Ingredients
2 Persian cucumbers, peeled and julienned
1/2 tsp. rice wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 (5-oz.) cans tuna packed in water, drained
1/4 c. mayonnaise (preferably Kewpie)
3 tbsp. Sriracha
1 tsp. togarashi (optional)
6 nori sheets
4 c. prepared sushi rice, divided
1 avocado, sliced 1/3" thick
Black and white sesame seeds and thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Preparation
Step 1In a medium bowl, toss cucumbers, vinegar, and salt. In another medium bowl, mix tuna, mayonnaise, Sriracha, and togarashi (if using).Step 2On a bamboo mat, lay 1 nori sheet. Using dampened hands, spread 2/3 c. rice evenly across 80% of the nori, leaving an uncovered border at end farthest from you. Working at end closest to you, arrange 3 tbsp. tuna mixture in a straight line horizontally on top of rice. Top tuna mixture with strips of cucumber and avocado.Step 3Lift bamboo mat from end closest to you and use it to guide edge of rice into a tight spiral. Squeeze firmly along mat to compact roll, then continue rolling in a spiral log to seal edge. Repeat with remaining ingredients.Step 4Let roll sit 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.
An important part of making any type of sushi is finessing the rice. Use a short-grain white rice and make it according to our sushi rice instructions. Each grain should be pearly and separate yet tacky enough to be handled with damp hands and pressed onto your nori. Can you use just any kind of cooked rice? Yes and no. Using canned tuna is already pretty sacrilegious to traditional sushi, so we’re obviously not going for an authentic vibe here. But using properly made sushi rice—correct rice-to-water ratio, correct technique, and adequate seasoning—will make your time assembling this roll a lot easier and your end results a lot more delicious. To spice up our tuna, I used sriracha and mayo. If you already have spicy mayo on hand, perfect, use it! If you have to make it from scratch, I’d highly recommend Kewpie mayo, which contains MSG and adds that extra bump of umami into the mix. You can also use sambal oelek to turn up the spice level! Once you’ve made a roll, drop us your thoughts in the comments down below!
