Happy Sunday! Today I have a fun dish that is a riff on a delicious appetizer you can often find at Japanese restaurants. Typically, the fish that tops the crispy rice is raw tuna or salmon mixed with mayo and Sriracha sauce, but I am mixing it up a bit by making these Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice Bites with canned salmon. Sushi-grade salmon can be hard to find, or maybe raw fish isn’t your thing…you can still enjoy this dish with cooked fish. So let’s get to it!
The Summary
Today we are making a Japanese Restaurant appetizer: Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice Bites
Be sure to find the shoppable key ingredients and equipment at the end of the post
Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice Bites
Sushi Rice
Start by cooking the rice. We are starting with 2 cups of uncooked sushi rice. When the rice is cooked according to the package directions, add 3 cups of the hot, cooked rice to a large glass bowl.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon mirin and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Mix until the salt is dissolved. Then pour the mixture over the hot rice and use a rice spatula to mix the liquid into the rice until the rice has absorbed the vinegar mixture.
Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with plastic wrap. Then use the rice paddle to press the rice into the pan. Cover and let it sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.
Spicy Salmon Salad
While the rice is chilling, make the salmon salad. The mayo and Sriracha ratios are up to your personal taste. I am using a mixture of yuzu mayo and regular mayo. Without the yuzu mayo, just add a squeeze of lemon juice.
I am starting with 1 tablespoon each of the yuzu and the regular mayonnaise. One tablespoon of the Sriracha sauce and one sliced scallion. Give this a good mix and add more mayo, Sriracha, and lemon juice to taste.
Then stir in one teaspoon each, wasabi paste, toasted sesame oil, and soy sauce. Taste and add more of any mix-in to your taste. Cover the salmon salad and refrigerate until you’re ready to use.
Prep and Fry the Rice
When the rice is fully cooled and set, turn it out on a cutting board and remove the plastic wrap. Wetting a sharp knife between each cut, cut the square of rice into 20-25 equal rectangles.
Pour enough neutral oil (like grapeseed or vegetable oil) to cover the bottom of a large nonstick pan. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot add as many rice rectangles as you can comfortably flip without overcrowding the pan. Fry the rice rectangles on each side for 4-6 minutes, or until golden. Place the fried rice bites on a paper towel-lined plate and repeat the frying process for the remaining rice bites.
Arrange the fried rice bites on a serving plate and top each rectangle with about 1 tablespoon of the salmon salad.
Finishing Touches
Top the Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice Bites with Togarashi seasoning, a dot of wasabi paste and toasted sesame seeds. Top with more sliced scallion if desired. Serve with sushi ginger alongside.
I love these little Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice Bites! They’re so full of flavor; the crispy exterior and soft interior of the fried rice is such a satisfying texture combination along with the umami-rich salmon salad. I hope you give these fun appetizers a try! They also make a great light lunch along with a bowl of miso soup. Take care and be well, xo Kelly
Key Ingredients and Equipment
Wasabi Paste | Togarashi Seasoning | Zojirushi Rice Cooker | Mirin | Rice Vinegar | Sushi Ginger (pack of 2) | Yuzu Mayonnaise | Sriracha Sauce (pack of 2)
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