Spicy tuna is a favorite at our house and is really simple to make. You don’t even have to make it into a roll if you don’t want to – just spoon the spicy tuna mixture over a bowl of rice and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

Sushi Rice:

• 1 cup uncooked sushi rice (makes 2-3 rolls)
• 1 cup water, plus extra for rinsing
• 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• ½ Tbsp salt

Spicy tuna:

• 4 oz sashimi-grade tuna (per 2 rolls)
• 1 Tbsp Japanese mayonnaise (you can use regular mayo if it’s what you have)
• 1 tsp spicy chili sauce (we prefer Sriracha)
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• Nori sheets (whole sheets are a little easier, but half sheets are fine too)
• White sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS:

For the rice:

1. Place the rice in a large mixing bowl and cover with cool water. Stir the rice in the water, pour off, and repeat until the water is clear.
2. Place the rice and 1 cup of water into a small saucepan and heat over high heat until the water boils. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 10 minutes.
3. While the rice is sitting, mix the seasoning mixture. Combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt into a small bowl and heat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, or until most of the sugar and salt is dissolved.
4. Transfer the rice into a large wooden (preferred) or glass bowl. Sprinkle the vinegar mixture over the rice and fold (don’t stir!) to combine. Allow the rice to cool (use a paper plate or fan to speed things up, just don’t put it in the fridge – it ruins the rice!) to room temperature before making your sushi.

   For the tuna:

5. Cut the tuna into ¼ – ½ inch cubes. In a medium bowl, combine the mayo, chili sauce, lemon juice, sesame oil, and green onion. Add the tuna and mix gently until coated.
6. Lay a sheet of nori, shiny side down, on a bamboo mat covered with plastic wrap. With wet hands, spread a handful of rice evenly on the nori sheet, 1 or 2 grains thick. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and flip the nori over so the rice is on the mat. Do this as you would with a cake on a cooling rack.
7. Spoon about 2-3 tablespoons of the tuna mixture onto the bottom end of the nori sheet.
8. Grab the bottom edge of the mat and close it on top of the roll, keeping the fillings in place with your fingers as needed. Push the mat forward in a rolling motion and tighten until you reach the end of the roll. NOTE: this step takes practice to do well, so just keep at it!
9. Dip a sharp knife in water and cut the roll down the middle. Cut each half into three or four pieces, dipping the knife between each cut. If the knife blade gets gummy with rice, clean it before cutting again.
10. Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled ginger.

Alternatives:

• Use salmon or scallops instead of tuna
• Add slices of avocado, cucumber, or tempura veggies
• Garnish each piece with dots of sriracha, spicy mayo, or sliced green onions