If you're new to making sushi, please see the Sushi Beginner's Guide before getting started! This includes guides to all the basics, FAQ, and how to source ingredients. This site focuses on Americanized/Westernized sushi, check out the Types of Sushi page to learn more!

The Fire Ant Roll is a Crafty Cookbook original roll. It's a spicy California roll on the bottom (spicy crab salad, avocado, and cucumber) topped with tuna, jalapeño slices, and chili crisp. The spicy California roll is a mild spiciness level, however the addition of the jalapeño slices and chili crisp amp up the spice! Consider adding extra sriracha to your spicy crab salad to make this roll even spicier.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Don't forget to check out the guides on Buying Fish For Sushi and Buying Other Ingredients for Sushi if you're not sure where to find what you need! I include online product links for reference, but it's typically much cheaper to purchase these items locally, so check out your local options!

Spicy Crab Salad

You can find my recipe for spicy crab salad here! It contains imitation crab stick, Japanese mayo, Sriracha, lemon juice, toasted sesame oil, and soy sauce.
Click the link above to learn more about imitation crab stick, but it's important to note that it's more than just "fake crab". Also note, imitation crab is a cooked product, so this does not contain raw seafood.

Tuna

Make sure you're using fish that is safe to eat raw (more info)
Maguro tuna (bluefin) is the most traditional option for this recipe
Salmon is also very delicious in this recipe
You can substitute pretty much any sushi fish, try it with hamachi or red snapper!

Jalapeño Slices

One medium jalapeño should be enough to create the 8 slices needed for this roll.
Slice the jalapeño as thin or thick as you like, thicker slices will contribute more flavor and spice to the roll.
Remove the seeds from the jalapeño before using to reduce the spiciness if desired.
You can substitute other hot peppers, such as habaneros, to change the spiciness of the roll as well.
Note, the spiciness of a jalapeño can vary drastically, even among the same batch. Consider taste testing a piece of your jalapeño before preparing the roll.

Chili Crisp

This is a mixture of chili oil, crunchy garlic & peppers, and sometimes additional crunchy items such as sliced almonds. An incredible topping to have on hand for sushi!
You can pick up a jar at an Asian grocery store or online (link).

Cucumber Strips

Check out my guide to slicing cucumber for sushi (link ) if you haven't done this before. This method removes the center portion, leaving only the crunchy outside.
The variety of cucumber used doesn't make too big of a difference, but I typically use "Hot House" cucumbers.
You can consider substituting the cucumber strips with avocado, or omitting them completely if desired.

Avocado Slices

Slice the avocado into ~¼" thick pieces. You should use about ~⅙th of a medium avocado.
It's best to use a perfectly ripe avocado if you can. Ripe avocados will be slightly soft when pressed, but not mushy.
I like to buy my avocados while they're still hard, then transfer them to the fridge once they're perfectly ripe. Avocados ripen much slower in the fridge.

Sushi rice

Sushi rice is prepared, medium grain rice that is seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. The seasoning added to the rice is what give it the distinctive taste and sticky texture.
If possible, I strongly recommend picking up the proper kind of rice rather than using whatever rice you have on hand. Other varieties of rice (jasmine, basmati, etc.) will not turn out the same.
Follow my recipe for Simple Sushi Rice before you begin making your sushi. You can find more information there on locating the proper ingredients.

Nori

Nori is the seaweed wrapping used to hold together sushi rolls. After opening, store leftover nori sheets in an airtight bag at room temp with all the air pressed out to maintain freshness.
Packages of nori vary a lot in quantity and price. I've tried out a variety of brands at different price points and have been happy with all of them. I don't think you need to splurge on the more expensive brands.
A Japanese grocery store will have the widest selection of nori. You may be able to find nori in the "Asian foods" section of a large American grocery store, but you can also find nori online if needed.
Nori comes in a variety of sizes, so make sure you pick up full sheets (approximately 8"x7"). These sheets can be cut down smaller when making rolls (if desired). You can read more about this in the How to Make Sushi Rolls post.

Fire Ant Roll

Jacqueline Schell

Specialty sushi roll - spicy crab salad, avocado, and cucumber on the inside topped with tuna, jalapeño slices, and chili crisp.

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Prep Time 10

Course Sushi

Cuisine Sushi

Servings roll

Ingredients

1 full size sheet of nori cut smaller if desired
~¾ cup prepared, seasoned sushi rice

Inside Roll

½ batch spicy crab salad
2 cucumber strips
3 avocado slices (~⅙ of an avocado)

Outside Roll

0.1-0.2 lbs thinly sliced tuna raw, sushi quality
8 jalapeño slices optionally, remove seeds for less heat
~2 teaspoon chili crisp

Instructions

Cover the sheet of nori in a thin even layer of rice, filling all the way out to the edges. (click for guide)
Flip the sheet of nori over so the rice is face down on a bamboo rolling mat that is wrapped in plastic. (click for guide)
Arrange the fillings (spicy crab salad, cucumber, and avocado) in even lines, 1 inch from the edge along the longer side of the nori sheet. (click for guide)
Carefully and tightly roll up the roll. (click for guide)
Drape the tuna slices over the top of the roll, adjust the angle so the tuna spans the entire length of the roll. (click for guide)
Place the plastic-wrapped rolling mat over the top of the roll and press the roll into a consistent shape. (click for guide)
Place the roll on a cutting board and grab your sharpest knife. Optionally, cover the roll with plastic cling wrap. Run the knife under water for a second, then shake off any excess. Cut the roll into 8 equal pieces using a gentile sawing motion with the knife, running the knife under the water between every 2-3 cuts to prevent sticking. (click for guide)
Plate the roll on your serving dish. Top each piece with a jalapeño slice and chili crisp. (click for guide)

Notes

If this is your first time making sushi be sure to check out the Sushi Beginner's Guide before getting started!

Keyword Avocado, Chili Crisp, Cucumber, Fire Ant Roll, Jalapeño, Roll, Spicy California Roll, Spicy Crab Salad, Sushi, Tuna

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