Go Japanese with this Spicy Tuna Cucumber Roll

My husband’s birthday is in February. We always celebrate by going out for sushi. Although he never met a sushi roll he didn’t like, his favorite is spicy tuna roll. This year, instead of going out to the restaurant and overindulging in sushi rolls made with high calorie ingredients like mayo, avocado, tempura and glutinous rice, I’m making spicy tuna rolls at home. Sriracha sauce and scallions give these rolls the flavor we associate with traditional spicy tuna rolls. Using cucumber, instead of rice, keeps them lite.

Serving size: 1 roll (8 pieces) Number of servings: 2 Calories per serving: 104 Ingredients Calories 4 oz raw, sushi grade tuna 120 2 Tbsp scallions, chopped finely 4 2 Tbsp Sriracha sauce 30 1 English cucumber (approx. 300 grams) 48 1/2 sheet of Nori 5 1/8 tsp salt 0

Dice the tuna into small, even cubes (approx. 1/8”). In a small bowl, combine the diced tuna, Sriracha sauce, scallions and salt.

Cut the ends off the cucumber and cut the cucumber in half. Hollow out the cucumbers, removing all the seeds.

Cut the cucumber into 1/2 inch rounds. Fill each cucumber round with some of the tuna mixture. Place the cucumber rounds on a serving dish. Top each cucumber with a piece of Nori. Serve.

Barbara's Tips

I like using English cucumbers for this recipe because they have a thinner skin than regular cucumbers and therefore don’t need to be peeled. They also have less seeds. To hollow out the cucumber I use an apple corer. But you can also slice the cucumber first and use a melon baller or a spoon to scoop out the seeds from the individual rounds.

It's important to use “sushi grade” tuna for this recipe. Although there is no official standard for using this label, stores use the label to indicate the highest quality fish the store is offering, and the one they feel confident can be eaten raw. Sushi grade tuna is tuna that has been frozen to kill any parasites, making it safe to consume raw. You can buy sushi grade tuna at any high end grocery store or from a fishmonger.

Essential Flavor Ingredients

Sriracha sauce is a type of hot sauce made from a paste of chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. It is used as a condiment in many Asian cuisines and it’s what gives these spicy tuna rolls their distinctive spicy flavor.

Scallions (also known as green onions) are part of the onion family. Scallions are long with a white stem end that does not bulge out. They have an oniony but mild bite that is not as intense as regular onions. The white part of scallions contains the most intense flavor. They can be used raw or cooked, and while some cooks discard the darker green tops, the whole thing can be eaten. Scallions are often used in Asian cooking and they are a must in this dish.