What Is Tekka Sushi?

Tekka sushi is something you wouldn’t want to miss trying, especially if you are a fan of tuna fish. The use of tuna fish in Asian cuisine is very common. Moreover, it gets very well incorporated into their dishes, mostly in sushi.

What is Tekka sushi? Tekka sushi is actually a type of sushi roll with sushi-grade or sashimi-grade tuna as its primary ingredient, alongside the rice and nori sheet. It is usually made with raw tuna, but cooked or canned tuna is also used in Tekka sushi.

Keep reading to learn more about Tekka sushi, what is necessary to make this simple sushi, and whether there are any benefits or risks of having tekka sushi.

Naming of Tekka Sushi

Actually, the name Tekka Sushi derives from two sources. In Japanese, tekka also means “red-hot iron.” The lean cut of tuna used in sushi has a bright red color, similar to a red hot iron. As a result, tuna is also known as tekka.

Again, tekka is a word used for gambling parlors in Japan, where the snack was easy to eat at the gambling table because it could be eaten with one hand.

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What Type of Sushi Is Tekka Sushi?

Tekka is a term referred to as raw sashimi-grade tuna fish. Tekka sushi is simply a tuna roll. It uses sushi-grade or sashimi-grade tuna as a filling inside vinegared and seasoned rice and is wrapped with a seaweed or nori sheet.

Because tekka, or tuna, is the primary ingredient in this sushi, it is known as “Tekka sushi.”

This sushi is a classic hosomaki. Hoso means “thin” and Maki means “roll,” so hosomaki is “thin roll.” These are unlike the thick rolls called futomaki. Usually, hosomaki consists of one main ingredient.

Hosomaki is of two types, namely, tekkamaki and kappamaki. Tekkamaki traditionally uses raw tuna, which has a bright red color that goes very well with white rice.

Very little fish is needed for each sushi. And kappamaki is a cucumber roll or sushi.

LEARN MORE: What Is Sushi Traditionally Wrapped in?

Ingredients Used in Tekka Sushi

The ingredients in Tekka sushi are very simple:

• Tuna: Bluefin, yellowfin, and bigeye are the types of tuna fish used in the Tekka Roll. But all of them have to be sashimi-grade.
• White Rice: Vinegared sushi rice needs to be used here like other sushi.
• Seaweed or nori sheet: Since this is a basic sushi roll or hosomaki, it is wrapped in nori sheets.

The most important part of sushi is the fish itself. It should be high quality and fresh to ensure a great taste.

LEARN MORE: What Is the Black Sauce on Sushi?

Taste of Tekka Sushi 

The taste of tekka sushi depends largely on the taste of tuna, and the taste of tuna varies with the type of tuna being used.

Normally, tekka sushi tastes semi-sweet and umami with a clean finish. The nori sheets give the sushi a briny and nutty flavor. It is crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside.

Bluefin tuna is the least fishy-flavored, has a high-fat content, and is the most umami-flavored among other tuna types. It is also the most expensive.

Bigeyes and yellowfin tuna have a slightly sour flavor. The taste of bigeye is a little dense and clean. But yellowfin has a faint taste.

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Tekka Sushi Recipe

There are two steps for preparing Tekka Sushi, such as preparing sushi rice and preparing the sushi roll.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups sushi rice
• 1 12 cups of water
• 1 12 tablespoons sushi vinegar (substitute by mixing 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• 2 sheets of nori seaweed sheet
• 4 oz of sashimi-grade tuna (substituted with canned tuna)
• 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds toasted

Process:

• Transfer the cooked rice to a large mixing bowl and set aside to cool slightly. While the rice is still warm, stir in the sushi vinegar. Prepare the tuna by slicing it into 1/2-inch-thick strips.
• Lay a bamboo mat for rolling the sushi, place the nori sheets on top, and spread 3/4 cup of the cooked rice evenly over the nori, leaving a 1/2 inch border at the top of the sheet.
• Wet your fingers in tezu vinegar water and spread the rice in a thin layer, being careful not to use too much pressure or the rice will become mushy.
• Sprinkle the white sesame evenly over the top, then place the tuna strips on top of the rice in between.
• Then roll the sushi to make a tekka sushi or maki.

Recipe Source: hamdirecipes.com

Notes:

• Use white vinegar, sugar, and salt as a substitute for sushi vinegar.
• Use high-quality short-grain Japanese rice for tekka sushi or any kind of sushi.
• Use tezu to prevent the rice from sticking to your hands. Tezu is a liquid to dip hands in and made with 1/4 cup water and 2 teaspoons of rice vinegar.

LEARN MORE: What Is Shinko Sushi?

Benefits and Risks of Having Tekka Sushi

Tekka sushi mostly uses raw fish. Having raw tuna in your sushi may have some benefits and risks.

Benefits

• The majority of the fat in tuna comes from omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for your heart and brain and may aid in the fight against inflammation.
• Iron, potassium, and B vitamins are also found in tuna. It’s also high in selenium, a trace mineral that acts as an antioxidant and may lower your risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases.
• Having raw tuna helps get the nutrition without being altered due to cooking.

Risks

• There is a risk of parasites in the fish used in Tekka sushi. The parasites may cause various illnesses.
• Some tuna varieties may be high in mercury, a heavy metal that accumulates in ocean waters as a result of pollution.

Older adults, pregnant and breastfeeding women, children, and others with weak immune systems should avoid tekka sushi with raw tuna. But they can always have tekka sushi with cooked or canned tuna.

Regardless of the risks, tuna fish is a very healthy ingredient in tekka sushi, and tekka sushi provides many health benefits because of the rice, fish, and seaweed.

Nutrition Facts Of Tekka Maki:

Serving size- 1 roll( 6 pcs)

Recipe Source: taste.com.au

Choosing the Right Kind of Tuna for Tekka Sushi

Sushi-grade or sashimi-grade tuna means fresh, clean, and the best quality tuna that can be eaten raw. For choosing the right kind of tuna or tekka for tekka sushi, it is important to consider some things such as:

• Freshness: If you don’t want to consume tuna that has been tainted with chemicals and preservatives, it must be flown in. When tuna is caught in Pacific waters, it is flown in directly and vacuum-sealed. This is why sushi-grade tuna is more expensive.
• Color: The color of tekka plays a very important role when choosing the right tuna for your tekka sushi. The color needs to be bright red, or at least close to that. The fresher, the redder. But chemically treated tuna will also have a reddish color. You will need to keep an eye for that.

LEARN MORE: What Is the Sweet Brown Sauce on Sushi?

Conclusion: What Is Tekka Sushi?

Aside from the risks of raw tekka, tekka sushi is a great addition to your regular diet. Moreover, tekka sushi is something you should definitely try, whether you like raw fish or not.

If you don’t like the taste of raw fish, you can always substitute cooked or canned alternatives, but you should never miss this beautiful delicacy.