Crispy Rice with Salmon

I've seen this recipe in many Instagram posts lately and I had to give it a try. This crispy rice can be served with your favorite tartar but I like to serve it with a medium rare salmon that was flaked into bite size chunks. Just layer the salmon over the crispy rice with avocado, jalapeno slice, and spicy mayo. 

This recipe gives the basic technique of the crispy rice (which took me three attempts to get right). Then you can top it with the sushi filling of our choice or any pulled meat with sauce (chicken teriyaki and pulled pork come to mind). 

Ingredients:

Crispy Rice:
1.5 cups short grain rice, sushi rice preferred
2.25 cups water
2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt

Canola oil for frying

Garnish:
Thinly sliced avocado
Thinly sliced cucumber
Thinly sliced jalapeno
Spicy mayo (highly recommend kewpie mayo since it's thicker than American mayo)
Furikake

Directions:

1. Prepare the sushi rice: Add sushi rice to fine mesh strainer. Run cold water over the rice and stir with your hand until the water runs clear from the rice. 

2. Add rice and 2.25 cups water to a rice cooker. Follow rice cooker instructions.

3. Combine vinegar, salt and sugar in a small bowl. Once rice has finished cooking (and is still warm) drizzle the vinegar mixture and gently fold rice to combine the two. 

4. Line a baking dish with plastic wrap so it overlays the sides of the pan. Add cooked rice to this plastic lined dish. Press with medium force until the rice becomes like a paver stone. Cover all rice with plastic wrap so there is no air and place in the fridge to set for about 4 hours, overnight is best. 

5. When you're ready to serve everything remove the rice from the fridge. Remove plastic wrap and place gently on a cutting board, trying to keep the rice patty intact. Cut into squares, about 2 inches long by 1 inch long. 

6. Heat a saute pan over medium high with 1/4 inch of canola oil in the bottom. You want just enough oil to sear the bottom of the rice but not go too high so the middle stays unseared. 

7. Once oil is warm place a few squares of rice into the pan. Make sure they are about 2 inches apart from each other so you get a nice sear and they don't steam. Cook on one side for about 2 minutes or until you see a nice crispy brown golden crust. Flip the rice patty over and sear the opposite side for another two minutes. Once seared on both sides, remove rice cakes from pan and set on a paper towel lined plate to drain off any excess. 

8. Place the crispy rice cakes on a plate. Top with thinly sliced avocado. Make a quenelle of the tartar of your choice and spoon on top. Garnish with a slice of jalapeno. I suggest serving this warm or at room temp.