Spicy Tuna Roll

Spicy Tuna Roll (スパイシーツナロール)

Although Spicy Tuna Rolls don’t come from Japan (they were created in L.A.), this modern sushi has become the most popular roll in many parts of the world. It’s colorful, flavorful, and because the tuna is chopped up, even lower-quality tuna cuts with stringy connective tissue can be turned tender and creamy. 

The piquant filling can be used in many different ways, and in this Spicy Tuna Roll recipe, I want to show you three different styles of rolling sushi. 

Hosomaki

Hosomaki (細巻き) literally means “thin roll,” which is the most popular style of rolled sushi in Japan. The nori is rolled on the outside, with the rice and filling in the center. Common fillings include cucumber, pickled daikon, and negitoro, and it has a good balance of rice to nori to filling. 

Uramaki

Uramaki (裏巻き) literally means “backward roll” in Japanese because the nori is on the inside and the rice is outside. This style of sushi was popularized outside of Japan to hide the nori as seaweed was considered unappetizing during the early spread of sushi worldwide. This style also allows for more filling to be added both inside and outside of the roll, opening new avenues for creativity. 

Gunkan Maki

Gunkan Maki (軍艦巻き) literally means “warship roll” because it is said to resemble old navy ships. It’s made by rolling a thin strip of nori around a small base of rice, which creates a big cup to add a lot of filling, such as Spicy Tuna. This creates a balance that’s more heavily weighted towards the nori and filling, making it a good option if you are trying to cut back on carbs. 

Why This Recipe Works?

• Hand chopping the tuna rather than processing it gives you more control over the spicy tuna texture. 
• A mixture of sriracha, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil makes for a more flavorful and balanced Spicy Tuna Sauce than just using sriracha. 
• Three different styles of rolling the Spicy Tuna gives you options to find the style that you like best.

Ingredients for Spicy Tuna Rolls

• Tuna – The most important thing when selecting tuna is that it has been processed and handled in a way that makes it safe to eat raw. These are often labeled as “sushi grade” or “sashimi grade.” It’s worth noting that there is no official grading scale for tuna in the US, so it’s up to the retailer to appropriately label their tuna. Tuna that is safe to eat raw isn’t just about freshness. It also needs to be handled properly from the dock to your table; otherwise, you risk contracting a foodborne illness. This is why it’s super important to buy your tuna from a store that you trust. As for the variety of tuna, I used Bigeye, but Yellowfin or Bluefin will work as well.  
• Sriracha – I like using sriracha as my source of heat for Spicy Tuna Rolls because it includes a little garlic, and it’s not too acidic. That being said, any Asian style hot sauce or chili paste that isn’t too sour or sweet will work. Sambal oelek and doubanjiang are two other options. 
• Soy sauce – Sriracha alone doesn’t have enough salt to season the tuna, so I like to use a little soy sauce to add salt and a lot of umami to the Spicy Tuna. 
• Sugar – Some brands of sriracha are quite sweet and do not need any additional sugar, but if you’re using brands like Huy Fong (Rooster brand), or you’re using a different hot sauce, you may want to add a bit of sugar to balance out the salt and heat. 
• Sesame Oil – I like adding a bit of sesame oil to my Spicy Tuna, which gives it a warm, nutty flavor, but this is optional. 
• Scallions – Scallions add a bit of fresh crispness to the Spicy Tuna while providing a pop of color. You can also use shallots or sweet onions if you like. 
• Tobiko – This is totally optional, but I love adding a bit of tobiko, which adds the poppy texture of the flying fish roe. If roe isn’t your thing, you can also add other textural ingredients like fried onions, nuts, or sesame seeds. 
• Sushi Rice – I have a whole sushi rice tutorial you can check out on the proper way to select, wash, cook and season rice for sushi. 
• Nori – I usually start with whole sheets of unseasoned nori and cut it to the right size, depending on the type of sushi I am making. When selecting nori, you want to look for sheets that are uniform in grain and thickness and almost black in color with just a hint of green. Green nori or nori that’s semi-translucent is a sign of cheap nori. A reddish tint indicates the nori is old. 
• Cucumber – For my Uramaki style rolls, I like to add a little cucumber for color and texture. I used Japanese cucumbers, but any thin-skinned cucumber, like Lebanese, Persian, or English (a.k.a. hothouse) will work. If cucumbers aren’t your thing, avocado and crispy tempura batter are some other good options. 
• Black Sesame – I like to sprinkle some black sesame seeds on the outside of Uramaki rolls for a little extra texture and visual appeal. Other options include tobiko or fried onions.

How to Make Spicy Tuna Rolls

Spicy Tuna

To make the Spicy Tuna, the first thing you want to do is chop up the scallions. I usually use the stems (white part) in the Spicy Tuna mixture and save the leaves (green part) to use as a garnish. 

