Spicy Tuna Roll Recipe

Rinse the sushi rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water, stirring with your hand, until the water runs mostly clear (about 3–4 minutes). Drain well.

Combine the rinsed rice and 1.1 cups water in a small pot. Let soak 30 minutes if time allows (optional). Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to the lowest heat, cover tightly and simmer 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid, until water is absorbed.

Remove from heat and let rest, still covered, for 10 minutes to finish steaming.

Meanwhile, warm the rice vinegar, sugar and salt together in a small bowl or saucepan just until sugar dissolves. Do not boil.

Transfer cooked rice to a shallow wide bowl (a wooden hangiri is traditional). Gently fold the vinegar mixture into the rice with a wooden spatula using a slicing motion to avoid crushing the grains. Fan the rice or let it cool to slightly warm (room temperature). Keep covered with a damp cloth until assembly.

Ensure the tuna is sushi/sashimi-grade and very cold. Pat dry with paper towels and finely dice into small uniform pieces.

In a bowl, combine the diced tuna with 2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise, 1 tbsp Sriracha, ½ tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tbsp finely chopped scallion and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds. Mix gently to coat without mashing the fish. Taste and adjust heat or salt — you can add a pinch of soy sauce or a little more Sriracha if desired.

Cover and refrigerate the spicy tuna mixture briefly if it warmed during prep; it should be chilled but not frozen when assembling.

Place a bamboo mat on your work surface and wrap it with plastic wrap to prevent rice sticking. Put 1 nori sheet shiny side down on the mat.

Wet your hands in the small bowl of water with a splash of rice vinegar to keep rice from sticking. Take about 3/4 to 1 cup of prepared sushi rice (wet hands help) and gently spread it in a thin, even layer over the nori, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) strip at the far edge of the nori free of rice.

Flip the nori and rice so the rice side is down on the mat (this makes a traditional inside-out roll). If you prefer the nori outside roll, skip flipping.

About 1 inch from the near edge of the nori, lay a line of the spicy tuna mixture across the width of the nori (use ~3 oz / half the filling per roll). Add a thin line of cucumber julienne and 2–3 slices of avocado alongside the tuna if using.

Using the bamboo mat, lift the near edge and roll away from you, tucking the filling in with your fingers and applying gentle, even pressure to form a tight cylinder. Roll until the seam is sealed. If rice is on the outside, press gently to shape the roll.

Repeat with the second nori sheet and remaining rice and filling to make a second roll. You should end up with 2 rolls total; each roll yields about 8 pieces when sliced (adjust slice thickness for 8 pieces total if you prefer to make only one roll).

Let the rolls rest seam-side down for 2 minutes to set before slicing.

With a very sharp knife, wet the blade with water (wipe between cuts) and slice each roll into 8 equal pieces by cutting the roll in half, then each half into quarters, or directly into 8 slices. Use a single, confident slicing motion (do not saw) when possible.

Arrange the pieces on a platter. Garnish with additional toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced scallion if desired.

Serve immediately with soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi on the side.