Ingredients

Method 

Ingredients

• 300g Japanese short-grain rice (Koshihikari) 
• 380ml water 

Method 

1. Place the rice in a large bowl. Fill the bowl up with cold water and mix the rice with your hands to rinse away some of the excess starch. Carefully pour the water out and refill the bowl up with cold water. Repeat the mixing and draining process, rinsing and refreshing the rice 3 times. 
2. Allow the rice to soak in cold water for 20-30 minutes. Strain the rice through a fine-mesh strainer. Try to shake as much water out of the rice as possible. 
3. Add the rice to a pot, along with the 380ml of water. Place the pot over medium heat and when it reaches a simmer, put a fitting lid on. Turn the heat down to as low as possible while keeping the rice at a bare simmer. Simmer the rice for 13-14 minutes. Turn the heat off and let it rest for 12-15 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve immediately. 

Chirashi Sushi - Colourful Sushi Rice

In Zen Buddhism, the significance of the number 5 carries many unique and symbolic meanings. Buddhist thought evokes that there are 5 principle elements: earth, water, air, fire and space. The number 5 also represents the 5 Precepts, or Buddhist moral codes of conduct, such as not engaging in violence, false speech or covetousness. These are represented in the 5 symbolic colours of this dish: white, black, green, yellow and red(orange). 

Serves - 4 

Total time - overnight

Ingredients

• ½ cucumber, sliced thinly into fans*
• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms soaked in 500ml water overnight (stems removed & quartered)
• 150g lotus root, sliced & blanched for 4 minutes
• 1 bunch broccolini florets, blanched for 1 minute
• 100g bamboo shoots, soaked in water overnight & sliced
• 20g shio sakura (salted cherry blossom), soaked in water for 20 minutes
• ½ carrot cut into blossoms*
• 8g toasted sesame seeds
• 1kg of cooked Japanese rice*, still hot (recipe in previous lesson)

 Sushi Su (Vinegar)

• 100g rice wine vinegar 
• 60g raw sugar
• 16g mirin
• 25g salt

Lotus Root/Broccolini Marinade

• 400ml shojin dashi 
• 30g shouyu (Japanese soy sauce)
• 60g mirin 

Bamboo Shoot Marinade

• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 30ml rice wine vinegar
• 60ml lotus root/broccolini marinade*

 Shiitake Poaching Liquid 

• 200ml mushroom soaking liquid 
• 20ml soy sauce 
• 30ml mirin 
• 15g sugar 

Method

To make the cucumber fans

1. Slice the cucumber lengthwise into quarters. Using a very sharp knife, angle the knife upwards a little so that when you slice it isn’t completely touching the board and make numerous, very thin slices into the cucumber.
2. Next, cut and remove the inner core where the seeds of the cucumber remain. Slice the cucumber into chunks with 5-6 of the smaller slices in each piece. Fan out the slices to create a decoration. 

To Make The Carrot Blossoms

1. Make 4 x 2mm indentation slices, in equal intervals running along the length of the carrot.
2. Then, make 4 lateral slices starting 3mm to the right of the initial cut, moving from lateral to vertical, and sloping to meet the bottom point of your first lengthwise cut.
3. Repeat this 3 more times with the other incisions.
4. Next, flip the carrot upside down and make the same lateral transitioning to vertical cuts, meeting, once again at the bottom of the incisions.
5. Now slice the carrot into thin slices, creating little flower shapes. 

For The Sushi Su (Vinegar)

1. Place the rice wine vinegar, sugar, salt and mirin into a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Stir constantly until all of the sugar and salt has dissolved. Turn off the heat and set aside. 

For The Sushi Rice

1. Place the rice into a large mixing bowl and pour the sushi vinegar over the rice using a spatula to disperse the vinegar evenly.
2. Using the side of the spatula in a cutting motion, quickly break up all of the grains of rice, focusing on any portions that remain clumped up. We advise using a folding method while mixing so as not to crush the delicate grains.
3. Allow the rice to cool to a 40C before using.  

For The Lotus Root & Broccolini Marinade

1. Place the dashi, soy sauce and mirin into a pot and bring it to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Turn of the heat and allow the marinade to cool slightly.
2. After blanching and cooling the broccolini and lotus root, place into 2 separate containers and submerge with the warm liquid. Marinate for 4 hours or overnight. 

For The Bamboo Shoots 

1. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together with the bamboo shoots.
2. Marinate for 4 hours or overnight. 

For The Shiitake Mushrooms

1. Place the mushrooms along with the poaching liquid ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Bring the ingredients to a simmer over medium-low heat and reduce the liquid until it has evaporated.  

To assemble

1. Place 200-250g of sushi rice into a wide, shallow bowl and sprinkle sesame seeds over the top.
2. Lay the vegetables onto the rice, spreading them evenly across the surface, arranging by colour. 

Nasu Miso Itame - Eggplant Stir-fried with Miso

The creamy softness of eggplant paired with the crunchy and vegetal notes of green capsicum make this dish a remarkable pairing with brown rice or other heirloom grains. Miso with a little sake and sugar to balance out its rich and salty taste give this light stir-fry a complex and savoury flavour. 

Serves - 2 

Total time - 20 minutes

Active time - 15 minutes 

Ingredients

• 300g Lebanese eggplant, roll cut
• 1 green capsicum, largely diced 
• 1 TBL vegetable oil
• 100ml water

Seasoning Paste

• 30g miso
• 1 TBL sake 
• 1 TBL mirin 
• 1 tsp raw sugar
• ½ tsp soy sauce 

Method 

1. In a mixing bowl, combine all the seasoning paste ingredients together.
2. Heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-low heat and add in the vegetable oil. Fry the eggplant gently for 3-4 minutes until it begins to soften a little, stirring occasionally.
3. Add in the capsicum and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes.
4. Add in the seasoning paste with the water and simmer until the sauce has thickened and glazes the vegetables. 
5. Serve as part of a shared meal or as a standalone dish.