Then you need to mince up the tuna. The best way to do this is to cut the tuna into long thin strips and then turn the strips 90 degrees to chop it into cubes. You can then go back over the tuna repeatedly with the knife to mince it as finely as you like. I usually like to leave a little bit of the texture, so I don’t mince it too finely, but this is up to you. I also mince in the scallion stems with the tuna to make sure they’re nice and fine. 

Now you can put the minced tuna mixture into a bowl and add the sriracha, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and tobiko. Then it’s just a matter of stirring this all together until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Be sure to keep the Spicy Tuna filling covered and refrigerated until you are ready to use it. 

How to Cut Nori For Sushi

A full sheet of nori is approximately 8-inches x 7-inches (20cm x 18cm). Most rolls require the sheets to be cut in half, so they are 4-inches wide. You can do this with a sharp knife or scissors. 

For Gunkan, the half sheets need to have 1-inch trimmed off one end, and then the remaining rectangle should be cut into 3 long strips. See the diagram above for more details. 

How to Make Tezu

Tezu(手酢) literally means “hand vinegar” and is used to keep your hand wet while making sushi, so the rice doesn’t stick to them. It’s made by mixing a few tablespoons of rice vinegar into a small bowl of water. The vinegar prevents the taste of the rice from getting watered down. 

How to Make Uramaki Sushi

Uramaki rolls have the rice on the outside, so it’s important to use a sushi mat that’s been wrapped in plastic to keep the rice from sticking to the mat. 

Place a sheet of nori at the edge of the mat, then wet your hands with Tezu and grab a handful of rice. Use your fingers on both hands to place a row of rice along the nori’s top edge from one side to the other. 

Making sure to keep your hands wet at all times, use the tips of your fingers to spread the row of rice from the top edge of the nori all the way to the bottom edge. Think of this as picking and placing the rice rather than smearing it as you want to spread it without smashing the individual grains. You also want to make sure you get the rice all the way to the edges of the nori in a thin, even layer (you should almost be able to see the nori through the rice). 

Sprinkle the black sesame seeds evenly over the surface of the rice, and then use the nori to flip the rice over so the nori is facing up. 

Add a strip of cucumber across the center of the nori, and then spread some Spicy Tuna on top of the cucumber. Uramaki gives you a little more runway to add extra filling than Hosomaki, but it’s still important not to overload it, or your roll won’t seal shut. My recommendation is to start with less filling and slowly increase the amount as a small roll is easier to roll. 

To roll the Spicy Tuna Uramaki, lift the bottom edge of the mat up and over the filling and make sure the rice makes contact with the nori on the other side. Then you want to lift the edge of the mat away from the rice and push the back of the mat to roll the roll onto its seam. Cover the roll with the mat, and then press on all sides to give the roll its final shape. You want to apply enough pressure to get the rice to adhere, but you don’t want to overdo it, or the filling will squeeze out of the sides of the roll. 

How to make Hosomaki Sushi

Hosomaki is made in a similar way to Uramaki, but there are a few key differences. 

Since the nori will be on the outside, you need to make sure you place the nori at the bottom edge of the sushi mat with the shiny side facing down. 

When you’re placing the rice on the nori, use a little bit less rice than for Uramaki, and leave a 1/3-inch border of nori at the top. This allows you to seal the roll shut without having rice showing through the seam. 

Once the row of rice is in place, spread it down to the bottom edge of the nori, but be sure to leave the margin of nori at the top. 

Spread the Spicy Tuna in a thin row just below the center of the rice. Because you have less surface area to work with in this roll, it’s important to limit the amount of filling you add, or the roll will not seal shut. 

To roll the Spicy Tuna Hosomaki, roll the bottom edge of the mat up and over the filling and make sure the nori’s edge makes contact with the edge of the rice. Use the mat to roll the roll onto its seam, and then use your fingers to press the roll’s top and sides into its final shape. 

How to make Spicy Tuna Gunkan 

Gunkan is made with a minimal amount of rice at the bottom of a ring of nori, so the first thing you want to do is wet your hands with Tezu and grab a small ball of rice (about 2 tablespoons). Then you can use your fingers to shape it into a rectangle about the size and thickness of two dominos. 

Wrap the strips of nori cut for Gunkan around the rice. Then wet the top of your finger and press the rice from on top, which will round out the rice’s shape and fill out the nori. 

Use a spoon to scoop the spicy tuna filling into the Gunkan, and then garnish the top with some scallion greens or chives. 

How to cut a sushi rolls

Ideally, you want a long sharp knife to cut rolls without smashing or tearing them apart. You also want to prepare a wet paper towel to keep your knife wet, so the rice does not stick to it as you cut the rolls. 

This technique works for both Hosomaki and Uramaki. 

First, cut the Spicy Tuna Roll in half. 

Then line up the two halves. Wet the knife after each cut and slice the halves into thirds. 

Flip the cut Spicy Tuna Rolls so upwards. Be sure to have the end pieces facing upwards, or they will not stand up properly. 

Other Sushi Recipes

• Sushi Rice
• California Roll
• Caterpillar Roll
• Hand Rolls (Temaki)

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