Ingredients
Shells
- 2 full sheets sushi nori Cut each into 4 squares, 8 total
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ cup cold club soda
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 2 cups neutral frying oil Use enough for at least ½-inch depth, never fill the pan more than halfway
Filling
- 2 5-oz cans tuna in water Well drained
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tsp sriracha
- 1 avocado Thinly sliced
- ½ cucumber Cut into thin sticks
- 1 cup cooked short-grain rice Freshly cooked and cooled until no longer steaming, or safely refrigerated rice
Equipment
- 1 Deep heavy saucepan About 8 inches wide, with room above the oil
- 1 Cooking thermometer
- 1 Tongs
- 1 Wire rack over a tray
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Kitchen scissors
- 1 Knife and cutting board
- 1 set Measuring cups and spoons
Instructions
Prepare and assemble
- Mix the drained tuna with the mayonnaise and sriracha in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the shells.
- Cut each nori sheet into four squares. Whisk the flour, cornstarch and salt in a second bowl. Add the cold club soda and stir just until combined; a few small lumps are fine.
- Heat the frying oil in a deep heavy saucepan to 350°F, checking with a cooking thermometer. Keep the pan no more than halfway full and the oil at least ½ inch deep. Set a wire rack over a tray beside the stove.
- Coat one side of one nori square lightly with batter. Lower it into the oil batter-side down, away from you, and fry for about 1–2 minutes until crisp and pale golden. Use tongs to lift it out, then gently fold it diagonally into an open taco shape while still flexible. Let drain on the rack. Keep fingers away from the hot oil and shell. Repeat, adjusting the heat to maintain 350°F.
- Divide the cooked rice, chilled tuna mixture, avocado and cucumber among the eight shells. Use modest amounts so the shells close slightly without breaking. Serve immediately after filling. Keep unused perishable ingredients refrigerated.
Video
Notes
Estimated cost: USD $10.00 for the entire eight-taco recipe, about $2.50 per two-taco light serving; local prices vary. Contains fish, wheat and usually egg from mayonnaise. Check product labels for other allergens. The batter itself has no egg. Fill just before serving; refrigerate tuna filling and cooked rice promptly within two hours and use the tuna filling within two days. Video credit: SurfandTurf, How to Make Sushi Tacos: Crispy Nori Tacos with Tuna Tartare, originally uploaded January 26, 2024 (2024-01-26T06:00:45-08:00). It demonstrates the same one-sided tempura nori shell and taco assembly. This card uses canned tuna and a simplified egg-free batter rather than the video's raw tuna filling.
