Crispy Rice With Spicy Tuna

Ingredients You Will Need

For the Crispy Rice

White rice: Jasmine rice works beautifully for Crispy Rice Squares - it has just enough starch to hold together when pressed and fries up with a wonderful crispy exterior. Sushi rice is the more traditional choice and gives a slightly stickier, more compact result. Either works well.

Rice vinegar, sugar, and salt: Stirred into the warm cooked rice to season it lightly, in the same way you would season sushi rice. This subtle seasoning makes a big difference to the overall flavor of the finished dish.

Oil for frying: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point such as canola or sunflower oil. You only need about 1 inch of oil in the pan.

For the Spicy Tuna

Raw tuna: Use sushi-grade tuna for the best flavor and safety. Finely dicing it rather than blending gives the topping a satisfying texture with a little bite. Look for bright, deep red tuna with a fresh, clean smell.

Sriracha: The heat of the topping. Start with 1 tablespoon and adjust to your taste - the amount you use will determine how spicy the finished dish is.

Mayonnaise: Brings everything together into a creamy, rich mixture that balances the heat of the sriracha. Japanese mayonnaise such as Kewpie is ideal if you can find it - it's richer and slightly tangier than regular mayo.

Soy sauce: Adds a savory, umami depth that ties all the tuna topping ingredients together.

Sesame oil: Just a teaspoon adds a nutty, toasty aroma that is distinctly Japanese in character.

Toasted sesame seeds: Add a subtle crunch and nuttiness to the topping.

Chives: Finely chopped chives add a mild, fresh oniony flavor and a pop of color.

Jalapeño: Thinly sliced fresh jalapeño on top of each piece adds a bright, fresh heat that contrasts beautifully with the creamy tuna and crunchy rice.

Press the rice firmly and evenly. The success of this recipe depends on the rice holding together when you cut and fry it. Press it down as firmly as possible with the wet back of a spoon, making sure the surface is completely even and there are no loose edges. The more compact the rice block, the cleaner your squares will be.

Chill the rice until fully firm. Don't rush this step. The rice needs to be completely cold and firm before you cut and fry it, otherwise the squares will fall apart in the oil. Two hours in the fridge is the minimum, or use the freezer to speed things up. Stickier rice varieties will firm up faster than less starchy ones.

Use a wet sharp knife to cut the squares. A wet sharp knife with a clean, decisive cut gives you neat squares with clean edges.

Fry in batches and don't move them too soon. Let each square sit undisturbed in the oil for the full 3-4 minutes before flipping. Moving them too early can cause them to break apart before they've had a chance to form a crust. They're ready to flip when they release easily from the pan and are golden on the bottom.

Let the rice cool slightly before topping. Adding the tuna to piping hot rice will start to cook it. Let the fried squares cool for a few minutes before adding the topping so the tuna stays fresh and the texture of the topping stays creamy.

Cook and season the rice: Cook the rice according to package instructions. Dissolve the vinegar, sugar, and salt together, pour over the warm rice, and mix to combine.

Press and chill: Press the warm rice firmly into a lined 8 x 8 inch pan, smooth the surface, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until completely firm.

Make the spicy tuna: Combine the diced tuna, sriracha, mayonnaise, soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and chives in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cut and fry: Remove the rice slab from the pan and cut into 12 squares. Fry in approximately 1 inch of oil for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Top and serve: Once slightly cooled, top each square with the spicy tuna mixture and a slice of fresh jalapeño. Serve immediately.

Looking for more appetiser and snack recipes? Check out these easy-to-make Pan Con Tomate, these delicious Deep Fried Cauliflower bites or these Potato Pave.