Recipe - Food from Japan - Chirashi Sushi (Scattered Sushi)

Love Japanese Sushi and would like to cook it at home, but really can't be bothered with all the effort to make it pretty and attractive?

Well, that's me all over, so I was delighted to discover 'Chirashi Sushi' which basically means 'Scattered Sushi'.

This is commonly found across Japan and contains all the usual Sushi ingredients but presented in a way probably more familiar to westerners with the savoury element of the dish scattered on top of the rice.

How you lay this out is entirely up to you. The Japanese would nearly certainly make it as beautiful as possible as that is part of the culture, however, it will taste the same if you just throw the ingredients on top though a nice presentation is certainly preferable.

The recipe below will serve 2-3 people

Ingredients:

Sushi rice - 2 cups
Fresh Raw Salmon - Sliced
Fresh Raw Tuna
Fish roe (whatever is available to you .. salmon perhaps) - 2 tsp
Wakamae (or nori) seaweed (soaked) - 2 tbsp
Water - a little under 500ml or 2 cups
Rice vinegar - 2 tbsp
Toasted sesame - 2 tbsp
Pickled ginger - 1 tbsp

Note: If you don't like raw fish, you really can put what you like on this (see options at the end of the recipe)

Method:

1) Rinse the sushi rice well. Drain and put in a large saucepan. Add the water. Boil and simmer for around 25 minutes or until nearly all the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat, cover with a lid and stand for 10 minutes or so to cool a little.

2) Add rice vinegar in the rice and mix well using a wooden spoon. Add toasted sesame and mix again.

3) Put a portion of rice into individual bowls whilst still warm (you can serve it cold if you prefer), add the toppings of raw fish (or substitutes .. see below) on top, in an attractive pattern. Sprinkle with the seaweed and pickled ginger.

4) Serve with wasabi and soya sauce

Alternative Toppings:

Any Suitable raw fish, cooked fish, shrimp,prawns,,avocados, spring onions, smoked mackerel (not authentic but delicious),cooked prawns,mushrooms, shredded omelette,tofu. The list is really endless and entirely up to you.