Crispy Rice Tartare Flight (Tuna, Salmon, and Yellowtail)
Crispy fried sushi rice cubes served with a trio of raw fish tartares - yellowtail with jalapeño and yuzu, spicy tuna, and salmon with salsa macha - alongside homemade eel sauce.
Equipment
- rice cooker (recommended), or saucepan with lid
- 2 Rimmed baking sheets
- plastic wrap
- small saucepan
- heavy bottomed pot, or deep skillet, for frying
- wire rack
- Sharp knife
- toothpicks or cocktail picks
- 3 small serving bowls
Ingredients
Crispy Rice
- 1 3/4 cups sushi rice short grain
- 2 1/2 cups water + 2 tablespoons
- 1 kombu strip optional
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 3/4 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 3/4 tablespoon potato starch
- avocado oil for frying
Fish Cure
- 6 tablespoons kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Eel Sauce
- 1/3 cup tamari
- 1/3 cup mirin
- 1/3 cup cane sugar
Spicy Tuna Tartare
- 8 oz sushi-grade tuna finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 lemon zest only
- 1 tablespoons chives finely chopped, plus more for topping
Salmon Tartare
- 8 oz sushi-grade salmon finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon salsa macha or chili crisp
- 2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon soy
- 2 tablespoons chives finely chopped
- 1 lemon zest only
- 1 teaspoon black and toasted sesame seeds for topping
Yellowtail Tartare
- 8 oz sushi-grade yellowtail finely chopped
- 2 scallions chopped
- 2 teaspoons yuzu juice
- 1.5 teaspoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Japanese mayonnaise
- 1 lemon zest only
- 1 jalapeño seeded and chopped, plus 1 slice for topping
Instructions
- Cook the Rice: Rinse your rice until the water runs clear. Add the rice, water (kombu if using) and salt to a rice cooker or saucepan.• If using a rice cooker: Cook on the standard white rice setting. Once finished, turn to warm, and let the rice sit for 10 minutes before opening the lid. Remove and discard the kombu before seasoning.• If using a saucepan: Bring everything to a boil over medium heat, cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let the rice steam, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the kombu before seasoning.1 3/4 cups sushi rice, 2 1/2 cups water, 1 kombu strip, 1 pinch salt
- Season: Stir the sugar and rice vinegar together in a small bowl until dissolved. Add the vinegar mixture and potato starch to the hot rice and fold until evenly combined throughout.2 teaspoons sugar, 2 3/4 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 3/4 tablespoon potato starch
- Press and Chill: Line a rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap. Press the seasoned rice firmly into an even layer about ¾ inch thick. Press the rice down well and cover with plastic wrap. Set a second baking sheet on top, and weight it lightly. Refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours, then transfer to the freezer for 30 minutes until firm but not frozen solid.
- Cure the Fish: Mix your salt and sugar. Place all three fish on a wire rack with a baking sheet underneath and sprinkle the salt/sugar mixture all over both sides. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes to cure. When done, rinse and dry well.6 tablespoons kosher salt, 3 tablespoons sugar
- Make the Eel Sauce: Combine the tamari, mirin, and cane 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 the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Transfer to a small serving bowl.1/3 cup tamari, 1/3 cup mirin, 1/3 cup cane sugar
- Fry the Rice: Cut the chilled rice slab into 1-inch squares. Heat a thin layer of avocado oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the squares one side at a time without moving them, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, until a light golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to drain. Insert a toothpick into each piece.avocado oil
- Make the Tartares:• Spicy Tuna Tartare - Combine the tuna, mayonnaise, sriracha, sesame oil, sugar, soy sauce, chives, and lemon zest. Top with chives.• Salmon Tartare - Combine the salmon, salsa macha, mayonnaise, sesame oil, chives, and lemon zest. Top with sesame seeds.• Yellowtail Tartare - Combine the yellowtail, scallions, yuzu juice, soy sauce, mayonnaise, lemon zest, and jalapeño. Top with a jalapeño slice.• Cover all three bowls and refrigerate until ready to serve.8 oz sushi-grade tuna, 2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons sriracha, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 lemon, 1 tablespoons chives, 8 oz sushi-grade salmon, 1 tablespoon salsa macha, 2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon soy, 2 tablespoons chives, 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon black and toasted sesame seeds, 8 oz sushi-grade yellowtail, 2 scallions, 2 teaspoons yuzu juice, 1.5 teaspoons soy sauce, 2 teaspoons Japanese mayonnaise, 1 lemon, 1 jalapeño
- To Serve: Arrange the crispy rice on a board or platter alongside the three tartare bowls and the eel sauce. Serve immediately with the tartares straight from the refrigerator.
Note: Keep tartare bowls refrigerated until the board is ready to serve. Raw fish should not sit at room temperature for longer than 2 hours - reduce that to 1 hour if serving outdoors in warm weather. Set bowls over crushed ice if the board will be out for an extended period.
Nutrition
Calories: 441kcal, Carbohydrates: 55g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 6177mg, Potassium: 443mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 785IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 41mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.