Tuna Salad with Crispy Rice

Ingredients

• 3 cup Day-old cooked rice (Cold and preferably spread out so it dries slightly before baking.)
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce for the rice
• 1 tbsp Avocado oil (For mixing with the rice before baking.)
• 1 tsp Grated fresh ginger
• 2 Grated garlic (Finely grated cloves.)
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 2 tbsp Rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp Sesame oil
• 2 tbsp Mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp Soy sauce for the dressing
• 2 tbsp Water
• 3 can Canned tuna, drained (The author recommends Safe Catch Elite tuna, with no added water or oil. One drained can is estimated to weigh approximately 142 g.)
• 1 Cucumber (Diced or cut into half-moons.)
• 2 Carrots (Grated or cut into thin strips.)
• 1 Avocado (Pitted and peeled, then diced.)
• 3 Green onions (Thinly sliced; amount estimated because the original does not specify a measurement.)
• 1 tbsp Sesame seeds (For sprinkling over the salad before serving; amount estimated.)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C (375 °F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Spread the day-old cooked rice over the baking sheet. Toss it with the soy sauce and avocado oil, making sure the grains are well coated and arranged in a single layer.

3. 3

   Bake the rice until golden and crispy, approximately 20–25 minutes. Stir it once or twice during cooking so it browns evenly. Let it cool slightly.

4. 4

   While the rice is baking, grate the ginger and garlic cloves for the dressing.

5. 5

   Place the ginger, garlic, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, mayonnaise, soy sauce, and water in a Mason jar.

6. 6

   Seal the jar and shake vigorously until the dressing is smooth and homogeneous. If the mayonnaise sticks to the sides, stir it with a spoon and shake again.

7. 7

   Drain the tuna well. Chop the cucumber, grate or cut the carrots, dice the avocado, and slice the green onions.

8. 8

   Place the tuna, cucumber, carrots, avocado, and green onions in a large salad bowl.

9. 9

   Add the crispy rice and pour over the dressing. Toss gently so the avocado does not get crushed and the rice retains some of its crisp texture.

10. 10

    Finish with sesame seeds and serve immediately, while the rice has its best texture.

Notes

The amounts of rice, soy sauce, avocado oil, green onions, and sesame seeds were not specified in the original publication and have been estimated for four servings. Serve immediately to preserve the crisp texture; if preparing in advance, store the rice separately and add it just before eating.

Nutrition per serving

• salad
• main course
• high-protein
• with tuna
• baked
• crispy
• gluten-free
• quick meal