Spicy Tuna Roll Recipe

Rinse

Place 1 cup short-grain sushi rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water, gently rubbing the grains, until the water runs nearly clear (about 2–3 minutes). Drain thoroughly.

Cook rice

Combine the rinsed rice and 1.1 cups water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Season rice

While the rice rests, stir together 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon fine sea salt until dissolved. Transfer the hot rice to a shallow nonreactive bowl. Gently fold the vinegar mixture into the rice with a rice paddle or wooden spoon using cutting and fanning motions to cool the rice to slightly warmer than room temperature (do not mash). Keep covered with a damp towel to prevent drying.

Prepare tuna

Trim any membranes from 8 oz sashimi-grade tuna and pat dry with paper towels. Dice or mince the tuna into small uniform pieces (about 1/4-inch).

Mix filling

In a bowl combine the diced tuna, 2 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tbsp sriracha (adjust to taste), 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 1/2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp thinly sliced scallions, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and 1/8 tsp kosher salt. Fold gently until evenly coated. Taste and adjust heat or salt as desired. Cover and chill briefly (5–10 minutes) if the filling becomes too warm.

Prepare workspace

Place a bamboo mat on your work surface and wrap it with plastic wrap. Have a small bowl of water mixed with a splash of rice vinegar ready to wet your hands so rice won't stick. Keep a small bowl of reserved rice for dusting.

Cut nori (optional)

For inside-out or standard rolls you can leave full nori sheets. This recipe uses full sheets for a classic maki roll. Place 1 nori sheet shiny-side down on the mat.

Spread rice

Wet your hands and take about 3/4 cup of prepared sushi rice (lightly moistened) and gently spread it in an even layer over the nori, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) strip at the top edge free of rice to seal the roll. Pat rice lightly; do not compress hard. Dust rice on hands with the reserved rice if sticky.

Add fillings

About 1/3 of the way up from the bottom edge, lay a thin line of the spicy tuna mixture (about 3–4 tbsp) across the rice. Add a few cucumber julienne strips and 2–3 thin avocado slices alongside the tuna. Do not overfill—leave room to roll.

Roll

Lift the mat edge closest to you and fold it over the filling, tucking the nori edge to start a tight roll. Press gently with the mat and continue rolling away from you until sealed. Use the top exposed nori to seal the roll—moisten the bare nori edge with a little water if needed for a tight seal.

Cut

With a very sharp knife, moisten the blade and cut the roll in half, then cut each half into 3 equal pieces to yield 6 pieces total. Wipe and re-moisten the knife between cuts to get clean slices.

Plate & garnish

Arrange the 6 spicy tuna rolls on a plate. Sprinkle with extra toasted sesame seeds and a few thinly sliced scallions if desired. Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi on the side.