Spicy Tuna Roll Recipe

Rinse rice

Place the 2 cups short-grain sushi rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water, stirring with your hand, until the water runs almost clear (about 3–4 minutes). Drain well.

Cook rice

Combine the rinsed rice and 2.2 cups water in a rice cooker or a heavy-bottomed pot. If using a pot, bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Season rice

While rice is resting, warm 3 tbsp rice vinegar, 1.5 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp fine sea salt in a small saucepan over low heat just until sugar dissolves; do not boil. Transfer cooked rice to a large shallow wooden or plastic bowl (or any nonreactive bowl). Sprinkle the vinegar mixture over the rice and gently fold with a wooden paddle or spatula to combine and cool. Fan the rice or let it cool to slightly warm/room temperature (about 10–15 minutes). Cover with a damp towel until ready to use.

Prep tuna

Pat the sashimi-grade tuna dry with paper towels, then finely dice into small uniform pieces (approx 1/4-inch). Place diced tuna in a chilled bowl.

Mix spicy mayo

In a small bowl combine 3 tbsp mayonnaise, 1.5 tbsp sriracha, 1/2 tsp sesame oil and 1/2 tsp soy sauce (optional). Stir until smooth and uniform.

Combine filling

Add the spicy mayo to the diced tuna along with 2 tbsp thinly sliced green onion, 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Gently fold to coat evenly. Taste and adjust heat or salt: add a little more sriracha or mayo if desired. Keep chilled until ready to assemble.

Prepare workspace

Wrap the bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap to prevent rice sticking. Have a small bowl of water nearby to wet your hands for handling rice and avocado.

Place nori and rice

Lay one nori sheet shiny-side down on the plastic-wrapped mat. Wet your hands and grab about 3/4 to 1 cup of sushi rice. Gently spread the rice evenly over the nori, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) strip at the top free of rice to seal the roll. Press rice lightly — not too compacted.

Add fillings

Across the center of the rice (closest to you), lay a thin line of the spicy tuna mixture (about 3 oz per roll), a few julienned cucumber strips (about 2–3 tbsp), and a few slices of avocado (about 1/4 cup). If you want an inside-out roll, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on the rice and flip assembly so rice is outside (see optional note).

Roll

Lift the edge of the mat nearest you and fold it over the filling, tucking the filling in with your fingers. Press and roll away from you to form a neat cylinder, using the mat to shape and compress the roll gently. When you reach the 1-inch strip of nori, wet it lightly with water to seal and finish rolling. Repeat to make 3–4 rolls total.

Slice

With a very sharp knife moistened with water (or lightly oiled), trim edges and slice each roll in half, then into 6–8 equal pieces (typically 6–8 pieces per roll). Clean and wet the knife between cuts for clean slices.

Plate and garnish

Arrange the spicy tuna roll pieces on a platter. Garnish with remaining sliced green onion, extra toasted sesame seeds, pickled ginger and a small dab of wasabi if desired. Serve immediately with soy sauce for dipping.

Optional—Inside-out roll variation

For an inside-out (uramaki) version: place plastic wrap on the mat, lay a sheet of plastic, spread rice directly on the plastic in a rectangle, sprinkle sesame seeds, then flip the nori (rice side down) onto the plastic, add fillings on the nori and roll as above so rice ends up on the outside.