Spicy Dynamite Rice

There's something thrilling about getting a recipe request for a dish I've never encountered. The anticipation builds as I search for it online, waiting to see what pops up. With "dynamite rice," I could tell right away this was a recipe I'd love and likely film for a video. Sure enough, it was a hit.

I expected this to be a spicy rice dish, but I hadn’t made the connection to the popular dynamite sushi roll, which the recipe is based on. While I’m not sure who coined the name, Roy Choi is often credited with popularizing the dish. He uses uni and caviar on his rolls, but for this recipe, shrimp and scallops work wonderfully, and I think it’s just as delicious.

This recipe is incredibly easy to prepare. You simply top cooked rice, sushi-style or not, with pieces of seafood coated in a spicy mayo. It’s versatile and can be made with any type of rice and seafood. While I adore this version, I encourage you to experiment and try your own variations. No matter what you choose, I’m sure you’ll find this dish is truly "dynamite!"

Ingredients List

For the Base Rice:

• 1 cup uncooked medium-grain white rice (such as Calrose variety)

• 1 ¼ cups water

• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

• 2 teaspoons white sugar

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

• 2 tablespoons bonito flakes (Optional)

• 1 sheet nori (dried seaweed), cut into thin strips (Optional)

For the Dynamite Seafood Topping:

• ⅔ cup mayonnaise

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• 2 tablespoons Sriracha hot sauce

• 1 cup bay scallops

• 12 peeled and deveined large shrimp, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste

For Garnishing:

• 1 dash Sriracha hot sauce, or to taste

• 1 pinch toasted sesame seeds, or to taste

• ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions

Instructions

Prepare all the ingredients.

Rinse the rice and drain. Place the rice in a pot and add water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 10 minutes.

While the rice is cooking, mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl until fully dissolved. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Lightly grease a shallow 2-quart baking dish with sesame oil.

Uncover the rice and drizzle the seasoned vinegar mixture over it. Use a fork to fluff the rice and break up any clumps. Transfer the rice into the prepared baking dish. Top with toasted sesame seeds, bonito flakes, and nori, then gently stir them into the rice with a fork.

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, soy sauce, ½ teaspoon sesame oil, and Sriracha for the topping. Stir in the shrimp and scallops. Spread this mixture over the rice and sprinkle with cayenne pepper on top.

Bake in the center of the preheated oven until the seafood is cooked through (or nearly done), about 20 minutes. Then, set the oven to broil and brown the top for 1 to 2 minutes.

Garnish the top with additional Sriracha, toasted sesame seeds, and chopped green onions before serving.

Chef's Advice

Nutritional Information (per serving)