Tuna Crunch Recipe

Prepare and fry wonton cups

Fold each wonton wrapper into a small cup: lay wrapper flat, bring four corners up toward center and press to form a shallow cup. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat to 350°F (175°C) or until a small piece of wrapper sizzles and turns golden in about 30–45 seconds. Fry wonton cups in batches (6–8 at a time) until deeply golden and crisp, about 30–45 seconds per side. Drain on a paper towel-lined tray. Keep warm in a low oven (200°F/95°C) if making ahead.

Thinly slice scallions on the bias into 1/8" (3 mm) slices. Reserve some green tops for garnish.

Seed and very thinly slice the Fresno chile into fine rings. If you want less heat, remove seeds before slicing.

Cut the nori sheet into narrow strips about 1/8" (3 mm) wide using scissors or a very sharp knife. These will be used as crisp garnish.

If using dried wakame: rehydrate per package instructions (usually soak 5–10 minutes in cold water), drain well and squeeze out excess water. If using fresh/packaged salad wakame, pat dry and chop roughly if pieces are large.

Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly golden, about 1–2 minutes. Remove and cool.

To assemble: place each crispy wonton on a serving platter, add about 1 heaping tablespoon of wakame to the base of each cup to create a bed for the tuna (this also helps stabilize the topping).

Dice the sushi-grade tuna into small, uniform 1/4" (6 mm) cubes and place in a chilled bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together light soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, mirin, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust: it should be savory with a bright citrus lift.

Pour the dressing over the diced tuna and gently toss to coat evenly. Refrigerate for 5–10 minutes to allow flavors to marry, but do not let it sit so long that the tuna becomes soggy.

Just before assembly, spoon about 1 rounded tablespoon of dressed tuna into each wakame-lined wonton cup. Slightly mound the tuna so it sits proudly above the rim.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, wasabi paste, lemon juice, honey, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth. If the aioli is too thick for drizzling, thin with up to 1 teaspoon of water until you reach a squeeze/pipeable consistency. Taste and adjust wasabi for heat.

Transfer aioli to a small squeeze bottle or a piping bag fitted with a small round tip for controlled drizzling/dotting.

Combine dark soy, mirin, brown sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, then simmer 1–2 minutes to slightly thicken. Remove from heat and stir in toasted sesame oil. Let cool to room temperature — it will thicken further as it cools.

Transfer sweet soy to a small squeeze bottle for controlled drizzling at plating.

Once all components are ready, finish each wonton: drizzle 1/2 teaspoon of wasabi aioli across the top of the tuna (or dot artistically), then lightly drizzle 1/2 teaspoon of the sweet soy around/over the tuna for sweetness and gloss.

Garnish each cup with a couple of thin scallion slices, a ring or two of Fresno, a few nori strips, and a light sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.

Serve immediately while wonton cups remain crisp. Provide extra wasabi aioli and sweet soy on the side if desired.