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Crispy rice with spicy tuna made Nobu-style, topped with a creamy raw spicy tuna mixture and finished with a light drizzle of eel sauce for a crisp-bottomed, sushi-inspired bite that’s rich and savory.
About the Taste
This is my ode to Nobu. If you know me at all, you know I’m obsessed with their crispy rice bites. I’ve made this version more times than I can count, tweaking it every single time. After years of testing, it finally hit exactly how I want it, and the spicy tuna topping is the perfect texture to pair with it.
When you bite into this one, you first taste that silky, spicy tuna finished with a sweet-savory eel sauce. It’s rich, salty, a little sweet, and super satisfying. Then you get that crunch, that perfectly crispy bite that is most amazing texture with the creamy tuna. It’s just like eating these bites at Nobu but a fraction of the cost which makes it taste that much better!
Table of Contents
Prep the Ingredients
The Crispy Rice and Seasoning
Sushi Rice | Water | Kombu | Salt | Sugar | Vinegar | Potato Starch
Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear. Measure the water, kombu, salt, sugar, vinegar, and potato starch so everything is ready to use as soon as it finishes cooking. The rice needs to chill at least 5 hours so your crispy rice holds together when you fry it.
The Spicy Tuna
Ahi Tuna | Japanese Mayonnaise | Sriracha | Chives | Sesame Oil | Tamari | Sugar
Keep the tuna very cold and pat it dry. Chop the chives finely and measure all remaining ingredients. This should be combined pretty close to serving.
The Toppings
Avocado Oil | Serrano Peppers | Avocado | Chives
Slice the Serrano peppers thinly, cut the avocado into small wedges, and chop the additional chives.
Ingredient Swaps
- Tuna: Salmon, yellowtail, or toro all work here as long as they are sushi-grade. The texture will change slightly depending on fat content, but the dish still holds together well.
- Avocado Oil: Swap your avocado oil for any neutral high-heat point oil that you prefer.
- Japanese Mayonnaise: Regular mayonnaise can be used if needed. Stir in a small splash of rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar to soften the flavor and get it closer in balance.
Similar Recipes
- Tuna Crispy Rice: Crispy rice formed into bite-sized rounds and topped with a simple tuna mixture. This version is lighter and more straightforward, letting the contrast between crispy rice and clean tuna shine.
- Toro Crispy Rice: An indulgent take using rich, buttery toro that melts into the warm crispy rice.
- Smoked Salmon Crispy Rice: Smoked salmon replaces raw fish for a deeper, savory profile, finished with creamy and briny elements. A great option when you want the crispy rice format without going raw.
Nadia’s Tips
- If you find that your crispy rice falls apart, make sure you are following these tips:
- Always use sushi rice! Any type will work. Calrose, japonica, Japanese or California are all great. These are stickier than regular rice and meant for holding things together.
- I have found that using a rice cooker gives me the best results. The consistency comes out better for me.
- Don’t skip the potato starch. It makes them more durable and crispy coating that is less prone to becoming soggy or chewy.
- Make sure you pack the rice as tightly as you can before refrigerating to prevent it from falling apart later.
- When you are getting ready to fry these bites, set them in the properly heating oil and don’t touch them until they are ready to be flipped. They need to crisp up before they are handled or you risk them falling apart.
- If you want more details, I have a page fully dedicated on how to make this crispy rice that you should check out.
The Perfect Pairings
Cucumbertini: Cold, crisp, and very clean. The cucumber and citrus keep things sharp and refreshing alongside rich, savory bites.
Miso Black Cod: Sweet-savory, silky, and deeply umami. This works great as the main that follows your crispy rice bites and it’s another Nobu inspired recipe.
Crispy Shiitake Salad: Crunchy shiitakes, greens, and a punchy dressing. This adds texture and contrast and gives you that fresh bite next to your cod.
Berry Panna Cotta: Smooth, lightly set, and fruit-forward. A simple, elegant finish that closes the meal cleanly.
Crispy Rice and Spicy Tuna FAQ
I use Calrose by Botan. You can also use japonica, Japanese or California as long as it says sushi on it, it will be stickier than buying regular.
Locally, I get it at AJ’s. If you can’t find it near you, you can always find it at places like Catalina Offshore Products, Yama Seafood or Riviera Seafood Club.
I use a 2 inch cookie cutter and I just bought mine on Amazon.
The one I use is a 6½ x 9½ baking sheet.
