Chirashi Sushi Cake and Temari Sushi
Festive Japanese sushi: a layered chirashi sushi 'cake' and bite-sized temari (ball) sushi decorated with sashimi, shrimp and salmon roe. Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook.
Ingredients
| 21 oz (600 g, from 2 cups uncooked) | cooked Japanese short grain rice | |
| 1 packet | chirashi sushi mix | |
| — | sakura denbu (pink seasoned shredded codfish) | |
| — | thin egg crepe and shredded egg crepe garnish | |
| 1 handful | Persian/Japanese cucumbers, cut in half and thinly sliced | |
| 10-12 pieces | sashimi-grade salmon (for decoration) | |
| 12 pieces | shrimp, boiled (for decoration) | |
| 1/3-1/2 cup | 80–120 ml | ikura (salmon roe) |
| 2-3 pieces | snow peas, blanched and cut diagonally |
Instructions
Make the chirashi sushi: 1. When the rice is cooked, take out some into a small bowl and mix with sakura denbu to make pink rice. 2. Place the rest of the rice in a large bowl and add one packet of chirashi sushi mix while hot; fold everything together with a rice paddle, slicing gently through the rice to separate the grains. Cover with a moist towel so it does not dry out. 3. Make a thin egg crepe and shredded egg crepe garnish. Save 1 egg crepe for temari sushi (to make 2), and cut the rest into thin julienne strips.
Assemble the chirashi sushi cake and temari sushi: 1. For the cake, prepare a container (round/square). Place shredded egg crepe garnish on the bottom with no gaps, add a 1/2 inch layer of pink rice, then chirashi sushi on top. Line the sides with sliced cucumber so it decorates the bottom trim when flipped. 2. Flip onto a plate and decorate as you wish. To make a sashimi rose, overlap half a piece of sashimi with the next and roll them up. 3. For temari sushi, cut the thin egg crepe in half and place on plastic wrap. Put 1-2 Tbsp chirashi sushi on top and wrap tightly; keep wrapped until serving. 4. When ready to serve, unwrap and place on a plate. Garnish with snow pea, half a sliced shrimp and ikura on top.