Crispy Rice & Spicy Tuna Bites
Ben and I went to Panama a couple of years ago. During our time on a small island off Bocas del Toro named Bastimentos, we had an amazing afternoon/dinner at a little B&B called The Firefly.
This place was seriously amazing- the food, the vibe and the views! Since then, we’ve always talked about recreating this delicious small plate.
These bites have everything a good tapas dish should- spice, crunch and fat! The crispy rice cakes are the perfect vessel for the spicy tuna. I added a little avocado for an extra texture and flavor element. I did some experimenting with the sushi rice, to get it nice and crispy. I found that coating it in a little flour really does the trick. If you are gluten free, you can try tossing it with corn starch. If you need a recipe for the Sushi Rice, check out my recipe HERE.
Crispy Sushi Rice & Spicy Tuna Bites
Ingredients
- 2 c Cooked Sushi Rice see link for recipe in post
- 1/2 c flour or corn starch
- 4 c Canola or Coconut Oil
- 1/2 lb Sushi-Grade Ahi Tuna small diced
- 2 T Sriracha Sauce
- 2 T Soy Sauce
- 2 T Cilantro chopped
- 1 Avocado smashed
- 1 T lime juice
- 1/2 t salt
- Black Sesame Seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Shape 2 tablespoons of sushi rice into a small rectangle, toss with flour and repeat with remaining rice.
- Heat oil in a small pot to 400F.
- Fry rice bites 2-3 at a time until crispy. Do not over fry, or they will become soggy.
- Combine tuna, Sriracha, soy sauce and chopped cilantro- stirring well to combine.
- Add lime juice and salt to smashed avocado and set aside.
- To assemble the dish, spread 1/2 T avocado on each rice bite and top with 1 T spicy tuna.
- Garnish with black sesame seeds.
What a great dish.I’ll bet this will be a standout at our next party!