When I think about sushi, I always think about a roll – sticky and fragrant sushi rice covered with dried seaweed (well, sometimes inside), fresh sashimi and vegetables. But what if instead of being served in roll form, it was served in taco form instead?
Right now, these two traditions are being combined into a sushi taco on TikTok. Here’s what you need to know, including how to recreate it at home.
What is a sushi taco?
A sushi taco is when you take a sushi roll and build it into a taco shape. It was made popular by TikTok creators such as @alenakhmil and @hanankitchen22. The ingredients are typically those in a sushi roll — rice, dried seaweed, sashimi (most commonly salmon or tuna), vegetables (often cucumbers and avocados), and a sauce.
However, instead of using the whole piece of dried seaweed to wrap it, people cut the large sheets into circles, using an upside-down bowl or even a small tortilla as a guide. From there, they pile the sushi ingredients into the seaweed.
But because sushi rice doesn’t make for a stable base, people choose to bake it or fry it to make it easier to handle. After putting the sushi rice on the circular dried seaweed, pop it in the oven for a few minutes. Then, fold it in half and add in the other sushi ingredients. If you want it to be more crispy, try frying it. Batter the circular dried seaweed in a mix of flour, cornstarch, and water. Then, cover it with panko and fry it in oil.
How can I make a sushi taco at home?
First, rinse the sushi rice and steam it. While waiting for the rice to be ready, you can prepare the sushi rice mix (rice vinegar, sugar, and salt) and cut the dried seaweed into a circle. If needed, you can prepare the batter mix for frying at this time, too. Pour the mixture into the rice, then put a ball of rice on the dried seaweed each. After that, you can choose either to bake it or fry it. Fold it into a U-shape, and put your personalized ingredients with drizzling sauce.
What are some combinations you can try?
Though the ingredients can be whatever you like in your sushi, here are some variations people have tried. Though the most popular choice is salmon sashimi, avocado, and cream cheese, drizzled with eel sauce or soy sauce, some people combine tempura (usually fried shrimp) and imitation crab with avocado and spicy mayo sauce. Other choices are spicy tuna, BBQ pork, and grilled eel. Give them a try and find what you like the most!