fortification fridays -- spicy tuna rolls

I've been a big fan of spicy tuna rolls for many years. They drove me crazy until I figured out the secret ingredient: sriracha hot sauce, the Thai stuff you see on the tables at Vietnamese and Chinese restaurants. Some of the upscale sushi places use the traditional Japanese hot spice mix called togarashi (7-spice powder), but more often than not, the red stuff is sriracha. A couple of weeks ago, we ate at a Japanese restaurant in town that is rather out of the way, tucked into a strip mall between a Wal-Mart and a Goodwill. The sushi, surprisingly, was quite good. They had what they called a crunchy spicy tuna roll. Usually, I hate the fancy rolls because they are a mishmash of flavors, are either deep fried or brushed in teriyaki sauce or topped with Japanese mayonnaise, one of the foulest concoctions ever. But this crunchy roll was delish. The little crunchy bits of tempura batter were tiny and subtle, just adding a bit of texture. I've been craving them ever since.

If you would like to know how to make sushi rice, roll sushi rolls, learn sushi etiquette, or you’re just interested in the history of sushi, see this link.

Please don't put mayonnaise on sushi; some restaurants now skip a step and just glop some srirachi-flavored mayo on top of a tekka-maki or tuna roll. Gross.

Spicy tuna rolls

Serves: 4 with other sushi or appetizers
Kitchen Needs: rice cooker for rice, food processor

1/2 lb. Sashimi-grade tuna, raw
1 t. sriracha
1 t. sesame oil (you may also add some chili oil for extra spice)
1 t. soy sauce
4 green onions, white parts only, finely chopped
a few good shakes of white pepper
salt to taste
optional and delicious: 1 T. tobiko (flying fish roe, available fresh or frozen)

Cut tuna into 2-inch cubes for food processor. Add to food processor and pulse until chopped roughly. Place fish into bowl and mix with other ingredients. Taste for spiciness and salt. Serve in rolls with avocado or with slices of cucumber wrapped around a bit of spicy tuna mixture, secured by a toothpick.

(Image courtesy of someone on web -- I didn't record the URL, and I can't find it again :( . If you know where it's from, please let me know!)