the rice with the back of the spoon to level the top to an even layer. The rice should be nice and compact
    Place in the fridge to set for 3 hours. You can also place in the freezer for approximately 1 hour to set
  • Once set, cut the rice with a sharp knife into even rectangles or squares
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and pan fry the rice squares or a few minutes on each side until they’re golden brown
    Allow to rest on a cooling rack once removed from the pan to keep crispy

Spicy Tuna Mixture

  • Using a sharp knife, slice the tuna into small cubes and add to a large bowl
  • Add the kewpie mayonnaise, sriracha, soy sauce and sesame oil, then mix together with a spoon. Taste for seasoning and spice level
  • To assemble, add a spoon of the spicy tuna mixture to a square of crispy rice, sprinkle some furikake and top with a slice of jalapeño
    Dip into my dipping sauce or soy sauce and enjoy your Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice bites of heaven!
⭐️ Final Step! Would love if you left a rating and comment to let me know how it went. Your feedback helps inspire others and means alot ❤️

Nutrition

Calories: 170kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 73mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 457IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
Keywords: crunchy, spicy, tuna