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Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna

Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna reads umami 5.8, richness 5.4 and salinity 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Japanese main, about 2 hr 6 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.8 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.9 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 3.7 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.1 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.6 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 3.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 5.8 · Richness 5.4 · Salinity 4.8 · Sweetness 4.4 · Nutty 3.9 · Heat 3.6 · Sourness 3.5 · Marine & Briny 2.8 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Herbaceous 2.2 · Allium 1.7 · Fruity 1.5 · Earthy 1.0 · Bitterness 0.9 · Citrus 0.7

What's in it (14)

• cold cooked rice — 177 g
• water — 296 g
• rice wine vinegar — 33 g
• granulated sugar — 13 g
• salt — 5 g
• oil — 82 g
• solid white tuna — 340 g
• mayonnaise — 54 g
• sriracha — 30 g
• dark sesame oil — 5 g
• soy sauce — 15 g
• scallions — 200 g
• jalapeo peppers — 100 g
• ground toasted sesame seeds — 5 g

Time & effort: about 2 hr 6 min (26 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 141.7 kcal, 7.4 g protein, 9.5 g fat, 6.1 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Rinse the sushi rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, about 1 minute. Combine with the water in a small saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until all the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, 15-18 minutes.
2. Remove the rice from the heat and let it stand, covered, 10 minutes so it finishes steaming.
3. While the rice stands, warm the rice vinegar, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan over low heat just until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute; do not let it boil.
4. Fold the warm vinegar mixture into the hot rice with a rubber spatula, cutting rather than stirring to avoid mashing the grains, until evenly coated. Spread the rice in an even 3/4-inch layer on a plastic-wrap-lined quarter sheet pan or in an 8-inch square dish, pressing it down firmly so it packs into a solid block.
5. Let the rice cool at room temperature 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until firm enough to slice cleanly, at least 1 hour.
6. While the rice chills, stir together the diced tuna, mayonnaise, sriracha, sesame oil, soy sauce, and half the scallions in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
7. Turn the chilled rice block out onto a cutting board and cut into 12 rectangles, about 2 by 3 inches.
8. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, pan-fry the rice rectangles until deeply golden and crisp on the first side, 3-4 minutes, then flip and crisp the second side, 3-4 minutes more, adding more of the remaining oil to the pan between batches.
9. Transfer the crispy rice to a wire rack or paper-towel-lined plate and season lightly with salt while still hot.
10. Top each crispy rice square with a spoonful of the spicy tuna, then finish with a slice of jalapeño, a drizzle of soy sauce, and a scattering of the remaining scallions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately, while the rice is still hot and crisp.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Seared Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl — American · Hawaiian
• Spicy Tuna Donburi — Japanese
• Kimchi Fried Rice with Spam — Korean
• Spicy Szechuan Shrimp — Chinese · Sichuan
• Dongtae Jeon (Pan-Fried Pollack in Egg Batter) — Korean

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.