Spicy Salmon Over Crispy Rice
This recipe features my favorite, spicy salmon, but with a twist. You may have seen the new fried rice craze that has taken the internet by storm. Typically, the rice is prepared as you generally would your sushi rice, but formed into a shape such as a square or round and lightly fried. I’m not one to jump at a trend, but I think it’s safe to say that this trend is worthwhile.
A few weeks ago, I decided to run errands and grab brunch. I ended up in Cary, NC at a restaurant called Scratch Kitchen. This place had been on my list for months, so I was beyond ecstatic to give it a try. I always ask my server to recommend their favorite drinks and dishes to get an idea of ‘what’s good’. My server recommended their ‘Spicy Tuna Round’, and I decided to give it a try. It had everything that I loved about sushi and featured the unique fried rice round so I decided why not?!
As a sushi connoisseur, I think it is safe to say that THIS is my new go-to. This dish had the perfect balance of flavors and textures! The spicy pieces of tuna complimented the creamy avocado and the slight heat of the ‘sweety’ drop peppers. The flavors were cut by the rich and tangy miso drizzles, and let’s not forget the crispy rice. Throw out any preconceived negative emotions you may have had towards frying your sushi rice. You don’t get any chip-your-tooth hard rice kernels?! Instead, you’re greeted with a crispy rice patty that has enough bite to offer the perfect snap of crispiness, but then your tastebuds are met with the soft and chewy sushi rice that you know and love.
I love to try things once and come home to recreate my copy-cat recipes. For this recipe, I decided to add a hint of acidity and more complex textures. I swapped the edamame for blanched asparagus to give more texture and quickly pickled them with diced red onion for acid. Maybe I’m biased, but I think this recipe is THE one. If you haven’t already skipped to the recipe… let’s dig in.
Spicy Salmon Over Crispy Rice
Equipment
- Medium Frying Pan
- Medium Saucepan
- Small Sieve (or colander)
- Circle cookie or biscuit cutter
Ingredients
- 1 cup Cubed Salmon
- 1 cup Water
- ½ cup Sushi Rice (uncooked)
- ½ cup AP Flour
- ½ Avocado diced
- ¼ Cucumber thinly sliced
- 4 pieces Asparagus (chopped)
- 4 tbsp Sriracha
- 3 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
- 2 tbsp Green Onion (chopped for garnish)
- 2 tbsp Mayo
- 2 tbsp Red Onion (diced)
- 1 tbsp Chili Sauce
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Sesame Seeds (Optional)
- 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 tsp Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 2 tsp Salt
- Vegetable Oil (enough to fill frying pan halfway)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, rinse the sushi rice 3 times or until the water is clear. Once the rice is rinsed, add water and turn on medium heat.When the rice comes to a rolling boil, turn the heat on low and cover. When all of the water is absorbed, take off the heat and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp rice vinegar, garlic powder, and sugar. Pour over cooked rice and stir gently. Once mixed, transfer rice onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and place in the refrigerator to cool.
- In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. While the water is heating, dice your red onion, and asparagus into small pieces.
- When the water comes to a boil, toss in your asparagus for 20-30 seconds then use your sieve to transfer asparagus into cool water to stop the cooking process. In a bowl combine the blanched asparagus, red onion, and 1 tbsp rice vinegar.
- Combine cubed salmon with 2 tbsp sriracha, chili powder, red pepper flakes, paprika, and soy sauce. Set aside in the refrigerator to cool.
- Pour oil in a frying pan over medium heat. As oil heats, flatten your rice to about 1-inch thickness and use a circle cookie/biscuit cutter to cut out your rice round. (Reform leftover rice into another patty, or roll into a log)
- Dust rice rounds with flour, and fry on both sides until golden brown.
- Assemble by using your cutter as a mold. Layer thin slices of cucumber over the rice, then asparagus with onions, diced avocado, and spicy salmon. (Use ½ ingredients per patty/log.)
- Slowly remove mold and set it aside. Mix 2 tbsp sriracha with mayo and drizzle over the dish. Sprinkle with green onion and sesame seeds. (Optional)