Parts of it you can. The rice and sauce can be made the day before. Wait to pan fry the crispy rice till right before. You need to wait to slice the tuna and combine it with the other ingredients till close to serving. If you don’t, it will start to discolor and lose the silky texture after about 30 minutes out of the fridge and after a few hours in the fridge.
It makes a more durable and crispy coating that is less prone to becoming soggy or chewy.
Getting the rice right is tricky at first, but once you get it – you get it. My entire tip section addresses exactly where this can go wrong and has a link to my page that is fully about this.
Crispy Rice with Spicy Tuna
Equipment
- rice cooker, or Saucepan
- fine mesh strainer
- small saucepan
- Mixing bowls
- plastic wrap
- Heavy bottomed skillet, or frying pan
- piping bag, or spoon
Ingredients
Crispy Rice
- 1 ¼ cup sushi rice, short grain
- 1 ⅔ cup water
- 1 kombu strip, optional, but recommended
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp potato starch
- avocado oil, for frying
Eel Sauce
- ⅓ cup tamari
- ⅓ cup mirin
- ⅓ cup cane sugar
Spicy Tuna Bites
- 10-12 oz sushi-grade tuna
- 3 tbsp Japanese mayo
- 1 tbsp sriracha
- 2 tbsp chives
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp tamari
- ½ tsp sugar
Toppings
- 1 to 2 Serranos, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, cut into small wedges
- chives, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the Rice: Rinse the sushi rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Add the rice, water, kombu, and salt to a rice cooker or saucepan and cook until tender. Remove and discard the kombu.1 ¼ cup sushi rice, 1 ⅔ cup water, 1 kombu strip, 1 pinch salt
- Season the Rice: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and rice vinegar until dissolved. Mix that along with the potato starch into the hot rice until evenly combined.½ tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tbsp potato starch
- Press and Chill: Line a rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Press the rice firmly into an even layer about ¼ to ½ inch thick. Cover with plastic wrap, place another baking sheet on top, and weight it lightly. Refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours, then transfer to the freezer for 30 minutes so the rice is firm but not frozen solid.
- Make the Eel Sauce: Combine the tamari, mirin, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes until slightly thickened and able to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and let cool.⅓ cup tamari, ⅓ cup mirin, ⅓ cup cane sugar
- Prepare the Spicy Tuna: Finely chop the tuna into very small pieces. Transfer to a bowl and mix with the Japanese mayonnaise, sriracha, chives, sesame oil, tamari, and sugar until well combined.10-12 oz sushi-grade tuna, 3 tbsp Japanese mayo, 1 tbsp sriracha, 2 tbsp chives, ½ tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp tamari, ½ tsp sugar
- Cut and Fry the Rice: Remove the chilled rice slab and cut into 2 inch squares or rounds. Heat about ½ inch of avocado oil in a heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Fry the rice pieces in batches for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until deeply golden on both sides. Once the rice is in the oil, don’t touch it until it's ready to be flipped or they may fall apart. Transfer to a rack or paper towels to drain.avocado oil
- Assemble: Spoon or pipe the spicy tuna onto the crispy rice. Drizzle with eel sauce, then top with an avocado wedge, serrano slice, chopped chives, and that's it.1 to 2 Serranos, 1 avocado, chives
Kitchen Cam
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve been waiting for this from Pinterest! I’m excited to make it.
I made these for dinner tonight and they were great.
Oooo these look good. You’re making me hungry!
Hi,
I don’t have potato starch, but have cornstarch. Can I sub this instead? I tried making crispy rice using a different recipe without any extra starch added and the edges fell apart while frying so I wanted to try your version as I’m assuming the addition stabilizes it’s shape.
Thanks for your help! 🙂
Hi Lisa,
I haven’t tried it but I would think it works. I just can’t say 100% without testing. I’ve made it before without starches and they stay put. The trick is to press the rice reaaally well to it is compressed. Freeze it. Fry without messing them around. I hope that helps!
Mine stay together but don’t brown. What am I doing wrong ?
Hey Mélanie, I’m sorry that’s happening! It’s hard to tell if I’m not there watching. Off the top of my head, make sure the pan is hot enough before adding your rice (a wooden spoon handle should sizzle when dipped in). Make sure you’re leaving it in long enough to brown. I also have another recipe that is just the crispy rice. It has been perfected and is in more detail. Maybe checking that one out would help. Nobu Crispy Rice