RECIPES OF JAPAN

Ingredients

1 cup

2 cups

2 tbsp

1 tbsp

1 tsp

125 gm

1 small

1/2 small

4 sheets

3 tbsp

Short-grain rice

Water

Rice vinegar

Caster sugar

Salt (adjust to taste)

Very fresh salmon, tuna or trout

Lebanese cucumber (peeled)

Avocado (optional)

Nori

Wasabi (adjust to taste)

Pickled ginger

Japanese soy sauce, for dipping

Wasabi, extra

1. Wash the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear; drain thoroughly
2. Place the rice in a pan with the water and bring to the boil
3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed
4. Reduce the heat to very low, cover and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes
5. Remove the pan from the heat and leave, covered, for about 10 minutes
6. Add the combined vinegar, sugar and salt to the rice, tossing with a wooden spoon until the rice is cool
7. Cut the fish into thin strips
8. Cut the cucumber and avocado into matchsticks about 5 cm in length
9. Place a sheet of nori on a piece of greaseproof paper or on a sushi mat on a flat surface, with the longest sides at the top and bottom
10. Pat a quarter of the rice over about half of the nori sheet along one long side, leaving a 2 cm space around the sides
11. Spread a very small amount of wasabi down the centre of the rice
12. Arrange a quarter of the pieces of fish, cucumber, avocado, if using, and ginger along the top of the wasabi stripe
13. Using the paper or mat as a guide, roll the nori up firmly from the bottom, enclosing the rice around the centered ingredients
14. Press the nori edges together to seal the roll
15. Using a sharp flat-bladed or electric knife, cut the roll into 2.5 cm rounds
16. Repeat with the remaining ingredients
17. Serve the Sushi on individual small plates with small bowls of soy sauce and extra wasabi to be mixed to taste to make a dipping sauce.

Note : Make sure the fish for Sushi is extremely fresh. Sushi can be made up to 4 hours in advance and kept, covered, in the refrigerator. Slice the rolls just before serving. Sushi mats, available from Asian food stores, makes the rolling of the Sushi much easier over medium heat