Ingredients
Rice and filling
- 2 cups cooked short-grain white rice prepared according to package directions; start with about 2/3 cup dry rice
- 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 5-ounce cans light tuna in water commercially canned, drained; about 8 ounces drained total
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or to taste
- 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 small avocado diced
- 0.5 English cucumber cut into thin matchsticks and patted dry
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
Nori shells
- 2 full-size nori sheets cut each into 4 squares, about 4 inches across
- 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 0.25 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.125 teaspoon salt
- 0.33 cup ice-cold water plus 1–2 teaspoons if needed for a thin coating
- Neutral frying oil enough for 1–2 inches depth in the pot; do not fill pot more than halfway
Equipment
- Heavy pot for frying
- Frying thermometer
- Tongs
- Wire rack
- Mixing bowls
- Kitchen scissors
- Saucepan or rice cooker
Instructions
Prepare the filling and shells
- Cook rice according to its package directions if not already prepared. Stir the vinegar and sugar together and fold into the warm cooked rice. Spread in a shallow bowl to release steam while you prepare the other components; do not leave it out for extended cooling.
- Mix the well-drained canned tuna with mayonnaise, sriracha and soy sauce. Cover and refrigerate at 40°F or below. Prepare avocado, cucumber and scallions; keep cool until assembly.
- Set a wire rack beside the stove. Heat 1–2 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 350°F, with plenty of headroom. Keep children, water and wet tools away from the pot.
- Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Stir in cold water just until combined; a few small lumps are fine. The batter should coat the nori thinly, not form a heavy layer.
- Dip only one side of a nori square into batter and lower carefully into the oil, battered side down. Fry one or two at a time for roughly 30–60 seconds, turning briefly if needed, until the coating is pale golden and crisp. Keep oil near 350°F.
- Lift with tongs and let excess oil drain. While warm and still flexible, use tongs to bend the shell gently into a loose taco shape on the rack. Do not touch hot oil or shells with bare fingers. Repeat; keep shells separate and uncovered.
- Just before eating, divide rice, tuna filling, avocado, cucumber and scallions between the eight shells. Serve immediately, two tacos per serving. Do not pack the filling tightly or assemble ahead.
- Refrigerate unused tuna filling and rice promptly in separate shallow covered containers. Use tuna filling within 3 days, or an earlier ingredient deadline. Discard perishables left out more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Filled shells are best eaten immediately.
Video
Notes
Contains fish, wheat, soy and usually egg in mayonnaise. Check all labels. This recipe deliberately uses cooked, commercially canned tuna, not raw fish. For a fresh cooked-fish variation, cook most seafood to 145°F before cooling and using.
Ingredient-use cost allowance: tuna $3–4, nori $1–2, rice $0.40–0.70, avocado and cucumber $2–3, mayonnaise and seasonings $0.70–1, batter and frying-oil allowance $1.90–2.30. Rounded household planning estimate, not a current store quote.
Nutrition depends materially on how much batter adheres and oil is absorbed; no precise nutrition value is supplied for this fried recipe.
Video companion: Home Cooks World and Noa Shapiro demonstrate battered nori taco shells with rice, avocado and cucumber. Their filling uses cooked salmon and additional sauces; this written version uses canned light tuna and a simpler sauce. Follow the written quantities for this batch.