Spicy Fish Handroll
Photo Credit: Oriana Poindexter. These handrolls are made with the spoon meat from California Yellowtail, but you can use a wide array of fresh, local species
Ingredients
½ lb fresh raw fish scraps (may be scraped from backbone, behind head, or made of trim pieces)
4 sheets nori, cut in half on the long edge to make 8 pieces
½ avocado, thinly sliced
1 small cocktail or persian cucumber, julienned
2 tablespoon Kewpie Mayo
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 ½ cups freshly steamed white short-grain rice
2 teaspoons rice vinegar, unseasoned
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
Dash of chili oil (optional)
2 tablespoons Masago (optional)
Microgreens for garnish (optional)
Photo Credit: Oriana Poindexter. Mix together your minced fish, mayo, sriracha, and masago, if using.
This is a popular filling for sushi rolls and handrolls alike. Typically, people encounter it made with tuna or yellowtail (as pictured), but it is versatile to any fish that you may be planning to eat raw. If you have purchased high-quality local fish that you intend to prepare for raw consumption, consider this recipe to make use of scraps and any meat that can be scraped from the bones. Large whole fish will yield a good deal of meat for this preparation. It is a rewarding experience to take pieces of fish that you may not have originally had a use for, and transform it into something so delicious and visually appealing.
Photo Credit: Oriana Poindexter. Only one side of the nori sheet should have toppings, so that the other side can be rolled over to create the signature cone shape of a handroll.
How to Prepare:
Combine steamed rice, sugar, salt, and rice vinegar in a bowl and mix. If rice is hot, leave it out for the next step to allow it to cool
Mince fish scraps finely and evenly and transfer to a bowl. Add sriracha, mayo, optional chili oil, and thoroughly mix. Fold in masago and set the bowl aside in the fridge to chill.
Lay out nori sheets and use a rice paddle or spoon to add an equal quantity of rice to each sheet. Only place the rice on one side of the sheet, it should take on a square shape. Keep the amount of rice minimal so that it does not overwhelm the fish.
Add a spoonful of spicy fish on top of the rice and gently tease it into a diagonal line across the rice square. Divide julienned cucumber into 8 equal quantities and top the fish. Add a slice of avocado.
Wrap the rest of the nori sheet around the filling to create a hand roll, with one end open and the other closed in a point. (Tip: use a piece of rice to glue the hand roll closed)
Garnish with microgreens and enjoy!