If you loved the viral sushi taco trend, these Tempura Sushi Taquitos are a handheld alternative. Seasoned sushi rice is rolled in nori and fried in a light tempura batter for a crisp shell. Serve them topped with your choice of creamy spicy tuna or cured spicy salmon, drizzled with eel sauce and a side of ponzu.
Eel Sauce: Combine soy sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until the liquid coats the back of a spoon, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to an ice bath or refrigerator to cool completely.
1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup rice vinegar
Rice: Rinse your rice until the water runs clear. Cook according to package instructions. Combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl. Mix that into the hot rice and let cool.
1 cup calrose rice, 1 1/2 water, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 2 tsp sugar, 1 pinch salt
Ponzu Sauce: Mix the soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, yuzu, bonito flakes, and cane sugar. Let sit.
Spicy Tuna Topping:Mix your salt and sugar. Place the tuna on a wire rack with a baking sheet underneath and sprinkle the salt/sugar mixture all over both sides of your salmon. Place the salmon on the cooling rack and put in the fridge for 15-30 minutes to cure. When done, rinse and dry well.Mix the finely chopped sushi-grade tuna with Japanese mayonnaise, sriracha, lemon zest, chives, sesame oil, soy sauce, and sugar in a mixing bowl until well combined. Cover and refrigerate.
Spicy Salmon Topping: Mix your salt and sugar. Place the salmon on a wire rack with a baking sheet underneath and sprinkle the salt/sugar mixture all over both sides of your salmon. Place the salmon on the cooling rack and put in the fridge for 15-30 minutes to cure. When done, rinse and dry well.Chop the salmon really small and add to a bowl. Mix in the Japanese mayo, lemon zest, jalapeno, yuzu kasha sesame oil, soy sauce, and cane sugar until well combined. Cover and refrigerate.
Roll the Nori: Place a nori rectangle flat on a work surface. With wet fingers, press 2 tablespoons of cooked rice on the edge of the strip. Roll the nori tightly from the bottom up into a neat cylinder. Seal the bare edge with a dab of water. Repeat with remaining nori and rice.
4 nori sheets
Preheat the Oil: Fill a heavy-bottomed pot with 2 inches of neutral oil. Heat to 350°F (175°C). Set a wire cooling rack over a baking sheet.
neutral oil
Mix the Batter: Combine the all-purpose flour and potato starch in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the cold vodka and cold sparkling water in a separate bowl. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Whisk lightly just until combined.
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup potato starch, 3 tbsp vodka, 3/4 cup sparkling water
Tempura Tips:• Keep your wet ingredients ice-cold and wait to combine your batter until the exact second you are ready to dip! • Do not over-mix. It should take you one minute at most to bring it together. • A few lumps are epic, they give you that light crispy texture.• Don’t overcrowd the pot while frying and make sure you let the oil come back up to temperature between batches.
Fry the Rolls: Dip into the cold tempura batter, shake off the excess and carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry in batches until crispy and light golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the wire rack to drain.
Assemble: Pipe your topping choice on top of the tempura rollups. Top the tuna with eel sauce and toasted black sesame seeds. The salmon is topped with eel sauce and chives. Serve with a side of the ponzu sauce and that is it!
eel sauce, chives, toasted black sesame seeds, ponzu sauce