Crispy Rice Tuna Salad

I don’t know about you, but every time I order Asian takeout, I somehow end up with a full container of leftover rice. Instead of letting it sit in the fridge, this recipe is the perfect way to give it new life. It’s also ideal for that rogue can of tuna hanging out in your pantry—simple ingredients, big flavor, and a delicious way to turn leftovers into something you’ll actually crave.

Crispy rice ingredients:

• 1 takeout container of cooked white rice (a little under 2 cups of cooked rice)

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp sesame oil

• 1 tsp olive oil

Salad ingredients:

• 1 can of tuna in olive oil (I like this one from Fishwife); drained

• 1 tbsp Kewpie mayo

• A dash of shichimi togarashi

• A dash of hondashi powder

• Pinch of MSG powder

• 1/4 tsp of black pepper

• 2 Persian cucumbers; cut into small cubes

• 1 green onion; chopped up with greens and whites separated

• 1/2 cup of corn (either canned or frozen and defrosted, just heat it up for a few minutes in a pan either way)

• 1/2 an avocado; cubed

Start by making your crispy rice. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the cooked rice onto the sheet, then drizzle with soy sauce, sesame oil, and olive oil. Toss everything together with your hands or a spoon to ensure the rice is evenly coated, then spread it out into a single, even layer. Bake for about 30 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until the rice is crispy but not charred or rock hard. Remove from the oven and set aside.

While the rice cools slightly, prepare the tuna salad. In a large bowl—big enough to eventually hold the crispy rice—combine the drained tuna, Kewpie, togarashi, hondashi, MSG, and pepper. Mix well, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

Add the cucumbers, the white parts of the green onions, corn, and avocado. Gently mix until everything is evenly combined.

Fold in the crispy rice, adding as much as you like (about two-thirds of the batch works well). Toss everything together, then spoon into bowls. Finish with pieces of nori and a sprinkle of the sliced green onion tops before serving.