This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Scallop Crispy Rice 🌶️ for ep.7 of my restaurant series… If you me, you know that know that I am obsessed with crispy rice. It is obviously inspired by Nobu. Their tuna crispy rice is my go to order. One of my favorite things about it is that it is so versatile, you can pretty much top it with your favorite fish or proteins and play around with different toppings. This one is one of my favorite ones to date.
If you loved this recipe, check out my Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice!
Why You’ll Love Scallop Crispy Rice
You know I LOVE crispy rice, because of how versatile it is. This one is EPIC! You know that I love scallops, and along with crispy rice, it’s absolute perfection. The flavors and texture are sublime. It’s herby, crispy and delicious.
How To Prepare Scallop Crispy Rice
🍚 First, wash the rice really well and add to your rice cooker with 1 cup of water and the kombu strip.
🧂 Secondly, mix together 2 tbsp rice vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt. Then, season the rice.
❄️ Place rice on a cookie sheet and press pretty well, you want about 1/2 in thickness. Then, cover with plastic wrap and press really well. Freeze for 1-2 hours. You want it hard but not frozen solid.
🔥 Then, add 1/2 in of oil to a pan and heat up until the bottom of a wooden spoon is bubbling. Fry the rice until golden, about 7-8 minutes on first side. Then, flip and fry 3 minutes on the other. You want one side a bit softer.
🔪 Cut the foot off the scallops and season.
🫒 Preheat a pan for 2 minutes on high. Add some olive oil.
🐟 Sear the scallops, giving them a lil shake. Let them sit unbothered for 3-5 minutes depending on size. Flip and sear another 30-60 seconds.
🥘 Remove from pan.
🌶 Add in remaining rice vinegar and let it reduce a bit. Then, add in agave, sriracha and sesame oil. Let that reduce by about 1/3. Add in soy sauce and cook another 30 seconds. It should be visibly thicker.
🧈 Then, kill the heat, add in butter and emulsify.
❤️ Lastly, spoon a bit of the sauce over the softer side of the crispy rice, top with the scallop, more sauce, chives and Fresno.
Substitutions and Variations for Scallop Crispy Rice
- You can use any fish, seafood, veggies or protein of your choice instead of scallops, such as salmon, tuna, steak, etc!
- You can use any peppers of your choice instead of Fresno peppers.
- You can use avocado oil to fry the rice instead of olive oil.
Chef Nadia’s Tip
When buying scallops try to get ‘dry’ vs ‘wet’ because they will sear & taste better but also you won’t be getting scallops that have been injected with water.
Chef Nadia’s Tips 🔥
- I like to take a blow dryer or a fan on COOL and dry surface on both sides to draw out moisture and get a nice hard sear. You can leave it uncovered in the fridge for a couple hours.
- Always use sushi rice for crispy rice.
- Pack the rice pretty tightly before freezing.
Similar Recipes
Common Questions
You can find sushi rice as Calrose, japonica, Japanese sushi rice or California sushi rice.
I use Calrose Rice by Botan.
You can use any fish, seafood, veggies or protein of your choice, such as salmon, tuna, steak, etc!
You can, but it won’t stick together like sushi rice does.
Yes of course! You can use avocado oil instead.
Scallop Crispy Rice
Ingredients
- 8 U-10 scallops
- 3/4 cup sushi rice, I used Calrose
- 6 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp cane sugar
- 1 kombu strip
- 1.5 tbsp Tamari , or soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2.5 tbsp agave syrup
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- 3 tbsp butter, unsalted
- Chives, to taste
- Fresno chiles , for topping
- Olive oil , for frying the rice
Instructions
- First, wash the rice really well and add to your rice cooker with 1 cup of water and the kombu strip.
- Secondly, mix together 2 tbsp rice vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt. Then, season the rice.
- Place rice on a cookie sheet and press pretty well, you want about 1/2 in thickness. Then, cover with plastic wrap and press really well. Freeze for 1-2 hours. You want it hard but not frozen solid.
- Then, add 1/2 in of oil to a pan and heat up until the bottom of a wooden spoon is bubbling. Fry the rice until golden, about 7-8 minutes on first side. Then, flip and fry 3 minutes on the other. You want one side a bit softer.
- Cut the foot off the scallops and season.
- Preheat a pan for 2 minutes on high. Add some olive oil.
- Sear the scallops, giving them a lil shake. Let them sit unbothered for 3-5 minutes depending on size. Flip and sear another 30-60 seconds.
- Remove from pan.
- Add in remaining rice vinegar and let it reduce a bit. Then, add in agave, sriracha and sesame oil. Let that reduce by about 1/3. Add in soy sauce and cook another 30 seconds. It should be visibly thicker.
- Then, kill the heat, add in butter and emulsify.
- Lastly, spoon a bit of the sauce over the softer side of the crispy rice, top with the scallop, more sauce, chives and Fresno.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
