Spicy Sushi Tacos with Tempura Seaweed
These spicy shrimp sushi tacos with crispy nori shells are so full of flavor with the most satisfying crunch. Use any toppings you like and the seafood of your choice to really make them your own.
Equipment
- 1 large saute pan or any other heavy bottomed pot
Ingredients
Spicy Shrimp
- 1 lb shrimp, or other seafood of choice (see Note 1)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 3 tbsp Kewpie or regular mayonnaise (see Note 2)
- 1-2 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce, to taste
Tempura Seaweed Shells
- 2 seaweed sheets (nori), each cut into 4 circles
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch (see Note 3)
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup ice cold water (see Note 4)
- 1 cup canola or other neutral oil, for frying
Toppings
- Cooked white rice or sushi rice (about ½ cup dry rice; see Note 5)
- Cucumber, sliced into strips (about ½ cup)
- Avocado, sliced (1 large avocado)
- Green onions, thinly sliced
- Sesame seeds
- Kewpie or regular mayonnaise
- Sriracha chili sauce
Instructions
- Pat the shrimp dry then season on both sides with salt and white pepper
- Heat a medium skillet over medium heat then add the avocado oil
- Sear the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side or until completely opaque and cooked through then set aside to cool
- Roughly chop the shrimp (remove the tails if they are still on) then add to a medium bowl
- Combine the shrimp with the soy sauce, Kewpie mayonnaise and Sriracha chili sauce
- Heat the oil in a large saute pan with high sides until shimmering and about 325℉ (or test it by inserting the end of a chopstick; if it bubbles, it's ready)
- While the oil is heating, make the tempura batter; in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and cornmeal
- Create a well in the dry ingredients or move them to one side of the bowl and add the egg; gently beat the egg
- Slowly pour in the water while mixing until the flour and cornstarch are incorporated and a thin batter forms; mix gently and do not overmix the batter (see Note 6)
- One at a time, dip one side of the nori sheet into the batter and allow excess batter to drip off (see Note 6) then carefully place, battered side down, into the oil
- Fry for 30 seconds then carefully flip using tongs and fry for an additional 15 seconds until crispy (the batter will not really darken and will be very lightly golden)
- Repeat with the additional seaweed sheets, setting aside fried seaweed shells on a paper towel lined plate, battered side up
- Assemble the tacos by adding about 2 tbsp of cooked rice to each shell, then about 2 tbsp of the spicy shrimp, then the cucumber, avocado, green onions, sesame seeds (or any other toppings you want); drizzle with Kewpie mayonnaise and Sriracha to taste, fold and serve
Notes
1. Imitation crab (surimi sticks) are amazing in this recipe. You could also use sashimi grade salmon or tuna, unagi (eel) or even make them vegetarian with tofu or enoki mushrooms. If using seafood that does not need to be cooked like imitation crab, mix in the white pepper and salt when combining the seafood with the remaining ingredients.
2. Kewpie is a Japanese mayonnaise that is made with egg yolks, unlike American-style mayonnaise which is made with whole eggs. The result is a richer mayonnaise and it’s my favorite kind of store-bought mayonnaise. If you don’t have it or can’t find it, regular mayonnaise will work great.
3. The cornstarch is essential to this recipe as it helps ensure the seaweed shells come out perfectly crispy and stay crunchy even when the filling and toppings are added. Using only flour will result in shells that quickly lose their crunch.
4. Ice cold water is best for this recipe as it helps make the crispiest tempura batter. I like to keep the water over ice in a large cup or bowl. As soon as I’m ready to use it, I transfer 1 cup of it to a measuring cup.
5. Cooked and slightly cooled white rice is perfect for this recipe, but you can make a super quick sushi rice as well: while your rice is cooking, microwave 1 ½ tsp rice vinegar with ½ tsp white sugar and ¼ tsp salt for 30 seconds or until the sugar has dissolved; stir this mixture into the cooked rice while it’s still hot then set aside to cool.
6. The tempura batter should be lumpy and very thin, almost watery. Mix it together gently and stop mixing as soon as all the flour and cornstarch are incorporated. When you dip the seaweed sheet into the batter and allow the excess batter to drip off, it’s going to look like there isn’t much batter left on the nori sheet. This is perfectly fine and exactly what you want; you’ll see it start to crisp up as soon as it’s placed in the oil.
Nutrition Facts are calculated automatically and may be inaccurate. Nutrition calculations for this recipe do not include Toppings.
Nutrition
Serving: 4 tacosCalories: 433kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 13gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 114mgSodium: 270mgPotassium: 174mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 0.1gVitamin A: 68IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 1mg
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