The Spicy Tuna Roll is the best roll for the sushi connoisseur who fancies a bit of spice in their life. This sushi recipe is very easy to make and allows for various levels of spice.
Here is a list of ingredients you will need:
- Fresh Big Eye tuna
- Chili sauce
- Nori (seaweed)
- Sushi Rice
- Shichimi Togarashi (seven spice)
- Tobiko (Flying fish roe)- optional
- Scallions or green onions- optional
- Sesame oil– optional
**Disclaimer- Due to tuna being on the sustainable sushi advisory list, it is highly recommended that tuna be avoided (canned tuna as well). Tuna populations, world wide, have dropped by 70%. The only types of tuna considered to be sustainable is troll or pole-caught Big Eye, Yellowfin, and Skipjack.
Tuna is close to the top of the fish food chain and they have been known to contain very high levels of Mercury. Women who are pregnant or nursing and young children should consume with caution.**
The majority of sushi bars in America will make a Spicy Tuna Roll mix, which they pull from every time they need to make the roll. Making a mix is the best way to ensure that the spice level and flavor is consistent.
So I will briefly describe how to make the mix:
1. First, you want to slice your tuna into small (approx. 1 cm) cubes. Don’t worry if they aren’t perfectly shaped.
Next, you want to put your tuna into a bowl and add your favorite chili sauce according to taste. Typically, I use a 1 tablespoon (1/2 oz.) of chili sauce per 1/2 lb of tuna (227 g).
After you add the chili sauce, it’s time to add the Shichimi Togarashi. You can find this wonderful spice mix at your local Asian market.
Stir the mix in with the chili sauce to make sure that the spices are mix thoroughly.
Finally, you can add any other ingredients you see fit. I, personally, add some finely chopped scallions, a little bit of sesame oil, and a dash of red Tobiko for extra texture. Again, make sure these ingredients are spread throughout the mix.
Once you have made your perfect Spicy Tuna Roll mix, it’s time to roll! I always place the mix in the center of the nori, about an inch thick across the entire length, and throw in a couple of pieces of crisp cucumber to really round out the roll.
For detailed instructions on How to Roll Sushi, click on the link!
