Jul 20, 2023
spicy tuna crispy rice (nobu copy cat)
30 MINUTES
6 SERVINGS
MEDIUM
Spicy tuna crispy rice is a masterful creation by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa for Nobu restaurant back in the 90’s. It has captivated taste buds globally. This delicious dish has been made in many different ways at restaurants all around the world, making a lasting impact on the food industry.Although I can't remember the exact moment I first enjoyed spicy tuna crispy rice, I vividly recall how much I loved it. High-quality tuna, mixed with kewpie mayo, soy sauce, sriracha, mirin, and sesame oil, placed on top of crispy fried sushi rice. It's finished off with furikake and a spicy jalapeno. While it's usually served as an appetizer, I enjoy it as a satisfying main course.
Recipe Notes
For this dish, I suggest using sushi rice instead of regular white rice for pan searing. If you're making this, it's best to cook the sushi rice a day in advance and store it in the fridge overnight.For this recipe, I chose jalapeno as a topping, but you can use sliced serrano pepper depending on your spice preference.
Ingredients
sushi-grade tuna, 8 oz
sesame oil, to taste
mirin, to taste
tabasco, to taste
lemon juice, to taste
sriracha, to taste
soy sauce, to taste
kewpie mayo, 3 tbsp
sushi rice, cooked 8 oz
avocado, 1 each, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, thinly sliced, for garnishing
furikake, for garnish
Instructions
cook and prepare your sushi rice.
once the rice has fully cooked and has been seasoned, take an 8x8 inch baking pan lined with plastic wrap and fill the pan with the cooked sushi rice. pack in the sushi rice and then press to make sure the top is as flat as possible. cover with more plastic wrap and put in the fridge to cool for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
while sushi rice is cooling, finely dice tuna almost to a mince.
in a medium sized bowl, add in finely diced tuna, sesame oil, mirin, tabasco, lemon juice, sriracha, soy sauce, and kewpie mayo to taste. mix and set aside.
remove sushi rice from fridge and place onto a cutting board. cut the rice into rectangles that are about 1/2 inch in width.
take the sushi rice squares and pan fry on all sides until golden and crispy. place the rice squares on a paper towel lined sheet tray to soak up any excess oil.
half the avocado and slice each half into thin strips. set aside.
take a plate or serving tray and place sushi squares down, top the rice with an avocado slice, then the spicy tuna mixture and carefully add furikake, or sesame seeds on top.
lastly garnish each tuna square with sliced jalapeno or serrano pepper.
