Description
This Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna recipe is a delicious Nobu copycat that combines crunchy rice cakes with flavorful spicy tuna toppings. Perfect as an appetizer or party snack, it features sashimi-grade tuna mixed with a creamy sriracha mayo, garnished with jalapeño slices and sesame seeds for a burst of texture and heat.
Ingredients
Scale
Crispy Rice Cakes
- 15 pieces crispy rice cakes
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt
- 1/2 tsp black sesame seeds (for garnish)
Sashimi Tuna Topping
- 225g / 7oz sashimi grade tuna (or salmon)
- 1 tbsp sriracha (adjust spiciness to taste)
- 4 tsp kewpie mayonnaise
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp finely chopped green onion
- 1 tsp white sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp black sesame seeds (divided)
Canned Tuna Topping
- 360g / 12oz canned tuna in oil, drained
- 3 tbsp sriracha
- 4 tbsp kewpie mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (substitute for rice vinegar)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp cooking or kosher salt
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
- 2 tsp white sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp black sesame seeds (divided)
Garnishes
- 1 avocado, cut into small thin slices or made into avocado sauce
- 15 thin jalapeño slices (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Rice: Start the rice the day before or first thing in the morning as it needs a minimum of 4 hours to chill. Cooking and cooling the rice properly is essential to achieve the right texture for crispy rice cakes.
- Make the Toppings: Prepare your desired topping—either the Nobu sashimi tuna or canned tuna mixture—and refrigerate it while cooking the rice cakes. This allows flavors to meld and keeps the toppings fresh.
- Cook the Crispy Rice Cakes: Fry or pan-fry the chilled rice cakes until golden and crisp on the outside. Sprinkle them lightly with cooking salt as soon as they come off the heat to enhance flavor.
- Assemble the Dish: Place the crispy rice cakes on a serving platter. Use teaspoons to shape the tuna toppings into football-like mounds and slide them onto the rice cakes. This method creates perfect bite-sized portions.
- Garnish: Sprinkle black sesame seeds over the assembled pieces and top each with a thin jalapeño slice for an added kick and decorative touch.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve immediately to preserve the crispy texture of the rice and the freshness of the toppings. This dish works wonderfully as a party appetizer or elegant snack.
Notes
- The rice must be chilled for at least 4 hours to form crispy rice cakes properly.
- Adjust sriracha quantity according to your preferred spice level.
- Kewpie mayonnaise adds a creamy umami flavor characteristic of Japanese mayo.
- Canned tuna can be used as a convenient alternative to sashimi-grade tuna but ensure it is well drained.
- Avocado slices or avocado sauce provide a creamy and cooling contrast to the spicy tuna.
- Optional jalapeño garnish can be omitted for a milder version.
